“State, here we come!” (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
It won’t be a one-night stand.
The Coupeville High School boys basketball team is headed back to the state tournament for the first time in 34 years, and the Wolves will play at least two games.
Depending on how things work out, those two rumbles could stretch out to as many as five.
Coupeville is guaranteed at least two games thanks to being ranked #8 in the 16-team 2B field.
Teams seeded #1-#8 start off in double-elimination mode, while #9-#16 play loser-out games, with all first-round bouts held at “regional sites.”
Twelve of the 16 teams then advance to the main site, which for 2B teams, is the Spokane Arena.
This is the first time the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association has used seeding committees for basketball.
At first glance, it might be easy to think the Wolves are being underrated a bit.
Coupeville (16-0) is the only unbeaten boys team left in 2B, its RPI ranking was higher than #8, and it won a district title — something four of the seven teams ranked ahead of it did not accomplish.
The most likely reasons for Coupeville being seeded #8, and not higher?
Its strength of schedule was low compared to some other schools.
Plus, four of the top seven seeded schools hail from hoops hotbed District 4, and the WIAA pledged not to pit teams from the same district against each other in the first round if possible.
Also, you miss the big dance for 30+ years and you don’t have a rep, something which factored in during the season when Associated Press voters virtually ignored Coupeville.
But hey, it’s a weird, wild hoops world out there, where Chief Leschi started 13-1 and did NOT make it to state, while River View started 0-13, and DID.
Ultimately though, even at #8, the Wolves got what they wanted — a guarantee their first game is not a loser-out affair, and that they will play in Spokane.
“All is good. No complaints here,” said CHS coach Brad Sherman. “Very cool for the guys.”
Coupeville opens against top-seeded Kalama (19-1), which escaped with a District 4 title after two close calls.
The Chinooks, who feature several players from this year’s 2B state champion football team, were pushed hard in their postseason tourney.
Kalama needed a buzzer-beating three-ball to nip Napavine in the D4 semifinals, then edged Morton-White Pass by a point in the title game.
Coupeville’s showdown with the Chinooks is set for Friday, Feb. 25, with a 6 PM tip-off at Battle Ground High School.
Win, and the Wolves jump straight to the quarterfinals of the state tourney.
In that scenario, Coupeville starts play in Spokane Mar. 3.
Lose to Kalama, and the Wolves instead play Mar. 2 against either #9 Lake Roosevelt or #16 River View in a loser-out game.
The state tourney, which runs through Mar. 5, is a modified double-elimination royal rumble, with the top six teams earning trophies.
To see the complete bracket, pop over to:
https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=3462
Coupeville Sports 