Coaches speculate any team could rise up

By SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

The door to the 2006 Class 2A boys basketball championship is wide open. But, boy, is there ever a logjam of teams trying to squeeze through there.

Although Lynden Christian has looked all year like the team to beat, the Lyncs don't look unbeatable. And with 10 teams returning from last year's state-tournament field, including four trophy-winners -- Grandview (third), Cashmere (fourth), Lynden Christian (fifth) and Forks (eighth) -- there's no shortage of pretenders to the crowd.

Says Vashon Island coach Andy Sears, "I think it's as wide open as it's ever been."

Miles Caples, who will step down as coach of perennial contender Cashmere after the tournament, agrees. "I think any number of teams could win this thing."

Nooksack Valley coach Bill Kelly has been saying since day one that Lynden Christian has the best team in the 2A ranks. He still believes that.

"They have a real talented outfit. (Lyncs senior leader) Greg Burgers is just playing real well," says Kelly, whose Pioneers won the title in 2003. "I think our district is really going to represent well."

Any of the three teams from that Northwest District -- Nooksack Valley, LC or King's -- appear capable of reaching the championship game. But it's just as possible none will make it.

The Lyncs must get by Hoquiam (20-3), then probably Hockinson (19-4) and then possibly Nisqually League champion Vashon Island (22-2), whose coach has made a point of scouting out the rest of the contenders.

"I've seen everybody but Cashmere live, and I think we can compete with anybody in the tournament," Sears says. "Cashmere, Lynden Christian, any of those teams. I think if we play them 10 times, I think we win it five times, maybe six. We've got depth, we've got size, we've got great pieces."

But the Pirates might also have trouble getting through a potentially sticky quarterfinal bracket that includes Chelan and East Valley, both of whom own district-tournament victories over perennial contender Grandview.

In the upper bracket, King's (21-3) could be the team to emerge. The Knights have size in 6-foot-9 Charlie Enquist and a deadly shooter in Jared Madrazo, and also own a victory over the team they might face in the second round -- Kelly's Pioneers.

But that rematch to happen, though, the Pioneers (18-7) must survive a different rematch. They open Wednesday against Forks, which has lost to Nooksack Valley in each of the past two years. The towering Spartans (19-4) have a front line that goes 6-5, 6-5, 6-3, and have won six straight games.

"Two years ago when we played them, they were all sophomores," Kelly says. "Last year they were huge and they were all juniors. They're all back and they've got the good guard, Jordan Justus, the coach's son. We've beaten them the last two years, but Dallas Huggins (Forks' 6-3 forward) really hurt us."

Cashmere's Caples said the teams to watch out for this week include Lynden Christian, King's, Vashon Island and Nooksack Valley, "those teams that have a legitimate low-post player. That represents a real difference from what a lot of us have.

"That's an extra obstacle you're going to have to deal with -- especially when you get into a four-day tournament. The perimeter shots might start to go if the legs go, and then the advantage goes to the teams that play big in the paint."

Then again, as recent history of the 2A boys tournament shows us, small teams can make their own advantages. Nooksack Valley won the 2003 title without a regular taller than 6-2. Grandview did the same in 2002.