High school girls basketball: 3A state tournament bracket breakdown
The Class 3A girls state basketball tournament begins Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome, where 15 games will be played in four days to decide this season’s champion.
Here’s what to watch for in the 2023 bracket, which features 12 programs from around the state.
STATE REGIONALS RESULTS
State regionals play-in games
No. 16 Kennewick 73, No. 17 Eastside Catholic 61
No. 15 Auburn Mountainview 40, No. 18 Gig Harbor 28
No. 14 West Seattle 48, No. 19 Central Kitsap 37
No. 13 Everett 63, No. 20 Bishop Blanchet 28
Winner-to-quarterfinals, loser-to-first-round games
No. 1 Garfield 62, No. 8 Meadowdale 48
No. 2 Arlington 73, No. 7 Lakeside of Seattle 62
No. 3 Lake Washington 70, No. 6 Stanwood 52
No. 4 Mead 80, No. 5 Lincoln of Tacoma 68
Winner-to-first-round, loser-out games
No. 9 Bonney Lake 59, No. 16 Kennewick 55
No. 15 Auburn Mountainview 39, No. 10 North Thurston 27
No. 11 Lynnwood 47, No. 14 West Seattle 45
No. 13 Everett 56, No. 12 Peninsula 51
TACOMA DOME SCHEDULE
Wednesday’s first round and Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 11 Lynnwood vs. No. 6 Stanwood, 9 a.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. No. 4 Mead, 9 a.m. Thursday
No. 15 Auburn Mountainview vs. No. 7 Lakeside of Seattle, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. No. 1 Garfield, 10:30 a.m. Thursday
No. 13 Everett vs. No. 5 Lincoln of Tacoma, 12:15 p.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. No. 3 Lake Washington, 12:15 p.m. Thursday
No. 9 Bonney Lake vs. No. 8 Meadowdale, 2 p.m. Wednesday
Winner vs. No. 2 Arlington, 2 p.m. Thursday
Friday’s semifinals
3:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Saturday’s championship and placing games
4th/6th — 8 a.m.
3rd/5th — 11:15 a.m.
Championship — 3 p.m.
10 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Vivienne Berrett, Stanwood, sr.
Oliviyah Edwards, Lincoln of Tacoma, fr.
Katie Fiso, Garfield, jr.
Teryn Gardner, Mead, jr.
Sydney Hani, Lake Washington, sr.
Imbie Jones, Garfield, sr.
Claire O’Connor, Lakeside of Seattle, sr.
Gia Powell, Meadowdale, jr.
Jazmyn Shipp, Bonney Lake, jr.
Jenna Villa, Arlington, sr.
TEAM PREVIEWS
No. 1 Garfield (20-1) — Two-time defending state champion Bulldogs opened the season with a 10-game winning streak, dropped their only loss to 3A Metro League rival Lakeside, and has posted another 10-game winning streak since, securing a 3A Metro League regular season co-championship and tournament title, and a 3A SeaKing District crown. Guard Katie Fiso, a four-star recruit, was the 3A Metro League Mountain MVP, while forward Imbie Jones is a Wisconsin commit. USC-bound four-star guard Malia Samuels, last season’s tournament MVP, hasn’t played this season due to a knee injury. Bulldogs have advanced to the title game in three of the past four state tournaments.
No. 2 Arlington (21-2) — Eagles placed third in last season’s state tournament, and secured a second consecutive 3A/2A Wesco championship and third straight 3A Northwest District title this winter. Only losses are to Lake Washington in their season-opener, and 4A state contender Eastlake in late December. Arlington enters the Tacoma Dome on a 15-game winning streak, paced by WSU-bound four-star guard Jenna Villa (23 ppg, 8 rpg) and guard Samara Morrow (13 ppg, 5 apg, 3 spg).
No. 3 Lake Washington (24-2) — The state runner-up to Garfield the past two seasons, the Kangaroos rolled to a fourth consecutive 3A KingCo title and league tournament championship this winter and have already collected a program-best 24 wins. Guard Ashley Uusitalo leads a balanced Kangaroos offense with 10 points per game, while forward Sydney Hani (9.7 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 bpg) is Lake Washington’s top rebounder. Guard Paige Citron (3.6 apg, 2 spg) was the 3A KingCo defensive player of the year. Lake Washington posted a 16-game winning streak before losing to Garfield in the 3A SeaKing District title game. Only other loss this season is a one-point defeat against Meadowdale in December.
No. 4 Mead (19-3) — Panthers placed fourth in the Tacoma Dome last season, and carry a nine-game winning streak into this year’s tournament after winning 4A/3A Greater Spokane League and 3A District 8 titles. Guards Teryn Gardner (21 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg, 4 spg), the 4A/3A GSL MVP, Natalie Braun (11 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 spg) and Addison Wells Morrison (9 ppg, 4 rpg) — daughter of former Mead and Gonzaga star Adam Morrison, who was on a pair of NBA championship teams with the Lakers — pace the Panthers’ offense. Only losses this season to 4A state contender Tahoma in season opener, a one-point defeat against Central Valley in December and Idaho 5A state champion Coeur d’Alene.
No. 5 Lincoln of Tacoma (17-3) — Abes won an undefeated 3A Pierce County League title and rolled to a 3A West Central/Southwest district championship, and hadn’t dropped a game to a 3A team before their road loss against Mead in the regional round. Only other losses this season are to 4A state contenders Bellarmine Prep and Emerald Ridge. 6-foot-3 forward Oliviyah Edwards is one of the top recruits nationally in the 2026 class, and leads Lincoln in scoring average (15 ppg), rebounds (9) and blocks (2.5). Guards Malani Warren (11 ppg, 3 apg, 3 spg) and Jaleigha Robinson (10 ppg, 3 apg, 4 spg) and and forward De’Andrea Woods-Singleton (10 ppg, 5 rpg) also average double digits scoring. Lincoln is without 3A PCL co-MVP Ciona Wells, who was averaging 10 points, 5 assists and 3 steals per game before a season-ending knee injury.
No. 6 Stanwood (19-5) — Spartans placed sixth in the Tacoma Dome last winter, and will look to make another run with 6-foot-4 forward Vivienne Berrett leading the way averaging 19.9 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists per game while shooting 59 percent from the floor. Stanwood’s only losses this season are to teams playing in state tournaments — in defending 4A champion and top-seeded Woodinville, Arlington, Lake Washington and Everett.
No. 7 Lakeside of Seattle (17-4) — Lions’ only losses this season are to the top three seeds in this tournament — twice to Garfield, who they also upended in one meeting and shared a 3A Metro League regular season championship with, and once each to Arlington and Lake Washington. Forward Claire O’Conner, an all-tournament first-teamer last March, is averaging a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds per game. Guard Mia Broom (16 ppg, 7 rpg) was the 3A Metro League Mountain defensive player of the year.
No. 8 Meadowdale (18-7) — Mavericks are in the Tacoma Dome for the first time since 2009, and have already seen six of the teams in this bracket this season. Guard Gia Powell paces Meadowdale’s offense in scoring (19.6 ppg), assists (2.9) and steals (2.3), and adds 6.4 rebounds per contest.
No. 9 Bonney Lake (19-4) — Bonney Lake is back in the bracket, led by forward Jazmyn Shipp, who was the 3A PCL MVP last season and co-MVP again this winter. Shipp controls the paint at both ends of the floor, averaging a double-double with 17.3 points and 12.7 rebounds per contest. Also leads the Panthers in assists (4.2) and blocks (1.1) and adds 2 steals per game.
No. 11 Lynnwood (17-6) — Royals return to the Tacoma Dome for the first time since their sixth-place finish in 2017, which capped a run of four consecutive tournaments the program brought home trophies. Forward Kayla Lorenz (18 ppg, 5 rpg) and guard Aniya Hooker (15 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg, 3.5 spg) lead the way at both ends of the floor.
No. 13 Everett (18-8) — Seagulls have won three consecutive loser-out games to reach the Tacoma Dome, including upending 3A South Sound conference champion Peninsula in the regional round. Guards Mylie Wugumgeg, Alana Washington and Mae Washington led the way against the Seahawks, sending Everett past the 3A state regionals for the first time since 1996.
No. 15 Auburn Mountainview (17-6) — Lions rolled through their 3A NPSL schedule on the way to a league title, and enter the Tacoma Dome on a four-game winning streak after upsetting North Thurston in the regional round to reach the tournament site for the first time since 2011. Guard Maliyah Elliott (14.2 ppg, 4 apg, 4 spg), the 3A NPSL MVP, paces Auburn Mountainview in scoring, assists and steals, while forward Iliayah Wallis-Caw (10.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg) leads the Lions in rebounding. Wing Neviah Johnson was the 3A NPSL defensive MVP.
TNT CHAMPIONSHIP PICK
No. 1 Garfield 49, No. 2 Arlington 45
