By PAUL SHUGAR
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

One big question exists for each local boys basketball team preparing for the Class 1A state tournament.

Granger's R.J. Solis drives to the basket against Brewster at the 2008 Tourneytown.com Shootout.   SARA GETTYS/Yakima Herald-Republic file

Will White Swan put together the complete game it lacked in close contests this year?

Can the streaky play of a Granger squad sway toward winning behind young players finding their games?

Both will begin to find out Wednesday in the SunDome. The Cougars (19-5 overall) open against Lakeside at 10:30 a.m., and the Spartans meet 10th-ranked Lake Roosevelt at 7:30 p.m.

White Swan shook off a 58-55 district semifinal loss to River View, which would've secured the team's first state trip since taking sixth in 2005, to beat Burbank 49-47 and reach the tourney. Poor shooting in the first half led to the RV loss -- and that has been a problem this year.

The Cougars fell 62-58 to Class 2A Pullman in the SunDome Shootout toward the end of December. Poor shooting in the first half is what cost White Swan.

"It's one of those things that players have to realize that we have to put together a complete game," Cougar coach Manuel Rangel said. "Each quarter gets put together to make a half, and for a complete game we have to come ready to play 32 minutes of solid basketball."

There is an array of shooters and speed on the White Swan roster, with senior guard Travis Van Pelt scoring 11.6 points per game. But the team does have an inside complement for half-court sets, with 6-foot-3 post Brady Carl averaging 13.2 ppg.

Half-court offense might be key against Lakeside (15-10), which Rangel described as a patient offensive team. The Eagles have a guard duo of Kyle Stillar (12.6 ppg) and Leif Parcell (11.3) averaging in double figures, along with 6-4 forward Brady Blankevoort (11.8). From there things don't get any easier with either Toledo, last year's runner-up, or third-ranked Vashon Island waiting in the second round.

"I know my boys are competitive," Rangel said. "We're obviously the third seed, the team no one expects to do much at the tournament, but I know my boys are gearing up for the challenge."

Granger (14-10) also doesn't feel much pressure as the No. 4 seed, losing to eventual district champion Connell in the semifinals before rallying past Naches Valley and then losing to White Swan 52-43 in the state seeding game. The Spartans have been streaky all season, posting winning streaks of four games twice to go with a stretch of five losses in eight games.

Coming off a state appearance last year, much of the uneven play is because of the team's youth. R.J. Solis is the lone senior, and many of the players needed time to adjust to varsity play.

"Defensively, we've improved from day one," Granger coach David Gibb said. "Really, last year a lot of kids played JV, and when you get to varsity it's a whole new ball game with the pace and the speed."

Finding another scorer besides Solis, who led the team with 17.6 ppg and posted a season high of 31 points behind seven 3-pointers against Connell at districts, will be key against Lake Roosevelt (21-5). The Raiders have three players averaging in double figures, and 6-0 senior guard Coby Dick leads them all with 16.1 ppg.

The nice thing about the youth is most of them are tall, a rarity on the run-and-gun Spartan teams of the past. Four players are 6-2 or taller, and 6-0 wing Mychal Lopez leads the team with six rebounds per game to go with 12.1 ppg.

One thing Granger doesn't have is pressure with sixth-ranked Winlock possibly looming in the second round. Top-ranked Bellevue Christian and second-ranked King's also are in the lower half of the bracket, making the Spartans underdogs who have tradition and could get hot at the right time.

"We're going over there to win, but also to go over and have a good time and make a little noise," Gibb said. "This is the fifth year in a row being there, and these guys were all in middle school the last time Granger didn't go."