Road to Tacoma: WIAA Class 3A Hardwood Classic state girls basketball preview

Garfield has an abundance of talent, tradition and two of the best point guards in the country in Malia Samuels and Katie Fiso. But co-favorite Mead, Arlington and Lake Washington are ready to take their best shots at the defending 3A champions

The 2021-22 WIAA basketball season is down to its final week, and the 12 remaining Class 3A girls basketball programs are due to arrive soon in Tacoma.

Here is SBLive WA's tournament preview - with players to watch, team favorites, schedules and championship game predictions:

COVERAGE REWIND

All-state point guard Rosa Smith led Lake Washington to the 3A championship game in 2020, losing to Garfield / Photo by Todd Milles

* Rosa Smith's last-second shot fuels Lake Washington's regional-round comeback

* Class 3A girls basketball regional-round preview

* Three meetings with Lakeside, three wins for Garfield, this time in Sea-King finals

* Malia Samuels, Katie Fiso give Garfield dynamic duo at point guard

* Final Class 3A girls basketball rankings, Feb. 21

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

Auburn has a lineup full of seniors, including sharp-shooting guard Chloe Furnstahl / Photo by Todd Milles

No. 14 Hermiston (16-10) vs. No. 6 Kelso (17-5), 3:45 p.m.
Winner plays No. 4 Lake Washington on Thursday

No. 10 Auburn (15-6) vs. No. 7 Stanwood (12-5), 5:30 p.m.
Winner plays No. 1 Mead (23-0) on Thursday

No. 12 Bonney Lake (17-5) vs. No. 5 Snohomish (15-4), 7:15 p.m.
Winner plays No. 3 Arlington (19-2) on Thursday

No. 9 Lakeside of Seattle (18-5) vs. No. 8 Lincoln of Tacoma (18-3), 9 p.m.
Winner plays No. 2 Garfield (18-0) on Thursday

State semifinals Friday: 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m.

State championship Saturday: 9 p.m.

FAVORITE

Garfield junior Navaeh Talbert has emerged as another reliable attacking guard for the Bulldogs / Photo by Vince Miller

Mead is the 1-seed, but Garfield is the defending 3A champion and undefeated in the Metro League. And while everyone seems to have a plan facing the Bulldogs' trapping pressure - it never seems to work out. Point guards Malia Samuels and Katie Fiso are the big names, but rest of talented cast flusters opponents, too.

FIELD

Mead has gone unbeaten in GSL play on the strength of its senior class - and suffocating defense / Photo by Todd Milles

Speaking of defense, no team in the field plays the physical brand of man-to-man pressure than Mead, which hasn't had a close game all season. Senior-led Panthers have been planning for this week for years. ... 3A Wesco champion Arlington loves to run and pressure, too - and has guard Keira Marsh and forward Jenna Villa leading the way. ... Reigning 3A finalist Lake Washington features one of the tournament's best point guards in Rosa Smith, but teams will find out that 6-foot-4 paint enforcer Elise Hani is no fun to run in to. ... Is deliberate-tempo Lakeside of Seattle due for a fourth meeting with Metro rival Garfield in the quarterfinals? League MVP Claire O'Connor and company sure hope so.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Very few players in Washington have the quick release - and shooting range -as Arlington junior Jenna Villa / Photo by Todd Milles

PG Katie Fiso, Garfield, soph.

PG Olivia Moore, Mead, sr.

PG Malia Samuels, Garfield, jr.

PG Rosa Smith, Lake Washington, sr.

F Jenna Villa, Arlington, jr.

FINAL FOUR TEAMS

Lake Washington, Mead, Arlington, Garfield

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK

Garfield 61, Mead 53

TICKET INFO

Four-day tournament pass is $50 for adults, $38 for students and senior citizens. Three-day tournament pass is $38/$30. Non-championship (Wed.-Fri.) single-day tickets are $15/$12. Championship (Sat.) single-day tickets are $16/$13.

(Featured file photo by Mason Kelley)