2A
Black Hills Wolves
Coach: Jamie Berg, second year as head coach
Last year’s record: Finished with a surge and reached the state tournament and ended up 8-16
Assistant coaches:
Shane Dover, Zach Peterson, Frank Soiza, Jeff Query
Returning starters
Jake Crawford, power forward, 6-3, 235, 10 points, sr. Caleb Montelongo, point guard, 5-11, sr., missed part of middle season, 10 points Sammy Porter, started a few games, point guard or shooting guard, 5-10, sr, Dan Cunningham, started off and on, came off the bench a lot, shooting guard with good range, scored between 15 and 20 points a few games.
Top returning players and newcomers
Mario Ifanse, power forward, 6-1 Tanner Johnson, 5-11, a utility player who started a few games last season, a leaper who can play guard, forward or center. Banged his head in blowout win in season opener. About him coach says, “He’s a one through five. He can handle the ball, shoot, rebound. He’s a fierce competitor. I don’t know if I’ve seen anyone who can rebound inside like he can.” Kyle Battson, point guard, plays solid defense and can score.
Coach’s comments on the strengths of his team?
Definitely the strength of this team is their togetherness. These kids have played a long time together. They just play so well together.
Coach’s perspective on his a team weakness?
I’m not sure. Our size would be something a bigger team can pick on. That can be an advantage in other areas. Bigger teams are going to have to run with our small guys. If there is one, it’s size. (Black Hills beat Hudson’s Bay 84-49 in its season opener. Six Wolves finished in double figures with Montelongo scoring a team-high 18 and Cunningham added 15.) It was a good win. They started well and they stayed strong. Black Hills led the Triple A school 18-5 after the first quarter and 44-17 at halftime.
Coach talks about who looks tough in the league?
Everyone. I’m certain North Thurston is loaded. River Ridge is always going to be good. Tumwater is always going to be good. WF West is going to be good. Aberdeen, now that Leonard Barnes, and Centralia with their exchange student they’re. No one can take a night off.
North Thurston Rams
Coach: Tim Brown, coach, 19th season as head coach
Last year’s record, playoffs:
15-7, 0-2
Assistant coaches:
Mike Reid, Ed Smith, Mike Conner, Robert Bullock, Joe Beltico
Returning starters
Landon Rushton, G, 5’11”, 12, 21 ppg, Co Player of the year
Matt Reid, G, 5’9”, 12, 12 ppg, 8 apg, First team all league
Ben Broeker, F, 6’5”, 12, 10 ppg, 7 rpg, 2nd team all league
Jacob Anderson, F, 6’2, 12, 4 rpg
Top returning players and newcomers
Colton Campbell G, 6’2” 12
Tru Hicks, G, 5’11” 11
Ben Reece, F, 6’0”, 12
Steven Stone, F, 6’5” 10,
Ande Grantham, F, 6’0”, 11
Mo Manning, F, 6’0”, 11
Coach’s comments on the strengths of the team?
We should have a very experienced group, as four kids have started for 2 years. We have good speed and quickness and can shoot the ball a little bit.
Team’s weakness?
We were not a very good rebounding or defensive team last year. We need to improve those areas.
Coach’s outlook for the season?
We are looking forward to a good season in a very tough league.
Who looks tough in the league?
WF West, River Ridge and Tumwater look to be the three best. Centralia and Black Hills should be good, Aberdeen could be a surprise.
River Ridge Hawks
Coach: Jeremy Landram, sixth year
Last year’s record:
18-7. Won league four years in a row. Won district championship three years in a row and played in the district championship game the past four years. Been to state five straight years. Placed third twice at state.
Assistant coaches:
Steve Schultz, James Willingham, Chad Arko
Returning starters
Brad Wallace, 5-10, guard, averaged 14 ppg, first-team all-league; Howie Harper, 6-4, forward, averaged 6 ppg, honorable mention all-league.
Top returning players and newcomers
Micah Hardeman, 5-10, guard, eighth man on the team last year, averaged less than five points.
Coach’s comments on the strengths of his team?
They’ve played a lot together over the summer. We like to play uptempo. It’s going to be based on what we do on defense. We use our athleticism on the defensive end. We focus on that. We hope to run the floor. We’ll need to with that lack of size. Brad, Howie and Micah will be a huge part. The remaining five guys will factor in. It’s going to be an eight to 10-man effort each night. We’re not going to be able to rely on just one guy. Brad is going to need help. Teams will focus on him. That’s why we’ll need eight guys on a nightly basis.
Depth in scoring has been a team strength?
Yeah. I’ve been fortunate to have three or four guys who can handle the load and pick up the slack. I feel we have that again this year. There’s just a lot of X factors.
Your team weakness?
Inexperience on the varsity level and our overall height. We’re playing a tough schedule. We open at home against Battle Ground. Supposedly they have some Division I players. Then we go up to Franklin the next day. Then that next Tuesday we play at Lincoln. Then we play Foss and Olympia and Columbia River and Battle Ground.
Why such a hard schedule?
It either makes the kids go for it or not. I’m not in this for wins and losses. I’m in this to have the best team that they can be by the end of the season. By playing such a tough non-league schedule and never be able to take a night off it prepares us for this league. This league this year is going to be tough. Winning it four times people don’t feel sorry for you.
Who looks tough in the league?
North Thurston is probably favored. They return five of their top six or seven. Tumwater, Chehalis, returns top 3 guys who made all league. Tumwater is always tough. North Thurston and Centralia and Aberdeen are tough.
Your teams usually have good shooting percentages?
We do. Good conditioning. It also helps when our defense turns it over and we get two footers. Our guys definitely work hard on both ends of the court. If we don’t do things right as a team we’ll definitely get beat.
Tumwater Thunderbirds
Coach: Curtis Medved, head coach, fourth year at Tumwater
Last year’s record:
18-10 (9-3, 2nd) 3rd Seed to state from District 4, advanced to the elite 8, did not place
Assistant coaches:
Don Kruse, Collin May, Nick Schmidt, Rob Hinkle (JV), Stephen Robello (C-team)
Returning starters
Dan Hinkle—senior, guard, 2nd team all-league (13.7 ppg)
Josh Hanson—senior, post, all-league honorabe mention (5.8 ppg)
Other top returning players and newcomers
Zach Boede—senior, guard, 2nd team all-league (9.9 ppg)
Conner Smith—senior, post/wing
Evan Gudbranson—senior, guard
Jaime Bryant—junior, post
Coach’s comments about the strengths of his players and team?
We have a close, hard-working, and talented group. We are relying on strong senior leadership to get us where we want to go.
Your team weakness?
Expecting great things of ourselves on a daily basis
What’s your outlook for the season?
Hard work and togetherness, as always, will determine where we go.
Who looks tough in the league?
WF West, North Thurston, and River Ridge are all terrifying.
3A
Capital Cougars
Coach: Doug Galloway, 11th year at Capital and 22nd overall.
Last year’s record:
13-7 and just missed the playoffs
Assistant coaches:
Troy Mickelson, Brian Vandiver, Kraig Lathrop, Mark Mansfield, Wes Irwin
Returning starters: 2
Keenan Williams, 6-1, guard, junior
Mat Cox, 6-5, jr., post
Top returning players and newcomers:
Jarod Eidenmuller, 5-9, junior guard
Coach’s comments on the strengths his team?
We are going to be a scrappy team with a lot of heart
Coach’s comments on team weakness?
Lack of experience
Coach’s comments on outlook for the season?
I am optimistic. I think we will compete every night.
Who looks tough in the league?
Lincoln will be the league favorite to win the league with Foss right on their heals.
Timberline Blazers
Coach: Mike Tafoya, 12th year overall
Last year’s record: 6-14
Assistant coaches:
Jason Bush, Rodney Joubert
Returning starters
No full time starters returning
Top returning players and newcomers
Cooper Podowicz, 6-3, post, senior
Drew Dixon 6-3 post senior
Donaven Dorsey 6-4 sophmore guard
Coach’s comments on the strengths of his team?
Size (our length could cause problems), team chemistry.
Coach’s comments on his team’s weakness?
Lack of ball handlers
What’s your outlook for the season?
Be the best team we can be. We just focus on getter better on a daily basis. We want to compete for a playoff spot in the Narrows League.
Who looks tough in the league?
Lincoln and Foss.
Yelm Tornados
Coach: Dave Wasankari, second year at Yelm’s head coach.
Last year’s record: 3-17
Assistant coaches:
Mike Snodgrass, Joe Chirhart, Bob Dickson
Returning starters: 1
Jacob Swilley, 5-10, jr., point guard, started at the end of the season, averaged nearly six assists. Coach says, “He’s the classic point guard. He’s a leader on the court. He’s our best one-on-one defender.”
Top returning players and newcomers:
Joe Zawislak, guard/forward, sr., taller guard, shooter, he’s our 6-2 guard who has to go down and defend the post because we’re not very big.
Bryan Miskimens, guard, sr.
rounding out Yelm’s starting five are:
Johnny Jones, forward, sr, Kevin Collins, post, sr.
Coach’s comments on the strengths of his team:
Our greatest strength is unselfish. Great teamwork. One of the better team’s I’ve coached as far as being unselfish together. Great attitude. Great effort.
What’s your style of game? Uptempo? More disciplined, direct?
We’re more disciplined. We’re going to run the offense, get a good look. We’re going to defend solid. We’re not going to defend you full court. We’re going to play solid man-to-man defense. A lot of it is to get stops and take care of the ball. We’re in no position to pressure you full court. But we can do pretty good defending half court.
Not going to try to win a game 82-80?
No. We will not win that game. Not with Wilson, Lincoln and Foss. It’s a good league. We have to play good defense and hold teams from scoring for us to have a chance to win.
Your team weakness?
I’d just say we’re undermanned. We don’t have the talent and the size other teams do. We played Gig Harbor. They had a kid who was 6-6, 245 pounds and we had nothing to match that. We had to double him and do everything we could do to try and stop him. For us, we’re over matched. But our heart and effort will make up for that. (Gig Harbor won 52-42. Hoquiam beat Yelm by 10 in the opener.) Even Hoquiam has a couple of 6-3, 6-4 kids. We don’t have anything like that.
What’s your outlook for the season? Scrappy team?
Yep. We’re going to be competitive. We’re going to play hard. If we shoot the ball well and defend like we can and not turn the ball over, we’ll have opportunities to win some ballgames. We’re going to have to play mistake free basketball to win.
4A
Olympia Bears
Coach: Luke Salme, fifth year at Olympia and 10th year overall
Last season’s record
25-4, placed fourth in state, won league title with a 13-1 league record
Returning starters: 1
Dominick Francks, 6-3, guard, sr., averaged 7 points and 8 rebounds, earned honorable mention all-league
Top returning players
Trevor Houser, 6-1, sr., guard, the starting quarterback on the football team
Austin Roth, 5-10, sr., guard
Brendan Leonard, 6-7, jr., forward, one of the top players in the league
Michael Naipo, 6-3, jr., guard.
Top newcomers:
John Burdette, 6-1, sr., guard
David Carlson, 6-0, sr., guard
Tyrone Sanderlin, 6-5, sr., forward
Michael Champlin, 6-8, jr, forward
Alex Johnson, 6-4, jr., guard
Coach’s comments on team’s strengths?
We have tremendous size and length, but also are pretty athletic on the perimeter. Confidence: these kids have learned what it takes to win and how to win; last season our varsity went 25-4 and our JV went 17-3. Attitude: this group is extremely hard working, unselfish, and motivated.
Replacements:
Olympia lost three players who were first-team all-league. They are: Alex Weber-Brader, league MVP, All-state; Jamey Smith, first-team all-league; Marcus Raschkow, first-team all-league.
Coach’s comments on team weakness?
Varsity game experience and handling adversity. We graduated three players that were 1st team 4A Narrows last season, and only return one starter. While this group has played a lot of competitive basketball together in the past, it hasn’t been 4A varsity regular season or playoffs
