Can Squalicum survive a 3A elimination regional against Bellevue?

The Bellevue and Squalicum boys basketball teams attempt to keep their seasons alive in an elimination regional in the Class 3A State Tournament.

Time: 6 p.m. Friday

Site: Mount Vernon High School

What’s at stake: Winner moves on to a 9 p.m. elimination game against the loser between Rainier Beach and Nathan Hale Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome. Loser is eliminated.

Scouting the Wolverines

Coach: Chris O’Connor

State tournament apperances (record): 11 (23-16)

State titles: None

RPI ranking: No. 25

League: 2A/3A Kingco (second, 11-3)

Road to the regional: Won the KingCo 3A Tournament title and finished seventh in the 3A SeaKing District Tournament. Beat Kamiakin 64-55 in a District 2/5 glue crossover game to advance.

The Wolverines return to state for the fourth straight year after placing third, sixth and fourth the past three years. Andrew Kenny, a 6-foot-6 junior guard, leads the Wolverines with 15.6 points per game, while Hunter Hansen, a 6-5 sophomore forward, averages 12.2. Kenney had 10 rebounds and four assists for Bellevue in the glue crossover win, while Jalen Love had four steals.

Scouting the Storm

Coach: Dave Dickson

State tournament apperances (record): 12 (21-15)

State titles: Two (2010, ’11)

RPI ranking: No. 11

League: Northwest Conference (tied for second, 10-2)

Road to the regional: Beat Everett 60-44 in a winner-to-state game of the 3A Northwest District Tournament.

The last time Squalicum played in the Class 3A State Tournament (2007), it placed third. Since then, it has advanced to the 2A State Tournament six of the past eight years and won a pair of state titles. Senior guard Damek Mitchell leads Whatcom County with 24.5 points per game, but he’s not the only Storm player to watch offensively. Freshman guard Devante’ Powell averages 13.2 points and senior forward Kendall Enghart is scoring 11.2.

This story was originally published February 24, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Can Squalicum survive a 3A elimination regional against Bellevue?."