The End Zone

I will be covering the 4A state basketball tournament live from the Tacoma Dome tomorrow. Watch for Twitter updates from all three area teams, starting with the Issaquah girls at 10:30 a.m., the Skyline boys at 2 p.m., and the Eastlake boys at 7 p.m. Take a look at the complete 4A boys bracket and complete 4A girls bracket to see how the road stacks up for the local teams.

Issaquah (21-4) vs. Lewis & Clark (16-9), 10:30 a.m.

Lewis & Clark – The Tigers have a variety of players who can score, but the they are led primarily by trio of sophomore guard Devyn Galland, junior wing Hayley Hendricksen and sophomore wing Nakia Arquette. Galland, a 5-foot-8 guard leads her team at 13.4 points per game. Hendrickson stands at 6-feet tall, and Arquette is 6-foot-1. The duo averages 11.4 and 10.5 points per game, respectively.

Issaquah – The Eagles also have an explosive offense, but the undersized squad has really made a mark with aggressive defense. Junior Maddey Pflaumer, the teams’ tallest player at 5-foot-11, leads Issaquah in scoring at 12.4 points per game. Junior Mackenzie Schiltz has lit it up from outside the three-point arc, hitting 41 threes this season. She’s averaged 10.7 points per game, while junior guard Blaire Brady has averaged 9.2 points per game.

The skinny – Wednesday morning’s outcome will come down to a couple of factors. Will Issaquah be able to contain a Lewis & Clark team with four players over 6-feet tall? Three of the Eagles’ four losses this season have come to teams who are significantly taller. But, Issaquah has shown recent success against those taller squads in the KingCo tournament, beating Woodinville and Eastlake. The early-morning game could also have an impact on both teams. But energy is even more crucial for the Eagles, who rely heavily on intensity on both ends of the court.

Skyline (20-3) vs. Jackson (20-4), 2 p.m.

Jackson - The Timberwolves have several offensive weapons, but one in particular stands out. Junior guard Brett Kingma has averaged 25 points per game this season, scoring 30 or more nine times. Senior guard Ryan Todd is averaging 14 points per game, while senior guard Marshall Massengale is scoring just over 12 points per game. Jackson is loaded with shooters, but does lack height. Andy Gay is the tallest player listed at 6-foot-5. He is averaging just 2.4 ppg for the T-Wolves.

Skyline – The Spartans run their offense through 6-foot-9 post Cory Hutsen, who is averaging just under 16 points per game. Athletic wing Kasen Williams and Cal Poly Pomona-bound guard Connor Gacek average 9.3 and 8.4 points per game, respectively. Skyline’s major asset, however, lies in its defense where they have held opponents to 45 points per game.

The skinny – Two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum collide Wednesday afternoon. Jackson uses a run-and-gun style offense and likes to fire up the three-pointer quickly. Skyline is defense-oriented and more methodical on offense. Will the Spartans be able to slow the athleticism of the Timberwolves? They will need to contain the perimeter as they should have the advantage inside the paint.

Eastlake (17-8) vs. Lake Stevens (18-5), 7 p.m.

Lake Stevens – The WesCo North champions don’t have trouble putting the ball in the net. Senior Shane Kaska leads the Vikings with 20.4 points per game. Aaron Maw is averaging 13.8 points, while Arvid Isaksen is averaging 11 points.

Eastlake – The Wolves are hungry. After stumbling in the opening game of the KingCo 4A tournament they have won four straight games. Forward Michael Russo has upped his average to 21.5 points per game, while senior guard Dillon Pericin is averaging 11.6 and junior Conner Iraola is scoring 10.4 a game.

The skinny – If both teams can adjust to the backdrop of the Tacoma Dome, this game has the potential to be a real shootout. The Wolves’ defense allows 59 points per game on average, while the Vikings give up just nearly 57. Eastlake’s Michael Russo can score from virtually anywhere on the floor, as can Lake Stevens’ Shane Kaska. Buckle up and enjoy.