Camas boys, Fort Vancouver, boys, Union girls, and Columbia River boys, four of the 11 teams from Clark County that have reached their state basketball tournaments, will play their Opening Round games at Camas High School on Friday and Saturday
Paul Valencia
Clark County Today
There are nearly a dozen basketball teams from Clark County that have made it to their respective state tournaments, and four of those teams will be playing this weekend in Clark County.
For the first time, Camas High School is a host site for what is called the State Opening Round games for the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association basketball tournaments. Camas will host two games Friday night and two more on Saturday.
Years ago, the WIAA wanted to avoid teams playing on their home courts in this round, but that philosophy changed. That change is a benefit to the Camas Papermakers.
Camas, as the 12-seed in the Class 4A boys tournament, will host No. 13 Woodinville at 8 p.m. Friday.
Prior to that game, No. 9 Fort Vancouver will take on No. 16 Nooksack Valley in the 1A boys tournament. That game tips off at 6 p.m.
The Opening Round games, or as some still call them state regional matchups, consist of a bizarre set-up — this not a typical bracket that fans are accustomed to in most sports. Right now, there are 16 teams left (or 20 in the Class 3A and 1B brackets) and the WIAA gets that number down to 12 teams before the final week of the state tournaments.
So teams that are seeded 9-16, or seeds 9-20 in the 3A and 1B, play elimination games. Teams that are seeded 1-8 play each other in the Opening Round games, with both teams being assured of making it to the final week in the round of 12 or the elite eight.
Friday’s games at Camas High School are both elimination games.
On Saturday, though, the Union girls, seeded No. 2 in Class 4A, will face No. 7 Bothell at 4 p.m. at Camas High School. That game is not an elimination game. The winner will go directly to the quarterfinals (the elite eight) in the Tacoma Dome. The loser will have to play in the round of 12 in the dome. A team seeded 1-8 is not eliminated from winning a state championship if it loses this weekend.
Three other Clark County teams also were seeded in the top eight of their brackets, meaning they are assured of playing next week: No. 6 Prairie in Class 3A boys, No. 7 Evergreen in Class 3A girls, and No. 7 Seton Catholic in Class 1A girls.
The Columbia River boys (No. 11 in 2A boys) will also be at Camas High School when the Rapids take on No. 14 Clover Park at 6 p.m. Saturday.
All state basketball tournaments will conclude March 4-7.
The 4A and 3A boys and girls final 12 teams will be at the Tacoma Dome. The 2A and 1A boys and girls final 12 teams will play at the Yakima Valley SunDome. And the Class 2B and 1B boys and girls teams will be at the Spokane Arena.
Two Clark County teams, in the bracket with 20 teams, will start their state tournament journeys on Tuesday.
Here is a list of the Clark County teams still in their state tournaments:
Class 4A Boys
No. 13 Woodinville at No. 12 Camas, 8 p.m. Friday at Camas High School. Elimination game. Winner to the round of 12.
Class 3A Boys
No. 17 Mountain View at No. 16 Snohomish, 7 p.m. Tuesday. Elimination game. Winner to play No. 9 Auburn Mountainview on Friday.
No. 6 Prairie vs. No. 3 Mt. Spokane, noon Saturday at West Valley of Spokane. Seeding game. Winner to state quarterfinals. Loser to the round of 12
Class 2A Boys
No. 14 Clover Park vs. No. 11 Columbia River, 6 p.m. Saturday at Camas High School. Elimination game. Winner to the round of 12.
Class 1A Boys
No. 16 Nooksack Valley vs. No. 9 Fort Vancouver, 6 p.m. Friday at Camas High School. Elimination game. Winner to the round of 12.
Class 1B Boys
No. 17 Columbia Adventist vs. No. 16 Concordia Christian, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Charles Wright Academy. Elimination game. Winner to play No. 9 Willapa Valley on Saturday
Class 4A Girls
No. 7 Bothell vs. No. 2 Union, 4 p.m. Saturday at Camas High School. Seeding game. Winner to quarterfinals. Loser to the round of 12.
Class 3A Girls
No. 7 Evergreen vs. 2 Snohomish, 4 p.m. Saturday at North Creek High School. Seeding game. Winner to quarterfinals. Loser to the round of 12.
Class 2A Girls
No. 16 Ridgefield vs. 9 Fife, noon Saturday at the University of Puget Sound. Elimination game. Winner to the round of 12.
Class 1A Girls
No. 7 Seton Catholic vs. No. 2 Zillah, 4 p.m. Saturday at Davis High School. Seeding game. Winner to quarterfinals. Loser to the round of 12.
No. 16 King’s Way Christian vs. 9 Nooksack Valley, 2 p.m. Saturday at Lynden High School. Elimination game. Winner to the round of 12.
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