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Republic Tigers

Record: 23-3 Coach: John Gianukakis

Route to state: Defeated Lind-Ritzville 73-57 in District 7 third-place game.

Top players: Derek Gianukakis, 6-3, Jr., wing, 23 ppg; Zach Gianukakis, 6-4, Sr., wing, 22.8 ppg; Todd Orestad, 6-0, Jr., guard, 13.9 ppg.

Fast fact: The Gianukakis brothers combined for 45.8 points per game during Republic’s regular season, 58 percent of Republic’s 79.3 points per game.

Willapa Valley Vikings

Record: 22-2 Coach: John Peterson

Route to state: Defeated Morton 73-57 in District 4 semifinals.

Top players: Ryan Freeman, 6-4, Sr., guard, 19.9 ppg, 7.8 ppg; Brady Langer, 6-0, Jr., guard, 15.7 ppg, 51 3-pointers; Lance Anderson, 6-5, Sr., forward, 9.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 60 blocks.

Fast fact: Freeman and Langer made the all-tournament team last year when the Vikings finished second and Anderson was second in the tournament in rebounding.

Contenders

Northwest Christian Crusaders

Record: 23-3 Coach: Ray Ricks

Route to state: Defeated Reardan 47-41 in District 7 semifinals.

Top players: Karl Richardson, 6-3, Sr., center, 14.2 ppg; Chase Ramey, 5-9, Fr., guard, 11.6 ppg; Joe Grewe, 5-11, Jr., guard, 9.3 ppg; Derek Iranon, 6-0, Jr., forward, 9.1 ppg.

Fast fact: Richardson led the 2005 State B tournament in scoring as a junior, averaging 17 ppg as the Crusaders finished third. Only Richardson and Grewe return from that team’s first seven.

Riverside Christian Crusaders

Record: 21-3 Coach: Bruce Siebol

Route to state: Defeated Mabton 44-36 in District 5 championship.

Top players: Trevor Pynch, 5-11, Sr., guard, 14 ppg, 4.7 apg; Chris Pynch, 5-9, Soph., guard, 12.9 ppg, 4.7 apg.

Fast fact: RCS has three losses this season, two to Sunnyside Christian and one to 1A championship contender Brewster.

St. John-Endicott Eagles

Record: 21-3 Coach: Mike Tollett

Route to state: Defeated Tekoa-Oakesdale 75-57 in District 9 semifinals.

Top players: Jesse Butcher, 6-2, Sr., guard, 15.9 ppg; Justin Taylor, 6-2, Jr., post, 15.7; Bryce Johnson, 6-1, Sr., forward, 14.2 ppg; Brent Leifer, 5-11, Sr., guard, 12.9 ppg.

Fast fact: Tollett played on three Eagles state placers, the 1988 runner-ups, the ‘89 6th-place team and the ‘90 4th-place team.

Sunnyside Christian Knights

Record: 20-4 Coach: Dean Wagenaar

Route to state: Defeated Mabton 41-34 in District 5/6 third-place game.

Top players: Chad Den Boer, 6-3, Sr., guard, 22 ppg, 10.5 rpg; Matthew Haak, 5-11, Sr., guard, 10.2 ppg; Aaron Van de Graaf, 6-0, Jr., guard, 10.7 ppg.

Fast fact: This is Wagenaar’s eight consecutive trip with the Knights to the state tournament, and the last seven have been with a Den Boer.

Toutle Lake Ducks

Record: 21-3 Coach: Eric Swanson

Route to state: Defeated Oakville 43-40 in overtime in District 4 semifinals.

Top players: Ryan Hoff, 6-2, Sr., guard, 17.8 ppg; Brandon Bartlett, 5-11, Soph., guard, 10 ppg; Dustin Elam, 5-11, Soph., Guard, 9.7 ppg.

Fast fact: Ducks were the only B school to beat Willapa Valley this year, a 71-63 win in the District 4 championship.

Might surprise

Lummi Blackhawks

Record: 22-4 Coach: Jerome Toby

Route to state: Defeated Evergreen Lutheran 68-54 in overtime in District 1-2-3 semifinals.

Top players: Ryan Revey, 5-10, Sr., guard; Todd Johnson, 5-8, Sr., guard; Brandon Dennis, 5-9, Jr., guard; Loren Cultee, 5-10, Sr., guard.

Fast fact: Even though Lummi won the Tri-District title, that doesn’t guarantee success at state. Only four of the last 10 Tri-District champions have placed in Spokane.

Moses Lake Christian Lions

Record: 19-5 Coach: Lonny Brown

Route to state: Defeated Waterville 46-45 in District 6 championship.

Top players: Josh Munoz, 6-3, Sr., post, 15 ppg, 6.2 rpg; Riggs Yarbro, 6-5, Fr., post, 13 ppg, 6.6 rpg; David Timofeyev, 5-8, Sr., guard, 8 ppg, 3.2 apg, 2.4 spg.

Fast fact: MLCA has held opponents to 37 percent shooting and 45.7 points a game this season.

Mt. Vernon Christian Hurricanes

Record: 15-9 Coach: Matt Hart

Route to state: Defeated Tacoma Baptist 55-54 in District 1-2-3 semifinals.

Top players: Dan VanderKooy, 5-11, Jr., guard, 12.1 ppg; Daniel Westra, 6-0, Sr., guard, 8.3 ppg; Jeff Schloemer, 6-2, Sr., forward, 8.6 ppg.

Fast fact: MVC has made two previous state tournament appearances, with a best finish of seventh in 1999.

Wilbur-Creston Wildcats

Record: 15-12 Coach: Tom Johnson

Route to state: Defeated Lind-Ritzville 55-54 in District 7 semifinals.

Top players: Michael Johnson, 6-5, Sr., wing, 14.5 ppg, 8 rpg; Shayne Lewis, 6-0, Sr., wing, 14.2 ppg, 8 rpg; Joel Sherwood, 5-10, Sr., guard, 8.5 ppg; Matt Schroeder, 6-2, Jr., guard, 8.3 ppg.

Fast fact: They have the worst record of any boys tournament team, but W-C head coach Johnson is 12-4 in four state tournaments, placing every time.

Neah Bay Red Devils

Record: 21-1 Coach: Gordon Smith

Route to state: Defeated Evergreen Lutheran 57-55 in District 1-2-3 tournament.

Top players: Timothy Greene, 5-9, Sr., guard, 18.6 ppg; Henry Cross, 6-1, Sr., forward, 16.6 ppg; Bradley Reamer, 5-9, Sr., guard, 8.1 ppg.

Fast fact: Neah Bay has seven players returning from last year’s tournament, two of whom played for Clallam Bay.

Underdogs

Morton Huskies

Record: 18-7 Coach: Randy Brossard

Route to state: Defeated Naselle 46-40 in overtime in District 4 third-place game.

Top players: Nik Nilson, 6-4, Sr., post, 19.3 ppg; Travis Merriman, 6-2, Jr., guard, 12.9 ppg; Trent Atkins, 6-0, Jr., guard, 11.3 ppg.

Fast fact: Morton has appeared in 17 State B tournaments with five championship game appearances, but the Huskies haven’t been to Spokane since 1996.

Tekoa-Oakesdale Nighthawks

Record: 18-8 Coach: Russ Tampien

Route to state: Defeated Tri-Cities Prep 43-38 in District 9 third-place game.

Top players: Austin Cook, 5-11, Sr., guard, 14.7 ppg; Kelly Cook, 5-9, Fr., guard, 10.7 ppg; Alex Hovde, 6-3, Jr., forward, 10.6 ppg.

Fast fact: The Nighthawks start three Cook brothers: Austin, a senior, and Kelly and Casey, both freshmen.

Tacoma Baptist Crusaders

Record: 20-6 Coach: Rich Hamlin

Route to state: Defeated Summit 62-51 in District 1-2-3 tournament.

Top players: Jeff Gudaitis, 6-0, Sr., guard, 14.3 ppg; Jared Banz, 6-2, Sr., wing, 13.4 ppg; Jason Shulhauser, 6-0 Sr., post, 12.8 ppg; Barclay Tuell, 5-8, Soph., guard, 10.8 ppg.

Fast fact: Tuell, his brother Sam, and Titus Palmquist were all adopted from Liberia by Tacoma Baptist families.

Liberty Christian Patriots

Record: 18-7 Coach: Terry Watson

Route to state: Defeated Asotin 64-50 in District 9 semifinals.

Top players: Loren Bodeau, 6-5, Jr., forward, 9.8 ppg; Robbie Chalmers, 6-3, Sr., wing, 8.5 ppg; Ben Price, 6-2, Jr., wing, 8.2 ppg.

Fast fact: History isn’t on the side of teams from the Blue Mountain League, as the last BML boys team to place at state was the 1995 Dayton state champions.