High school boys basketball: 4A state tournament bracket breakdown
The Class 4A boys state basketball tournament begins Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome, where 15 games will be played in four days to decide this season’s champion. Here’s what to watch for in the 2025 bracket, which features 12 high school programs from around the state.
STATE REGIONALS RESULTS
Winner-to-quarterfinals, loser-to-first-round games
No. 1 Gonzaga Prep 56, No. 8 Puyallup 54
No. 7 Mount Si 56, No. 2 Auburn 50
No. 5 Camas 59, No. 4 Richland 57
No. 6 West Valley 59, No. 3 Glacier Peak 55
Winner-to-first-round, loser-out games
No. 9 Davis 59, No. 16 Woodinville 58
No. 10 Olympia 54, No. 15 North Creek 43
No. 14 Arlington 57, No. 11 Kentwood 56
No. 13 Emerald Ridge 70, No. 12 Lake Washington 57
TACOMA DOME SCHEDULE
Wednesday’s first round and Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 3 Glacier Peak vs. No. 14 Arlington, 9 a.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. No. 5 Camas, 9 a.m. Thursday
No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 10 Olympia, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. No. 1 Gonzaga Prep, 10:30 Thursday
No. 4 Richland vs. No. 13 Emerald Ridge, 12:15 p.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. West Valley, 12:15 p.m. Thursday
No. 8 Puyallup vs. No. 9 Davis, 2 p.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. No. 7 Mount Si, 2 p.m. Thursday
Friday’s semifinals
3:45 and 5:30 p.m.
Saturday’s championship and placing games
4th/6th at 8 a.m.
3rd/5th at 11:15 a.m.
Championship at 9 p.m.
15 PLAYERS TO WATCH
G Landen Birley, West Valley, sr.
G Carter Hansen, Auburn, sr.
F Ethan Harris, Camas, jr.
G Brady Hennig, Mount Si, jr,
G Cesar Hernandez, Davis, sr.
G Lance Horntvedt, Richland, jr.
G Brogan Howell, Gonzaga Prep, sr.
G Daniel Johnson, Auburn, jr.
G Drew Jones, Puyallup, sr.
G Jo Lee, Glacier Peak, sr.
G Matt Lindblom, Olympia, sr.
G Leyton Martin, Arlington, sr.
W Jamaize McGriff, Emerald Ridge, jr.
G Landen Northrop, Richland, jr.
G Jace VanVoorhis, Camas, sr.
TEAM PREVIEWS
No. 1 Gonzaga Prep (23-2) — Despite both its would-be returning all-league players Nate Christy and Dylynn Groves missing this season with knee injuries, the Bullpups ran through the Greater Spokane League unscathed and are undefeated against teams from Washington this winter. Senior guards Brogan Howell (14.9 points per game) and Hudson Floyd (13 ppg) are the team’s leading scorers.
No. 2 Auburn (24-3) — Wondered how Auburn would fare in its jump to 4A this season? Just fine, judging by its 4A NPSL title, District 3/4 title — the program’s sixth straight league title and fourth straight district title — and No. 2 seed in the 4A state tournament. Guards Daniel Johnson (19 ppg, six rebounds, two assists) and 4A NPSL MVP Carter Hansen (17 ppg, five assists, three steals) are the 1-2 punch for Ryan Hansen’s squad.
No. 3 Glacier Peak (21-3) — The Grizzlies tore through the Wesco and feature one of the state’s top guards in 6-foot-2 senior Jo Lee, a smooth outside-shooting, quick-release lefty who can play above the rim.
No. 4 Richland (23-2) — The Bombers have never had two 500+ point scorers in a single season until this winter: 6-foot-4 guard Landen Northrop (26.7 ppg) and 6-foot-8 guard Lance Horntvedt (23.8 ppg) are as good a 1-2 punch as there is in this bracket. Northrop broke Richland’s single-game scoring record this season, pouring in 54 points in a win over Central Valley in early December.
No. 5 Camas (19-4) — Positions one through five, there isn’t a better all-around shooting team in the state than the Papermakers, who can all put the ball in the hoop. Guard Jace Vanvoorhis sees the floor as well as anyone and 6-foot-8 stretch four Ethan Harris is a threat inside and out.
No. 6 West Valley (18-5) — Keep an eye on guard Landen Birley, a 6-foot-4 high-level shooter. He scored 29 points to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists in West Valley’s comeback win over Glacier Peak in the state regional round. Rams have won 15 straight since a late December loss to Davis, including an upset over Glacier Peak in last week’s regional round.
No. 7 Mount Si (20-7) — The reigning 4A state champs will be without 6-foot-6 wing Latt Ford in Tacoma; he suffered an ACL injury during Mount Si’s league championship game this season. Still, a win over Auburn in the regional round last weekend shows there’s still plenty to like here, particularly 4A KingCo MVP Brady Hennig, who averages 19.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Hennig, a 6-foot-7 shooting guard, is a Boise State commit.
No. 8 Puyallup (21-8) — The Vikings gave No. 1 Gonzaga Prep everything it could handle in Spokane in last weekend’s regional round. Senior guard Drew Jones, the 4A SPSL North MVP, is the straw that stirs the drink. He’s the only player in Puyallup history to hit both the 1,000 career point and 300 assists milestones and this season, is averaging 19.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and four assists. Forwards Will Nasinec (14 ppg, 5.7 rebounds), Mason Sonntag (10.1 ppg) and guard Lawson Looker (3.8 assists, 2.2 steals) are all contributors.
No. 9 Davis (21-3) — The Pirates are younger this year, but outside a loss to Richland and a pair of losses to West Valley, Davis tore through its schedule again. Senior guard Cesar Hernandez is the player to watch — a cool, fluid scorer who is never sped up.
No. 10 Olympia (22-5) — Sure, it’s not the Parker Gerrits-led 4A state tournament runner-up team of a couple years ago, but the Bears have some intriguing pieces and dismantled North Creek in the regional round. Guard Matt Lindblom (15.2 ppg) can take over games when he heats up, while guard Julian Zapata (9.1 ppg) and 6-foot-6 sophomore forward Brian Stevenson (7.8 ppg) are complementary pieces.
No. 13 Emerald Ridge (21-8) — It all starts with 6-foot-5 wing Jamaize McGriff (16 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, two blocks) who has been a difference maker on both ends of the floor for the Jaguars this season. Jordan Bennett (12 ppg), Mychal Turner (10.2 ppg) and Isaac Norris (4.3 ast) have all played a part in Emerald Ridge reaching the state tournament for the first time in program history.
No. 14 Arlington (19-7) — It took a dramatic win in the final seconds against Kentwood for Arlington to make it back to the Tacoma Dome, but here the Eagles are. Senior guard Leyton Martin averages a double-double (23.3 ppg, 10.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists) and is one of the state’s most dangerous scorers.
TNT CHAMPIONSHIP PICK
No. 4 Richland 59, No. 1 Gonzaga Prep 57
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "High school boys basketball: 4A state tournament bracket breakdown."
