4 Washington high school girls basketball teams to buy rising stock in for rest of 2024
Sometimes, preseason prognostications miss the mark.
As Washington high school basketball turns to the final weeks of the regular season, here are four rising girls programs that have exceeded what many expected heading into 2023-24:
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EASTMONT WILDCATS (4A)
Photo courtesy of Eastmont athletics
Preseason forecast: Fifth place in 4A CBBN - and postseason longshot.
On track for: With 11-3 record ... wrapping up second place in league behind Davis of Yakima and getting a home playoff game.
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At home against Walla Walla (53-51) and at West Valley of Yakima (58-48).
Player to watch: Sophomore off-guard Noelia Johnson (12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 steals) is the team's offensive-spark producer who is also a defensive bulldog. She scored 27 points in the win over Walla Walla.
Skinny: With all the talk centered on Davis of Yakima as a top-10 state squad, and West Valley of Yakima and Moses Lake as chasers - where did the Wildcats fit in the league discussion in November? Nowhere. They hadn't had a winning season since 2012-13, brought in a first-time girls coach (Joel Barnes) and had no projected senior starters. But with 11 victories already, they have matched their win total of the past two seasons combined. "There's been a lot of buy-in, and they work hard every day and are coachable," said Barnes, who was the school's junior-varsity coach for six years before coaching the boys at Waterville-Mansfield. Johnson and Ashlyn McGinnis, a ninth grader who starts at point guard, are backcourt tone-setters who really get the Wildcats going in their defense-first mindset.
End of season: Possible WIAA regional-round team for first time since 2011.
Quotable: "They are growing up a lot faster than I anticipated." - Joel Barnes, Eastmont girls coach
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BLACK HILLS WOLVES (2A)
Photo courtesy of Black Hills athletics
Preseason forecast: Third place in 2A Evergreen.
On track for: With 14-3 record ... clinching second place in league behind W.F. West and getting home playoff game (No. 9 in WIAA's RPI rankings).
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At Tumwater (62-46).
Player to watch: The past two seasons, point guard Kiley McMahon had to do everything for Black Hills to be successful. But with the addition of ninth grader Tyler Venable, McMahon (12.0 ppg) can be more of a facilitator.
Skinny: Nearly a decade ago, the Wolves started a run of five consecutive WIAA tournament berths under former coach Tanya Greenfield. Herb Guscott was a part of her coaching staff, and now as the one guiding the program, he thinks the Wolves can fulfill their preseason goal. "We have not gone to state since these seniors were eighth graders (in 2020)," Guscott said. "These girls want them to go to the (SunDome)." Black Hills has seven seniors, including a trio of volleyball standouts who came back to basketball this winter. And it has a pair of talented ninth graders in Venable, a combo guard, and Natalie Buchanan, a wing player. "The ninth graders also played volleyball and were with the seniors there," Guscott said. "They just hang out together ... and all get along."
End of season: Navigate difficult District 4 tournament to earn first state-tournament berth to Yakima since 2020.
Quotable: "Once they (the volleyball players) came out, and I saw Tyler and Natalie, I knew we could go to the postseason and believed we could go to state." - Herb Guscott, Black Hills girls coach
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CROSSPOINT ACADEMY WARRIORS (1B)
Photo courtesy of Crosspoint Academy athletics
Preseason forecast: Top-15 program with chance to earn state-tournament berth to Spokane.
On track for: With 16-2 record ... top-three ranking in both the WIAA's RPI (No. 2) and in SBLive WA's state rankings (No. 2).
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At Mount Vernon Christian (56-30).
Player to watch: On balanced roster full of underclassmen, 5-foot-11 sophomore Riya Tobosa (8.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg) gives team active inside presence - and can make a 3-pointer. Has six double-doubles this winter.
Skinny: In all fairness, after making it to the district playoffs two seasons ago, and the regional-round of the WIAA playoffs in 2022-23, the reigning 1B Sea-Tac League champions were on the statewide radar. But how seriously? After they tripped up 2022 state champion Mount Vernon Christian in its own holiday tournament in December, it is obvious they should be taken very seriously. "Momentum-wise, that was a big boost," Crosspoint girls coach Jenny Kuske said. "It is a hard-working, bought-in bunch." Core of team is five sophomores who came up to varsity team together as eighth graders, including guard Anna Kuske, the coach's daughter who is the team's top scorer and primary ball-handler. Sisters, Halle (senior) and Katy (eighth grader) are also part of the cast.
End of season: Earns first state-tournament trip since 2010 and wins at least one game in Spokane.
Quotable: "We have talented athletes who can run who are in track or soccer ... and it really does help us to push the ball." - Jenny Kuske, Crosspoint girls coach
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CURLEW COUGARS (1B)
Photo by Judy Ringstad
Preseason forecast: Sixth place overall in 1B Northeast (No. 2 in North Division behind Inchelium).
On track for: With 15-2 record ... contender for divisional title and high seed to district playoffs (No. 4 in WIAA's RPI rankings; No. 11 in SBLive WA's state rankings).
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At Oakesdale (42-37) and at home against Inchelium (49-38).
Player to watch: Senior guard Emma Lena Baker recently became a 1,000-point career scorer, is the only player with state-tournament experience and is the team's leader (16.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 4.7 steals).
Skinny: If you've faced Curlew basketball recently, chances are you've run into a Baker ... or a few. The last time the Cougars were in the state tournament (2020), they were led by all-state post player Korin Baker, who is now a standout at Whitman College in Walla Walla. And the team's resurgence this winter has that family's imprint all over as dad (John) coaches the squad, and two daughters (Emma, Annika) are primary contributors. The team was projected to make late-season noise last season, but both Baker sisters suffered significant knee injuries. This season, everybody is healthy - and the Cougars are winning with disciplined halfcourt defense. "We have a pretty athletic team, so we will press if we have to, especially if we have an advantage in backcourt," John Baker said. Much of the attack runs through Emma Baker, the team's undisputed floor general.
End of season: Makes the field at the WIAA tournament in Spokane.
Quotable: "We were hopeful this year, but knew we were under the radar" - John Baker, Curlew girls coach
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