It’s been more than a year since making the trek from Iowa to Washington to start covering prep sports in the PNW. Over the last 365-plus days of putting boots on the ground and taking in what Lewis, South Thurston and the rest of the counties have to offer, one common thought has raced across the mind.
There’s a lot of talent in this state. There’s a lot of kind coaches, athletic directors and athletes. There’s even a good camaraderie amongst media friends.
The connections made out here have been special, ones that will be remembered forever. One of the beauties – and why high school sports coverage matters – is the access given by these communities and how they’ll do anything to assist.
Still, there is one area that must be addressed and it’s one that has been a pain in the side since it stumbled across my eyeballs.
State tournaments need to have a facelift.
Now, the conversation lately has been what needs to be changed to state basketball. Since it is still in the forefront and the 2025 tournaments finished last weekend, there’s no better time to delve into what really needs to be fixed to make a highlight for so many teams in the state an actual highlight, rather than a footnote.
So, here are three things that the WIAA should – and must – take into consideration if changes are to be made to state basketball.
Overhaul who qualifies for state
Just looking through the different brackets in all six classifications made for a headache. Just in 1B, Districts 1/2/3 had to have their own individual district tournament, then a tri-district tournament to determine who goes to state, then play two opening round games if needed before the Round of 12 takes place in Spokane.
There are teams, like Mossyrock girls this year, that lost a district tournament game, but still played in the opening round. While Onalaska, the team that beat Mossyrock, sat at home. Because winning a game actually is worse than losing.
You see how that makes little sense?
For just pure rational thinking, no team that loses a game in a district tournament should be rewarded. The system is broken if anyone thinks that is plausible and a good indicator as to who should be playing meaningful games in late-February and March.
The solution is so simple it is staring everyone in the face.
There are six districts for boys and girls basketball. If you win your district, you get in automatically. Wow, what a concept.
If you lose, you’re not automatically going to state (more on the state field later). Again, wow, what a concept.
This could be done, but because the leagues are so hellbent on getting the most teams in – looking at you East side – it has created chaos.
Simply put, it should be win-and-in. Now, what does that do to the actual state tournament field?
Actually, nothing.
Make the field at state smaller, cut double elimination
When Napavine won the Class 2B girls state basketball title in 2024, they did it while losing a state tournament game. Because when you search for the state bracket, the opening round is listed.
On a neutral court in Chehalis, as the No. 1 seed, the Tigers lost by 10 to No. 8 seed Mabton. Napavine hoisted the state title trophy while Mabton settled for sixth. Even if Okanogan – the opponent in the title game – won, it too would have lost in the opening round to winning state.
Napavine took advantage of a flawed system. It is not an indictment on the Tigers, rather on the WIAA for allowing this nonsense to happen.
Because, again, common sense with this organization goes out the window. In a world where a double-elimination tournament exists and a team that falters in a state tournament contest ends up finishing five places higher than the team that beat them, it is as egregious as the sportsmanship award handed out after each game.
Remember when I said there are three things needed to change? Make it four and take out that stupid medal that no one other than the WIAA and photographers in yellow vests that overcharge for photos care about.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand.
The actual 16-tournament field isn’t horrible. Here’s how it can be made better.
As mentioned before, six district champs per class earn auto bids.
The 10 at-large spots are determined by a committee made up of one current head coach, one media member and one official per classification. So 18 total members, each one from a different region of the state, that takes into account various computer rankings, RPI and eye test. Committees seed the tournament one-through-16.
Single elimination tournament, no third-through-sixth place games. It is bonkers enough that the loser of the third place game actually finishes fifth. Those games, in the grand scheme of things, are meaningless. Each team gets a “state participant” trophy after losing in a round.
The Opening Round is held at neutral sites the last week in February. The state tournament follows that first full week of March and begins with the quarterfinals.
The state schedule would be Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The first four days would have the two courts. Friday and Saturday just one court.
All quarterfinals would be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday morning with semifinals taking place Wednesday afternoon/evening and all day Thursday. Friday are the six girls championship games and Saturday marks the six boys title contests.
For the “Oh, but what if this team doesn’t make it to state?” crowd, so what? Good and sometimes even great teams miss state. Did you know Caitlin Clark’s prep team – West Des Moines Dowling Catholic – missed the Iowa state tournament her senior year and she never won a state title? That is the beauty of high school sports; you never know what can happen.
It might sound crazy, but a single elimination concept with the field not shrinking at all is a legitimate win-win for all involved.
A destination state tournament
All three sites for state basketball I’ve been to and the ranking is pretty easy.
Spokane Arena has the best lighting and is a clear winner; Yakima SunDome makes you feel gross when you walk in and gross when you walk out. Maybe that’s just me, but it is second; the Tacoma Dome is a literal dungeon that needs a serious interior upgrade for a no doubt last place finish.
This is probably a hot take, but none of them scream state tournament. Like when you walk into the arena, there should be a pause like “Holy crap, we made it.” Probably the 1B/2B kids feel that way in Spokane, but the other two? Just, no.
There’s a feasible solution in a metropolitan area that is somewhat centralized, one that would be a true desired spot for athletes, coaches and fans to travel to. And all classifications would be there.
Climate Pledge Arena.
Now, there would have to be some form of communication with the Seattle Kraken and the NHL on figuring out the logistics, but the idea behind the remodel was to get ready for the eventual return of the Seattle SuperSonics.
It is one of the nicest arenas in sports. Could you imagine some of the best prep athletes invading downtown Seattle to play in a venue like that?
From the small school kids trying to make it big to the 4A/3A/2A athletes that could see themselves playing in an arena like that, the storylines are palpable.
The bottom line is, state basketball needs to feel like a true state tournament. With the double elimination style, worn down host sites and a broken bracket system, there’s plenty of ways to get this thing right.
This pathway is concise and clear. And I doubt people will complain about taking a trip to Seattle.
Change is scary and change is good. For this, change is necessary.
