4 Washington high school boys basketball teams to buy rising stock in as district play gets going
Preseason prognostications are nothing more than educated guesses with some making the forecaster brilliant and others not so much.
As Washington high school basketball enters district play, here are four rising boys programs that have exceeded what some expected heading into 2023-24:
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RIDGELINE FALCONS (3A)
Photo courtesy Ridgeline athletics
Preseason forecast: Middle of the pack in the Class 4A/3A Greater Spokane League.
On track for: At 13-7 overall and 4-5 in league play, the Falcons claimed the fourth of the GSL’s five berths in the 3A district tournament with the Mid-Columbia Conference and open play Saturday at Walla Walla.
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At University (55-50), at Pullman (74-52) and home against University (64-54).
Player to watch: Sophomore point guard Caden Andreas (18.3 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.4 steals). The 5-foot-8 floor leader has more than doubled his scoring and assists from a year with just a slight uptick in his turnovers.
Skinny: Ridgeline coach Freddie Rehkow, who guided Central Valley’s girls to a pair of state titles and national prominence, returned to the sidelines in 2021 to build the Falcons programs after having stepped away. According to The Spokesman-Review, by Year 3 he wanted his squad “challenging” the top teams in the rugged GSL. The Falcons are right on time, and despite three losses to end the regular season, Ridgeline wrapped up a district berth.
End of season: District tournament berth achieved, with one of the district’s three regional spots the next goal.
Quotable: “Every night you’re going to have to bring it (in the GSL), and don’t take anything for granted.” – Ridgeline coach Freddie Rehkow.
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ROOSEVELT ROUGHRIDERS (3A)
Roosevelt's Jalen Dollar, left, and Caden Young have been key in the Roughriders' resurgence this season.
Photo courtesy Roosevelt athletics
Preseason forecast: Relegated to the lower division of the Metro League after a 1-13 conference record in the upper division, where the Roughriders would stack in the lower division was tough to gauge.
On track for: Roosevelt went unbeaten (14-0) in league play, and won a pair of loser-out games to push its record to 20-3 advance to the district tournament with the upper division, and meets Seattle Prep on Thursday to decide the seventh and eight seeds.
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At home against Skyline (77-65), at Ballard (65-42).
Player to watch: Senior guard Jalen Dollar (15.4 ppg). The 5-foot-7 son of former UCLA star and longtime college coach Cameron Dollar has led the charge that has the Roughriders winners of 20 games thus far after just four victories a season ago.
Skinny: It’s spot in the district tournament secured by staving off elimination in the qualifier, Roosevelt will try to continue its bounce-back season against the best of the powerful Metro League – including top-10 teams in O’Dea (the tourney’s top seed), Garfield and Eastside Catholic – and the KingCo – which was won by No. 4 Bellevue. Dollar and backcourt mate Caden Young, the coach’s 5-9 son who averages nearly 10 points a contest, give the Roughriders a dynamic backcourt for a team that’s seen plenty of buy-in from its players.
End of season: The Roughriders won two loser-out contests to qualify for the district tourney, and will again will face elimination Saturday. Two wins at district gets the Roughriders to the state tournament.
Quotable: “We’ve got some excitement this year.” – Roosevelt coach Chase Young.
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BREMERTON KNIGHTS (2A)
Preseason forecast: Middle of the pack of the Olympic League, with everybody chasing top-ranked North Kitsap.
On track for: The Knights travel to Port Angeles on Thursday night with second place in the Olympic League on the line. They’ve already wrapped up a berth in district tourney, which includes the South Puget Sound League 2A and gets six berths to state in Yakima’s SunDome.
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At home against Port Angeles (74-62), at Lake Stevens (60-51).
Player to watch: Freshman point guard Jalen Davis. The coach’s son, who stands 6-foot-2 and scoring average per game is in the mid-20s, leads the crew which has thrived with a team-first approach.
Skinny: The Knights have benefitted from an infusion of youth (five freshmen dot the roster) and buy-in from the whole team to nearly double its league victory total of a year ago and win at least 10 more contests this year. “We got a great group wanting to learn together and work together,” Bemerton coach Jeremiah Davis said. That togetherness could lead the Knights to their first state tournament trophy in a quarter of a century.
End of season: The Yakima Valley SunDome seems a likely destination for the Knights, who haven’t been to state since 2014, and hasn’t medaled since 1999.
Quotable: “Truthfully, the difference is we’re dealing with any egos.” – Bremeton coach Jeremiah Davis
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ROYAL KNIGHTS (1A)
Royal's Caden Allred goes up for a layup during a game at Wapato last month.
Photo courtesy Royal athletics
Preseason forecast: Near the top of the SCAC East, which traditionally has been the weaker of the two divisions.
On track for: A likely doubling of its win total from last year (9 to 17 and counting), and first trip to the state tournament since 2019. The Knights open district Thursday night by hosting Naches Valley.
Best win(s) in 2023-24: At home against Quincy (49-47), at Wapato (68-58).
Player to watch: Senior guard Caden Allred (14.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg). The 6-foot-3 standout, who also was an all-state defensive back and standout receiver for the Knights’ state championship football team in the fall, has taken more of a vocal role as a leader this winter.
Skinny: With much of its roster helping Royal’s football team to a fourth consecutive state championship, the Knights got a later start to the season than all but a few teams statewide. No matter, once they got rolling little slowed them and it resulted in 15 wins in 17 games and 11 straight victories heading into district play. Allred is just one of two seniors for Royal, and 6-1 Grant Wardenaar leads a strong freshman group at more than 11 points per game. The SCAC is again strong at the top but thin on state berths with just two squads from the 10-team conference advancing to the Yakima Valley SunDome.
End of season: The Knights went unbeaten in SCAC East play, and will try to grab one of the conference’s two state berths with the school’s second state trophy a possibility.
Quotable: “I see (the late start) as a positive – I get to coach state champions.” – Royal coach Greg Jenks
