ESN's 4A State All-Tourney Hoop Teams

3/7/16

The Eli Sports Network was at the Tacoma Dome this weekend for a spectacular State Basketball Tournament. As usual we witnessed accomplishments not seen or rarely seen, off-the-bench players making big impacts, buzzer beaters, future stars and a whole lot more. We know there is a consensus All Tournament team that was released but we maybe didn’t see it the same way.

We broadcasts 16 games over the 3 days and watched most others at least pieces so we understand not everyone will have our perspective but these are our all-tourney teams and meant to celebrate great performances and not at all meant to slight anyone.

We also do not believe an MVP must come from the Championship team. Our definition of MVP is the one player who stood out in their individual performance even if their team fell short on the scoreboard.

4A Boys

MVP Logan Adams Gonzaga Prep

G Prep's Logan Adams MVP — G Prep’s Logan Adams MVP

This was a difficult choice, yes Ferron Flavors of Federal Way certainly had a claim to this as did Cameron Cranston for Union but Adams is the only one to hit double figures in each of the 3 games and in their only loss to eventual Champs Federal Way, Flavors indeed hit the game winning shot when the game was tied at 44 but it was Adams who hit 2 3-balls late in the 1st quarter to get the Bullpups back in the game when they were trailing 14-6 and on the verge of an Eagle blow-out.

Adams also hit 2 free-throws with 31-seconds to play to tie the game at 44 setting up the dramatic jumper from Flavors for the go ahead points. Adams was 1 of only 2 players in double figures in that game with 14, the Eagles’ Jalen McDanials had 24, Flavors finished with 9.

In their opener in a grinder with Union again Adams was big with 13 points while Cranston was held to 8. Then in their 3rd game on Saturday playing for 3rd place against Curtis, Adams went off for 22 points finishing with 49 for the tournament. Adams also was there in crunch time delivering a 3 at the buzzer in regulation to send it into overtime. Adams would score 8 in the OT including 6-6 from the line and finished the game 10-10 from the line and 14-18 for the tourney. He would also finish 7-13 from the 3-point line, collect 12 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals. Logan’s overall performance we simply could not overlook for our MVP.

1st Team

FW's Ferron Flavors — FW’s Ferron Flavors

Ferron Flavors had a huge tournament for the Eagles and led the tournament with 50 points including hitting 50%from behind the arc going 10 of 20 for more than half his total points. Ferron’s biggest shot was a 2-point jumper with 15-seconds to play in the Semi-Finals against Gonzaga Prep for the eventual winning points. Clearly Ferron is a 1st teamer.

Union's Caneron Cranston — Union’s Cameron Cranston

Cameron Cranston for the Titans was big time with a total of 48 total points helping Union bounce back from a disappointing 1st round loss to G Prep to come home with the 4th place trophy. He would also finish 15-19 from the line, haul in 12 rebounds and finish with 5 assists and 6 steals.

Rayvaughn Bolton is Kentwood’s emotional leader and was the reason the Conks put a huge scare into Federal Way in the Championship game scoring 14 1st quarter points. The Eagles eventually overcame the Conks but they had to fight for their back-to-back titles. Bolton finished the tourney with 43 points hitting double figs in all 3 games. His all-around game also gave him MVP consideration when you include 19 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 blocked shots and 5 steals.

Curtis's Ashaunte Potts-Woods — Curtis’s Ashaunte Potts-Woods

Ashante Potts-Woods for the Curtis Vikings also is what you’re looking for in a well rounded player as he was solid in scoring points while playing break-neck defense. Potts-Woods finished in double figures for each game for a total of 43. He knocked it around in the paint grabbing 16 boards while dishing 4 assists blocking 5 shots and ended with 7 steals.

FW's Jalen McDaniels — FW’s Jalen McDaniels

Jalen McDaniels was huge for the Federal Way Eagles in the game they needed most the Semi-Final match-up with Gonzaga Prep. Flavors may have hit the game winner but McDaniels scored more than half of the Federal Way points and was really the only player G Prep faced they never found an answer too as he knocked down 24 in that 2-point win. McDaniels was solid throughout finishing with 42 points, 23 rebounds and 5 blocked shots.

2nd Team

Kentwood's Darius Lubom — Kentwood’s Darius Lubom

Union's Rico Bricker — Union’s Rico Bricker

Issaquah's Jason Crandall — Issaquah’s Jason Crandall

Fed Way's D'Jimon Jones — Fed Way’s D’Jimon Jones

4A Girls

MVP Lexie Hull Central Valley

Cent Valley's Lexie Hull — Cent Valley’s Lexie Hull (Lexie’s Twitter pic we did not get a good face pic, thanks Lexie!)

Central Valley completed the start to finish mission without one misstep and no doubt they would not have been able to accomplish this without Lexie Hull. Lexie was a rebounding machine over the 3 days gobbling up loose ball after loose ball. She would grab 15 boards in their much anticipated quarterfinal match-up with Moses Lake and dumped in 18 points. Despite having to take on the Chiefs on Day 1 her production did not fall off.

She would go on to score 15 in the Semi-Finals and 16 in the Finals with another combined 17 boards to finish the tournament with 49 total points and 32 rebounds. She was solid at the Free Throw line and picked off 4 steals for good measure. Lexie Hull was certainly dominate and deserving of the MVP award.

1st Team

Moses Lakes Jessie Loerta — Moses Lakes Jessie Loera

Moses Lake came in with the highest of expectations but when the draw came they found themselves facing Central Valley the other undefeated team in the quarter finals. That game was tied with 3:00 to play when CV went on a key 7-0 run and pulled out the win. It would have been easy to throw in the towel but the Chiefs bounced back winning 2 straight including the dreaded 8am Saturday game. Moses Lake would not have been able to do it without the leadership of Jessie Loera. She knocked down 51 points grabbed 17 rebounds and dished 12 assists over her 3 games.

Snohomish's Madeline Smith — Snohomish’s Madeline Smith

The Shohomish Panthers ran through the Wesco but played top teams in their non-league games and got beat up a little early on but that experience certainly pushed them to greater heights and found themselves in the State Championship game against Central Valley. The Panthers pulled within 6 points of the Bears with less than 1:30 to play and CV hit their free throws down the stretch to secure the Title. Snohomish had two players they relied on for a lot of offense and Madeline Smith came through not only with tons of points but a great all-around game finishing with 63 points (21-point average), including 21-29 from the line, 23 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 4 assists and 1 double/double. Madeline earned her way onto the 1st team.

Snohomish's Madison Pollack — Snohomish’s Madison Pollack

It was too difficult to not see the numbers Madeline’s teammate Madison Pollack posted and include her on the 1st team, so we did. Madison also more than earned her way on this team with 51 total points for the tourney, 5-18 from behind the arc, 14-19 from the line and 22 rebounds. Between Madison and Madeline they grabbed 45 boards, she also had 6 assists, 3 blocked shots and 7 steals.

Bothell's Taya Corosdale courtesy KING 5 — Bothell’s Taya Corosdale courtesy KING 5

The Bothell Cougars had a nice run at State taking home the 5th place trophy winning their opener but then dropping 2 tough ones against Snohomish and Todd Beamer. Taya Corosdale had a huge tournament for the Cougars and played her best game in the Semi-Final loss to Snohomish scoring 19 and hitting 4-7 from the 3-point line with 9 rebounds. We like players who rise to the occasion during the most critical games and Taya demonstrated this in the Semi’s. She finished the tourney with 52 points, 5-11 from 3-land, 17-20 from the free throw line, 29 rebounds (coming up one short of a double/double average), 3 assists, 2 blocks and 7 steals and 1 double/double.

Lewis and Clark finished 6th but had 3 tight games where a play or two would have changed the entire outcome of the tournament and leading the Tigers was Riley Lupfer. Lupfer was simply outstanding from all aspects and more than earned her spot on the 1st team. Lupfer scored 61 points, averaging more than 20 per game with her high 25 coming against Moses Lake in the Trophy round as they fell 4 points short to the Chiefs. Lupfer had 22 against Snohomish in their opener where the fell to the Panthers who would play for the State title with yet another 4 point loss. Lupfer was 6-20 from the 3-point line, 12-16 in free throws, 20 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 blocks and 7 steals, truly MVP numbers and an easy selection for 1st team.

**It was difficult not to include another CV player on the 1st team but they played so much like a team you sometimes get penalized for individual effort. The lack of another CV player on the 1st team should show just how strong the Bears were and when you took someone away, someone else stepped up. We understand how you may think winning is the most important credential, we disagree when awarding individual effort in a team sport. Again, we are celebrating fantastic performances and that is never limited to only the Champion or winner. We you understand our process, we’re not asking you to agree but simply understand how we went about our selections.