3/8/2025
(Yakima, WA) The boys 1A Hardwood Classic at the Yakima SunDome will be followed start to finish on this post. We will update daily the scores and short re-caps with links to the game replays, updated bracket and the WIAA’s Tournament Central.
The Annie Wright Gators are state Champs! Below is our coverage of the entire tournament from last year’s winners to the Regional scores and re-caps to our trophy day stories. All stories and re-caps written by Sandy Ringer.
Link to WIAA Tournament Central
Saturday, March 8 CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY!
State Championship Game
(1) Annie Wright 59, (2) Lynden Christian 46
By Sandy Ringer
Three hundred and sixty nine days.
Jeremiah Harshman counted every one of them.
That’s how many had passed since Annie Wright lost the 2A state boys basketball title to Zillah.
“We thought about it every day,” the senior guard said. “It motivated us so much. We had a chip on our shoulder the whole time.”
The top-seeded Gators (24-2) traded that chip for a ‘Ship as in the school’s first championship as they beat No. 3 Lynden Christian, 59-46, Saturday at the Yakima SunDome.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” said Harshman who took the game MVP with 20 points and nine rebounds – and went one better after being tabbed the tournament’s most valuable player. “Nothing comes close, nothing.”
Teammate Reggie Lester was also voted to the list, while Martin Kaupanger landed on the second team.
Lynden Christian’s Dawson Hintz and Gannon Dykstra were first-team selections for Lynden Christian.
Harshman got the party started with a three-pointer to open the game, but it took the Gators time to really get in rhythm. Same with Lynden Christian, which led 4-2 midway through that opening stanza then went scoreless for four minutes.
Annie Wright was up 11-4 by then, thanks to a pair of threes by Gabe Walsh. LC closed it to 11-9 with Dykstra draining a triple.
The Lyncs kept hanging around in the second quarter and lagged just 25-22 late in the period after a pair of free throws by Luke VanKooten.
Then they ran out of answers. Of course, it would be hard to find one for the circus shot Harsman made to end the half as he banked in an off-balanced three to make it 29-22.
Dawson Hintz hit for Lynden Christian to start the third, but the Gators started pulling away from there. Noah Schow’s three-point play with 2:16 capped a12-2 run that increased the gap to 15.
Back-to-back triples by Dykstra early in the fourth gave the Lyncs lingering hopes, down just eight. But then came another ridiculous shot by Harshman. After taking a time out with just two seconds on the shot clock, he had to catch and shoot – so he swished another three to kick off a 9-0 run that put Annie Wright up by 17 with 3:18 remaining.
Kaupanger, a 6-4 senior with major hops, put together a nice line – 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and four steals.
Dykstra was the only LC player in double figures with 10. Hintz was held to six points.
The Lyncs (24-3) lost to Annie Wright in last year’s semifinals, ending their dreams of a three-peat.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
Consolation Games
9:30am 4th/6th Place Game
(7) Meridian 59, (9) Chelan 48
Jaeger Fyfe was feeling it.
The 6-3 guard enjoyed a sizzling first half with 22 of the Trojans’ 33 points, nailing six of nine three-pointers as they took salvaged a10-point.
Then it was Talon Jenkins’ turn. His personal 9-0 run made it 43-25 with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter.
The senior duo combined for 49 points, 30 by Fyfe who made three of six free throws to seal the victory and cement the game MVP award.
Meridian (20-9), which streaked to a 19-4 start, went home with hardware for only the fourth time in program history and first since placing second to Cascade Christian in 2010.
Chelan (23-7) ended a trophy drought as well. The Goats had been absent from the tournament since getting back-to-back fifth-place finishes in 2010 and ’11.
Sophomore Tev Utech notched 12 of his 18 points in the first half. Chelan made a late run with consecutive three-pointers by Jacob Allen and Utech, trimming what had been a 19-point deficit to 13 with three minutes on the clock.
But the Goats, who got 10 points from senior Zac Noyd, could get no closer than 11.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
1pm 3rd/5th Place Game
(4) Zillah 75, (2) Royal 70
These two rivals just can’t get enough of each other.
It was their fourth meeting of the season, so of course this one had to go to overtime.
The Royals certainly saw enough of Dekker Van De Graaf Saturday as he poured in 36 points – 28 in the second half and overtime– to key a come-from-behind victory.
That gave the Leopards (22-5) the series bragging rights at 3-1. More importantly, it meant a better finish. They came into the SunDome shooting for a second straight championship, but lost to Annie Wright in the semifinals.
Third place was the next best thing available. It’s Zillah’s fourth consecutive trophy.
Van De Graaf, a 6-5 junior, was beast at both ends of the court and the clear game MVP. He scored nine of his team’s 11 points in overtime, including four straight free throws in the final 17.1, and completed a double-double with 12 rebounds.
Van De Graaf clearly left everything on the court and was visibly gassed when he went to the line with 6.1 on the clock. He sank both, then was subbed out and appeared to get sick in a garbage can behind the bench.
Memphis Jones and X Castilleja played key roles as well with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
Royal (25-3) had its chances and led at several stages.
With the game tied at 21, Dax Jenks sank back-to-back triples to give the Knights a 27-21 lead two minutes before the break.
Zillah cut the gap to 31-27 before heading to the locker room, then fell back by eight early in the third period. Jenks had 12 of his team-high 20 points in the first half. He added 10 rebounds and three steals.
Royal was up by six late in the third quarter, but Zillah replied with a 10-2 spurt. In fact, the Leopards shot in front 55-50 early in the fourth, but couldn’t close the deal.
The Knights, who enjoyed their best season since placing fourth in 2018, got 18 points from Grand Wardenaar and 12 from Lance Allred.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
Friday, March 7 Semifinal Friday
Consoltion Round (Loser Out)
(7) Meridian 68, (6) Seton Catholic 48
The hot-shooting Trojans took control in the middle two quarters and cruised into the trophy round.
Meridian (19-9), which shot better than 55 percent, meets No. 9 Chelan (23-6) Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to determine fourth and sixth places. It’s been 15 years since the Trojans left with any hardware. They placed second to Cascade Christian in 2010.
Senior Talon Jenkins scored 15 of his game-high 21 points in the second half as Meridian pulled away. The game MVP made nine of 15 shots and sophomore Pierce Brzozowski was even more efficient (six of eight) enroute to his 16 points. Senior James Hedahl (six-for-10) added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Seton Catholic (20-7), which placed sixth a year ago, trailed just 14-12 after one quarter, but was down 36-23 at the half and 53-35 going into the fourth.
The Cougars, who shot just 28.1 percent in the first half and 32.8 overall, were led by senior Rico George with 20 points. Sophomore Kaiden Wilson picked up his fourth foul in the third period, which limited him defensively, and he scored just four of his 13 points after the break.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(9) Chelan 63, (5) King’s 59
Shooters keep shooting.
That’s what freshman Trevor Feletto did after his three-points stopped falling.
The touch returned and Feletto delivered the go-ahead triple with 1:15 to play in overtime, putting the Goats up 58-56. Then it was his older brother’s turn.
After an exchange of turnovers, junior Luca Faletto picked up his dibble and couldn’t find an open teammate. So, he took the three and nailed it for a 61-56 lead with 15 seconds left. Another King’s turnover led to a pair of clinching free throws by Zac Noyd.
The Goats (23-6) are assured of a trophy for the first time since finishing fifth in 2011. They take on No. 7 Meridian (19-9) Saturday at 9:30 a.m. with the winner taking fourth. The loser is sixth.
Luca Faletto finished with a game-high 19 points, adding seven assists and six rebounds, to garner the MVP award. Noyd had 12 and was joined in double figures by Tev Uttech (14) and Jacob Allen (11). Trevor Faletto had six.
King’s (19-7) failed to place for the second straight year after a string of 10 consecutive trophies.
The Knights trailed by nine at the end of the third quarter but rallied to lead 48-46 on back-to-back baskets by junior Dozie Asinobi, who wound up with 17 points.
Uttech tied it with 17 seconds left in regulation.
Andrew Gerbig led King’s with 18 and Colton Adams tossed in 10.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
Semifinals (Winner to Championship, Loser to 3rd place game)
(1) Annie Wright 58, (4) Zillah 37
The payback felt proper.
After losing last year’s championship game to Zillah on a last-gasp putback, the Gators got their revenge – no drama needed.
And now they get another shot at that first title – this time against No. 3 Lynden Christian (24-2).
Zillah was thinking it could be more of the same after taking a 29-25 halftime lead on a dagger, buzzer-beating three by Dekker Van De Graaf – the hero that 2024 game.
But Annie Wright found another gear on defense, limiting the Leopards to eight points the rest of the way. Zillah managed just two points in the third quarter and was held scoreless for more than eight minutes as the Gators built a 46-31 cushion, highlighted by Reggie Lester’s three-pointer with 4:35 to play.
Van De Graaf got all 14 of his points in the first half and the Leopards made just three of 24 shots (12.5 percent) after the intermission.
A three by Jayden Suenz trimmed Annie Wright’s lead to 11, but Zillah got no closer.
Lester, a senior guard, knocked down 10 of his 17 points in the second half and was tabbed MVP. Fellow senor Noah Schow backed 16 points with 13 rebounds as the Gators cleaned up on the glass. Martin Kaupanger yanked down 13 caroms to go with eight points.
The Leopards (21-5) play No. 2 Royal (25-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday to determine third and fifth places.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(3) Lynden Christian 56, (2) Royal 49
Sophomore Davison Hintz had his fingerprints all over this one, amassing 33 points, nine rebounds and three steals to power the Lyncs to the championship game.
Seven of those points came early in the fourth as part of an 11-4 run that wiped out the Royals’ 42-39 lead. Gannon Dykstra sealed the deal by making four of six free throws in the final 3:31.
Lynden Christian (24-2) goes for its third title in four seasons Saturday at 5 p.m. against top-seeded Annie Wright (23-2). The Gators beat LC in last year’s semifinals, ending hopes of a three-peat.
Hintz gave the Lyncs a 30-20 halftime lead with a three-pointer as time expired. But Royal (25-2) got red hot in the third period, draining four straight threes, and was up 39-34 with 32 seconds left. Hintz stemmed the tide with another triple as the two squads traded punches.
The Knights went into the final eight minutes with a 42-39 edge, thanks to Fletcher Livingston’s three. But Hintz heated up and Royal went cold, failing to score in the final 3:31.
Dykstra was LC’s only other player in double figures with 14. Sophomore Kaden Veldman hauled in a team-best 11 rebounds.
Senior Jackson Larsen led Royal with 13 points, while sophomore Grant Wardenaar went for 10.
The Knights (25-2) hope to bounce back Saturday at 1 p.m. against No. 4 Zillah (21-5) in a game to decide third and fifth places.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
Thursday, March 6 (Winner to Semifinals, Loser to Consolation)
(4) Zillah 61, (6) Seton Catholic 59
What is it with the last-second putbacks?
The Leopards seem to thrive on them.
Last year, it was Dekker Van De Graaf who rebounded his own miss and scored the game-winner over Annie Wright in the championship game.
Thursday, Memphis Jones was the magic man, salvaging another semifinal berth with the cleanup duty after Van De Graaf’s putback attempt fell off.
Zillah (21-4) is back in the semifinals and guess who lurks there? A very motived squad from top-seeded Annie Wright (22-2).
Seton Catholic (20-6), which gave the Leopards a major scare in last year’s quarterfinals, had seized momentum after erasing a 21-point deficit – thanks largely to the play of 6-6 sophomore Kaiden Wilson.
Wilson scored the Cougars’ final eight points, including a pair of free throws that tied the game at 59 with 19.6 to play after Van De Graaf had put Zillah back on top with a hanging jumper in the key.
Wilson finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Rico Jones checked in with 17.
Van De Graaf, a 6-5 junior, piled up 28 points and 19 rebounds. But the MVP went to Jones, another 6-5 junior. He was efficient in logging his 21 points, hitting 10 of 12 shots from the field.
Seton Catholic, which went on to place sixth last year, hopes to snare another trophy but will have to go through No. 7 Meridian (18-9) in a loser-out game Friday at 12:15 p.m.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(1) Annie Wright 53, (7) Meridian 22
The Gators dominated at both ends of the court in the first half to leave little doubt.
Comebacks had been the story of the day, but Annie Wright (22-2) was having none of that after zooming to the 33-10 advantage.
The Trojans (18-9) made just two of 21field goals in the half (9.52 percent) with both coming in the second period. Their five first-quarter points came at the line.
The Gators now have the rematch they want next up against No. 4 Zillah (21-4), although they might wish it was in the championship game since that’s where the Leopards dashed what had seemed to be legitimate title hopes in gut-wrenching fashion with a last-gasp putback.
But they’ll settle for the semifinal clash Friday at 7:15 p.m.
Will Reger edged teammate Martin Kaupanger in the MVP race, putting together 11 points and seven rebounds. Kaupanger charted 12 points, four boards and four steals. Meridian’s James Hedahl pulled down 11rebounds and scored five points – a team high.
The Trojans are in a loser-out situation against No. 6 Seton Catholic Friday at 12:15.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(3) Lynden Christian 69, (5) King’s 44
Sophomore Gunnar Dykstra drained six of seven three-pointers – one from the logo – to account for his 18 points and lead the Lyncs back to the semifinals for the fifth straight season, earning MVP accolades to boot.
Lynden Chrisitan (23-2) plays No. 2 Royal (25-1) in Friday’s 9 p.m. nightcap, looking to return to the championship game after last year’s upset loss to Annie Wright that ended a three-peat bid.
The Lyncs have not lost to a 1A opponent this season with the blemishes on their record coming from 4A Arlington and 2A Lynden.
Kaden Veldman, another 10th-grader, was a handful as well with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Senior Gannon Dykstra, Gunnar’s brother, added 10 points.
King’s (19-6) couldn’t keep up from the get-go, falling behind 20-2 in the opening quarter and never recovering.
The Knights were led by Colton Adams with 12 points, while Blake Needham and Andrew Gerhig had 11 apiece. Their trophy hopes hinge on Friday’s loser-out game against No. 9 Chelan (22-5) at 2 p.m.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(2) Royal 67, (9) Chelan 46
Their first trophy since 2018 is assured – but which one will it be?
The Knights (25-1) have the biggest one in mind as they dream of their first state championship. The next obstacle is No. 2 Lynden Christian (23-2) in Friday’s 9 p.m. semifinal.
Royal got right to work Thursday, rolling to a 32-15 lead, but didn’t put the Goats away until the final quarter. Chelan got within 11 on Jacob Allen’s three-pointer early in the fourth, 53-42, before the Knights finished with a 10-4 flurry.
Sophomore Grant Wardenaar led the way with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and the MVP tag. Jackson Larsen contributed a dozen points and six others scored five or more.
Luca Faletto (12 points) and Jacob Allen (11) were Chelan’s leading scorers.
The Goats (22-6) go against No. 5 King’s (19-6) in a loser-out tussle Friday at 2 p.m.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
Wednesday, March 5 (Winner to Quarterfinals, Loser Out)
(6) Seton Catholic 68, (11) Cashmere 61
It was a rollercoaster ride for the Cougars (20-5), who climbed out of a 13-point, fourth-quarter hole to advance to the quarterfinals for a second straight season. They lost in that round last year to Zillah, the eventual champion. This year’s opponent is the same – the fourth-seeded Leopards (20-4).
Down 60-47, Seton Catholic finished on a 21-1 spree to knock out the Bulldogs (19-9).
Kaiden Wilson, a 6-6 sophomore, had a strong finish to solidify his MVP honor and wound up with 32 points and 15 boards – despite picking up his fourth foul in the third period. Senior Rico George added 17 points.
Senior Rylan Neilson paced Cashmere with 18 points, while freshman Mac Carlson tossed in 16 and junior Tobie Larson added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(7) Meridian 65, (15) Overlake 52
No one-and-done this time around. The Trojans (18-8) made sure of that with a victory that never seemed in doubt – despite Overlake’s big fourth quarter. But they need another win to be in position to claim their first state trophy since 2010, when they finished second to Cascade Christian.
Top-seeded Annie Wright (21-2) is the next challenge Thursday at 5:30 – a team likely still stinging from the last-second loss to Zillah in the 2024 title game.
Senior guard Jaeger Fyfe, the game MVP, popped in 13 of his 25 points in the third quarter as Meridian took command, 56-33. James Hedahl added 14 points.
Overlake (15-10), which knocked out No. 10 Riverside in the opening round, couldn’t muster another upset, despite a 19-9 run to end the game. Brandon Douvia (16 points) and Xander Gregush (13) were the Owls’ top performers.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(5) King’s 69, (12) Bellevue Christian 67
Andrew Gerhig’s putback just before time expired ended a wild, back-and-forth game with all of the drama a state-tournament game deserves – including Drake Penberthy’s off-balance three-pointer that pulled Bellevue Christian into a 60-60 tie at the end of regulation.
King’s (19-5) trailed 34-22 late in the second quarter, then dominated the third 22-6 to seemingly take control. But the Knights – up 58-28 with just over two minutes left in regulation, missed some key free throws from that could have put the game away and Bellevue Christian took advantage.
The Vikings (19-6) enjoyed a 67-62 advantage in OT, but was held scoreless in the final 1:40. Penberthy led four Bellevue Christian players in double figures with 21, followed by Kyler Skogstad (15), Conner Banach (12) and Brandy Tonkin (10).
Gerhig’s heroics netted him the game MVP, but several others with strong outings – including Colton Adams (21 points) and Dozie Asinobi (18).
The Knight’s now face No. 3 Lynden Christian (22-2) Thursday at 7:15 p.m.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
(9) Chelan 69, (8) The Bear Creek School 51
Senior Jacob Allen drained five first-half triples and finished with 23 points to spark the victory and draw the MVP honor.
The Goats (22-5), back in the tourney for the first time since 2011, take on No. 2 Royal (24-1) in Thursday’s 9 p.m. quarterfinal.
After leading by nine at the break, Chelan scored the first 12 points of the third period to build a 48-27 cushion and held Bear Creek scoreless until 33 sank a pair of free throws with 3:13 to go in the quarter.
The Goats went into the fourth up 57-35 and Bear Creek never got closer than 15 the rest of the way. Tev Utech stepped up with 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Luca Faletto chipped in 11 points.
The Grizzlies, which had not qualified since 2014, finish the season 18-7. Max Beiber was their only player in double figures with 19.
Link to Box Score
Link to full game replay on the NFHS Network
Feb 28, Mar 1 Regional Round
Winner to Quarterfinals, Loser to Round of 12
(1) Annie Wright 62, (8) The Bear Creek School 37
(2) Royal 65, (7) Meridian 47
(3) Lynden Christian 74, (6) Seton Catholic 57
(4) Zillah 69, (5) King’s 44
Winner to Quarterfinals, Loser Out
(9) Chelan 70, (16) Tenino 52
(15) Overlake 62, (10) Riverside 51
(11) Cashmere 58, (14) La Center 47
(12) Bellevue Christian 61, (13) Fort Vancouver 48
Last Year’s Trophy Winners
Champions Zillah
2nd Annie Wright
3rd Lynden Christian
4th Freeman
5th Seattle Academy
6th Seton Catholic
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