Class AAA Boys
------------- The favorites -------------
Mount Vernon Bulldogs
Location: Mount Vernon. Record: 25-0 (WesCo North champions). Head Coach: Mac Fraser, 11th year. Key players: F Grant Leep, 6-7, jr., 18 ppg, 8.5 rpg; F Bryan Whitehead, 6-8, so., 10.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg; G 5-11 Nic Lind, sr., 9.0 ppg. Outlook: Bulldogs are balanced; four players average 7.9-plus points. Tournament's biggest front line with Whitehead and Leep. Lind, F Eric Kruger and sixth-man Scott Collins must shoot well from perimeter. Mount Vernon beat No. 2 Mercer Island by 14 and didn't play particularly well.
Prairie Falcons
Location: Brush Prairie. Record: 20-2 (Greater St. Helens champions). Head Coach: Eric Hjort, 3rd year. Key players: G Dan Dickau, 6-0, sr., 20 ppg, 6 assists; F Zach Gourde, 6-8, jr., 14 ppg, 6 rpg; . Outlook: Falcons have state's best point guard in Dickau and one of state's best big men in Gourde. First state tournament since 1986, when Falcons placed eighth in Class AA. Falcons, 8-12 last season, are deep and like to play up-tempo. They shoot 53 percent from the field, including 40 percent from three-point range.
-------------- The contenders --------------
Ferris Saxons
Location: Spokane. Record: 22-2 (Greater Spokane champions). Head Coach: Wayne Gilman, 14th year. Key players: G Justin Bursch, 6-1, sr., 11 ppg; F Tommy Servine, 6-3, jr., 10 ppg; G Jeremy Lucke, 6-0, sr., 9.8 ppg; F Jason Weatherred, 6-5, sr., 9.2; G Charlie Gordon, 6-0, sr., 7.4 ppg. Outlook: Matchup zone, deliberate offense will keep No. 5 Saxons in most games. First tournament appearance since 1994, when Ferris won title. Runner-up in regional tournament to Richland. The last two times that happened - '88 and '93 - Saxons placed second at state. Ferris goes eight deep and every starter has led team in scoring at least twice.
Richland Bombers
Location: Richland. Record: 22-2 (Big Nine champions). Head Coach: Phil Neill, 16th year. Key players: F Scott Salisbury, 6-7, sr., 16.4 ppg, 11 rpg; G David Lehrschall, 6-1, jr., 14 ppg; F Kevin McCleland, 6-3, jr., 10 ppg; F Andrew Coleman, 6-6, sr., 10 ppg. Outlook: Threat to reach title game. Salisbury was Big Nine MVP. State's No. 4-ranked team didn't allow an opponent to score 60 points. Quick, big and good defenders. Won 18 of past 19 games.
Mercer Island Islanders
Location: Mercer Island. Record: 24-2 (KingCo champions). Head Coach: Ed Pepple, 30th year. Key players: G Diron Mobley, 6-0, sr., 14.8 ppg; F Bryan Brown, 6-1, sr., 11.8 ppg; G Elliott Prasse-Freeman, so., 11.4 ppg; F Tyler Besecker, 6-5, so., 12.5 ppg; C Ben Jordan, 6-6, jr., 5 ppg; F Josh Fisher, 6-4, so., 5 ppg. Outlook: One of several teams in top half of bracket capable of reaching final. Perhaps state's deepest team; nine players see significant minutes. Very young - two sophomores start and two play a lot - but poised. Islanders won school-record 24 consecutive games and were undefeated in games decided by 10 or fewer points.
Port Angeles Roughriders
Location: Port Angeles. Record: 21-1 (Olympic champions). Head Coach: Lee Sinnes, 12th year. Key players: F Jon Madison, 6-6 sr., 22 ppg, 8.4 rpg; F Michael Haney, 6-4, sr., 13 ppg, 8.3 rpg; G Tony Burke, 5-11, sr., 12.1 ppg. Outlook: After Mount Vernon, sixth-ranked Roughriders are hottest team with 21 straight wins since season-opening loss to Lincoln. Good size with three starters 6-4 or taller. Excellent on defense. Madison was Olympic League MVP.
Curtis Vikings
Location: Tacoma. Record: 22-3 (SPSL South champions). Head Coach: Lindsay Bemis, 6th year. Key players: F Cory Schwab, 6-4, sr., 16.5 ppg; F Jason Robinson, 6-5, jr., 14.0 ppg; G Matt Salzman, 5-11, sr., 12.0 ppg; G Walker Robinson, 6-0 sr., 11.0 ppg; C John Hellendoorn, 6-5, sr., 7.0. ppg. Outlook: Quick, balanced team. Vikings are many coaches' sleeper pick. Schwab was SPSL South MVP. Robinson is exciting player with great touch around basket. Salzman, who quarterbacked Vikings to consecutive AAA football titles, must shoot three-pointers well.
Auburn Trojans
Location: Auburn. Record: 21-4 (SPSL North champions). Head Coach: Dave Denny, 5th year. Key players: F Shaun Madsen, 6-5, sr., 20 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.5 assists; G Leeroy Courville, 5-9, sr., 12.8 ppg, 5 assists; C Jesse Rossmeier, 6-6, so., 7.5 ppg; F Randy Ashburn, 6-4, 8.3 ppg. Outlook: Talented Trojans are mystery team. Three of top six players missed four games late in season for alcohol-related suspensions. Courville and Rossmeier carried No. 9 Trojans while others were out, but thin team has had problems with turnovers and fouls.
------------ The Sleepers ------------
Columbia River Chieftains
Location: Vancouver. Record: 18-7 (3rd in Greater St. Helens). Head Coach: David Long, 7th year. Key players: G Lane O'Connor, 6-5, sr., 18.5 ppg, 8 rpg, 2 blks; G Jeff Pearson, 6-4, sr., 14.6 ppg, 3 steals; C Jay Sauers, 6-4, sr., 8.4 ppg. Outlook: Senior-dominated team plays patiently. They took only 22 shots in 45-39 win against No. 10 Evergreen to advance to state. Chieftains started 12-1 before losing four of five, then regrouped and twice beat Evergreen.
Lincoln Abes
Location: Tacoma. Record: 19-4 (Narrows champions). Head Coach: Tim Kelly, 5th year. Key players: F Jawan Cureton, 6-4, sr., 13.2 ppg; G Anthony Washington, 5-11 sr., 12.5; F Freeall Fuller, 6-3, sr., 12 ppg. Outlook: Washington averaged 16.3 ppg in district tournament and usually guards opponent's best perimeter player. No. 7 Abes need Adams to shoot well and everybody to stay out of foul trouble.
Sehome Mariners
Location: Bellingham. Record: 17-8 (WesCo AAA North runners-up). Head Coach: Pat Fitterer, 7th year. Key players: G Kyle Felmley, 6-0, sr., 15.4 ppg; G/F Jacob Stevenson, 6-0, jr., 12.6 ppg. Outlook: Defending AAA champions went 30-0 last season but lost top eight players. In what was supposed to be rebuilding year, Fitterer earned 400th career victory. Felmley and Stevenson are three-point threats. Any one of Sehome's top six capable of scoring in double digits.
Shadle Park Highlanders
Location: Spokane. Record: 19-7 (Greater Spokane runner-up). Head Coach: Darcy Weisner, 5th year. Key players: F Chris Anderson, sr., 6-4, 17.0 ppg; C Jeff Meyer, 6-6, sr. 8.0 ppg; G Nate Dunham, 6-1, sr., 12 ppg. Outlook: Not very deep. Top six players are seniors. Anderson set regional-tournament record with 95 points in four games, including 29 each in two loser-out games Saturday. Meyer and Dunham were freshmen on Northwest Christian's '94 Class B state-title team.
-------------- The long shots --------------
Bothell Cougars
Location: Bothell. Record: 17-9 (KingCo Division I co-champions). Head Coach: Ron Bollinger, 2nd year. Key players: F Josh Karp, 6-5, jr., 12.7 ppg; F Brian Trofholz, 6-3, sr., 12.0 ppg; G Jason Shapiro, 6-0, jr., 3.5 ppg; F Jeff Nelson, 6-5, sr., 11.2 ppg; G Pat Elvidge, 6-2, jr., 8.6 ppg; G Jeff Thompson, 6-0, sr., 7.2 ppg; F Dan Sandrin, 6-6, jr., 10.9 ppg. Outlook: Cougars, in tournament for first time since '81, are a dangerous, deep and athletic team that beat No. 2 Mercer Island. Shapiro took over at point guard midway through season and has helped. Sandrin gives them inside presence. Bollinger took Sammamish to final two years ago.
Decatur Gators
Location: Federal Way. Record: 19-7 (SPSL North runners-up). Head Coach: Keith Cooper, 2nd year. Key players: G Aaron Bellessa, 6-2, sr., 21.6 ppg, 5.8 assists, 3.2 steals; G Ed Rankin, 6-2, jr., 12.8 ppg; C Victor Rogers, 6-7, 9.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg. Outlook: Gators, who lost to Sehome in title game last year, make sixth consecutive appearance. Bellessa is one of state's best, Rankin is an excellent athlete and Rogers, a 300-pounder who will play football at Colorado, can dominate inside if officials don't call the game too tight.
Garfield Bulldogs
Location: Seattle. Record: 15-9 (Metro tri-champions). Head Coach: Wayne Floyd, 1st year. Key players: G Marcus Kelly, 6-1, sr., 10 ppg; G Jayvon Nickens, 6-0, jr., 11.2 ppg, missing from lineup since late regular season with ankle injury. Outlook: Bulldogs are Seattle's only entry in AAA boys and girls tournaments. They're small, but quick. Kelly has come on strong in late season. Nickens must recover from late-season ankle injury.
Lake Washington Kangaroos
Location: Kirkland. Record: 18-8 (KingCo Division I co-champions). Head Coach: Jon Palarz, 3rd year. Key players: G Joe Morrison, 6-2, sr., 7.3 ppg; G Tyler Smithson, 5-10, jr., 6.9 ppg, 5 assists; G Jason King, 5-7, jr., 15.2 ppg; F Jay Posner, 6-4, jr., 7.5 ppg; F Tim VanWieringen, 6-6, sr., 12.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg. Outlook: VanWieringen, who will play at Eastern Washington, is excellent athlete and league's best dunker. Lake Washington won 12 straight games earlier this season, but only three of past eight. King and Morrison must shoot well from three-point range.
---------------- Players to watch ----------------
Player School P Yr. Ht. Avg. ------------------------------------------------------------. Chris Anderson Shadle Park F Sr. 6-4 17.0 Set regional playoff record with 95 points in 4 games. ------------------------------------------------------------. Aaron Bellessa Decatur G Sr. 6-2 21.6 SPSL North MVP also averaged 5.8 assists, 3.2 steals. ------------------------------------------------------------. Dan Dickau Prairie G Sr. 6-0 20.0 Future Washington Husky is best Class AAA point guard. ------------------------------------------------------------. Zach Gourde Prairie F Jr. 6-8 14.0 With Dickau, gives Falcons great inside-outside combo. ------------------------------------------------------------. Grant Leep Mount Vernon F Jr. 6-7 18.0 Multi-talented junior is No. 1 option on top-ranked team. ------------------------------------------------------------. Shaun Madsen Auburn F Sr. 6-5 20.0 Trojans rode their best player to SPSL North title. ------------------------------------------------------------. Lane O'Connor Columbia River G Sr. 6-5 18.5 No. 10 Evergreen isn't here, thanks in part to him. ------------------------------------------------------------. Jon Madison Port Angeles F Sr. 6-6 22.0 Olympic League MVP big reason for 21-game win streak. ------------------------------------------------------------. Diron Mobley Mercer Island G Sr. 6-0 14.8 3-point shooter helped KingCo champs win 24 straight. ------------------------------------------------------------. Jason Robinson Curtis F Jr. 6-5 14.0 Athletic player; deadly on turnaround `J'. ------------------------------------------------------------. Scott Salisbury Richland F Sr. 6-7 16.4 Big Nine MVP averaged 11 rebounds for No. 4 Bombers. ------------------------------------------------------------. Cory Schwab Curtis F Sr. 6-4 16.5 SPSL South MVP; leads team nobody wants to play. ------------------------------------------------------------. Anthony Washington Lincoln G Sr. 5-11 12.5 Abes' high-flying little man also an excellent defender. ------------------------------------------------------------.
---------------------------- Who's going to the big dance ----------------------------
Seattle Times staff reporters pick Saturday's championship-game teams and final score:
Tom Fuller - Prairie 62, Mount Vernon 57. Sandy Ringer - Mercer Island 59, Mount Vernon 55. Craig Smith - Mount Vernon 58, Prairie 52. Melanie Brennan - Mount Vernon 71, Prairie 68.
---------------------- Seattle Times rankings ----------------------
School Conference W-L ---------------------------------------------------.
1. Mount Vernon WesCo North 25-0 ---------------------------------------------------.
2. Mercer Island KingCo 24-2 ---------------------------------------------------.
3. Prairie Greater St. Helens 20-2 ---------------------------------------------------.
4. Richland Big Nine 22-2 ---------------------------------------------------.
5. Ferris Greater Spokane 22-2 ---------------------------------------------------.
6. Port Angeles Olympic 21-1 ---------------------------------------------------.
7. Lincoln Narrows 19-4 ---------------------------------------------------.
8. Curtis SPSL South 22-3 ---------------------------------------------------.
9. Auburn SPSL North 21-4 ---------------------------------------------------. 10. Evergreen Greater St. Helens 19-4 ---------------------------------------------------.