For the second year in a row, Lummi Nation will be sending both its boys and girls squads into the Class 1B state regionals, and once again Lummi Nation — the teams and the community — will have high hopes of bringing home more state hardware.
The second-seeded Blackhawk boys will be first up when they take on seventh seed Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian on Friday at 6 p.m. at Mount Vernon High School. The ninth-seeded Lady Blackhawks will follow with a loser-out game at 8 p.m. against No.16 Muckleshoot Tribal.
For stories, quotes, and photos from all the regional games involving Whatcom teams, check out Whatcom Hoops Saturday and Sunday morning.
In the boys game, it figures to be a clash of styles between two teams that know each other well. Last year, the two played in their final games of the season, when Moses Lake Christian defeated the Blackhawks, 45-40, to take fourth place at state and leave Lummi Nation with sixth place.
The two are back with pretty much the same teams.
Lummi Nation is once again fast-paced with the Blackhawks putting on the pressure both on offense and defense. Their run-and-stun attack has led to a 22-3 record and Northwest 1B League, District 1, and District 1/2/3 titles.
Moses Lake Christian, while not much bigger with no one taller than 6-foot-2, will counter with a set-it-up offense, which has served the Lions well. With only one senior, the Lions have won 19 of 21 games — their only two losses were to 2B La Salle and Tonasket — and the District 5 championship.
By virtue of their top-eight seeding, both squads will advance to the state tournament in Spokane. The winner will move directly to Thursday’s quarterfinals, while the loser will play a loser-out first-round game on Wednesday and need to win that to move into the quarterfinals and the double-elimination portion of the tourney.
On the girls side, the Lady Blackhawks had to wait until Tuesday night to find out their regional opponent. They’ll be playing the Kings of Muckleshoot Tribal, which placed fourth in the District 1/2/3 tournament and defeated Mary M. Knight in Tuesday’s state play-in game, 53-44.
The Kings only have one senior and will be looking to make school history Friday. They have made it to state three times, the most recent in 2022, but have never advanced past the loser-out regional round.
Lummi Nation, on the other hand, is looking for a return trip to Spokane and a chance to earn a state trophy for the first time since 2009’s fourth-place finish, its highest in its seven previous state appearances.
Because the girls teams are seeded ninth and higher, their regional game Friday is a loser-out contest. The winner will advance to Spokane and Wednesday’s first round, which is also a loser-out game. The winner of that game will move on to Thursday’s quarterfinals and the double-elimination portion of the tournament.
Here’s a look at both Lummi Nation teams and their regional games:
Coach Jerome Toby Sr. and the Blackhawks are heading back to Spokane.
1B BOYS
#2 LUMMI NATION (23-3) vs. #7 MOSES LAKE CHRISTIAN/COVENANT CHRISTIAN (19-2)
Friday, 6 p.m., at Mount Vernon High School
If Blackhawks win: Play in quarterfinals on Thursday, March 6, 9 p.m.
If Blackhawks lose: Play Muckleshoot Tribal-Riverside Christian winner in loser-out game Wednesday, March 5, 5:30 p.m.
Regional outlook: Despite its second seed, Lummi Nation did not get an easy draw in the Lions, who likely will try to slow things down in their upset bid. But this is not the same Blackhawk team that lost to Moses Lake last year. For one, junior star Jerome Toby Jr. is healthy and playing as well as anyone in the state. And two, the Blackhawks are stronger inside and deeper at every position. If the score stays in the 40s, Moses Lake has the advantage … if it hits the 60s, it’s Blackhawk time.
State preview: The Northeast champion will once again be the favorite, although it’s not Wellpinit this year. The two-time defending state champs are back but seeded ninth, while one-loss Almira-Coulee-Hartline is the top seed. However, with five of the top six placers returning, this figures to be a wide-open tournament. Don’t be surprised if our Northwest reps — No.2 Lummi Nation, No.5 Neah Bay, and No.6 Tulalip Heritage — bring home some hardware and make a run at the gold ball.
Coach Jerome Toby Sr.: “Our regional draw is a tough and physical Moses Lake Christian team. We will be tested as all teams are well coached and ready to make their state runs.”
CLASS 1B BOYS STATE REGIONALS
Tuesday, Feb. 25
#17 Sound Christian 61, #16 Columbia Adventist 50 (loser out)
#18 Riverside Christian 78, #15 Inchelium 71 (loser out)
#14 Summit Classical Christian 65, #19 Wilbur-Creston-Keller 49 (loser out)
#13 Sunnyside Christian 59, #20 Waterville-Mansfield 36 (loser out)
Friday, Feb. 28
#7 Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian (19-2) vs. #2 Lummi Nation (22-3) at Mount Vernon HS, 6 p.m. (both to state tournament)
Summit Classical Christian (22-5) vs. #11 Wahkiakum (14-10) at Mark Morris HS, 6 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Sunnyside Christian (19-8) vs. #12 Garfield-Palouse (17-6) at Cheney HS, 6 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
#8 Ocosta (16-7) vs. #1 Almira-Coulee-Hartline (22-1) at Wenatchee HS, 6 p.m. (both to state tournament)
#5 Neah Bay (18-4) vs. #4 DeSales (22-2) at Richland HS, 6 p.m. (both to state tournament)
#6 Tulalip Heritage (20-3) vs. #3 Willapa Valley (21-2) at W.F. West HS, 8 p.m. (both to state tournament)
Saturday, March 1
Riverside Christian (15-10) vs. #10 Muckleshoot Tribal (18-5) at Auburn Mountainview HS, 4 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Sound Christian (20-6) vs. #9 Wellpinit (18-6) at West Valley (Spokane), 8 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Coach David James and the Lady Blackhawks are shooting for a state trophy.
1B GIRLS
#9 LUMMI NATION (22-4) vs. #16 MUCKLESHOOT TRIBAL (14-8)
Friday, 8 p.m., at Mount Vernon High School
If Lady Blackhawks win: Play Pateros-Neah Bay regional loser in loser-out game on Wednesday, March 5, 2 p.m.
If Lady Blackhawks lose: Their season is over.
Regional outlook: The Lady Blackhawks will have most of the advantages against Muckleshoot Tribal — “home” court, playoff experience, and a press-and-gun style led by all-star guards Jemma James and Ailina Rabang that can overwhelm lesser opponents. They’ve also faced the best, losing to Neah Bay in the tri-district final, so they won’t be overwhelmed by the moment. If Lummi Nation wants to bring back a state trophy, the journey starts Friday.
State preview: The list of favorites starts and stops with Neah Bay, the two-time defending state champion who is 20-1 this season. Shooting for trophies figure to be the Eastside powers Waterville-Mansfield, Garfield-Palouse, Yakama Tribal, Wellpinit, and Inchelium, all with three or fewer losses, and Pe Ell, undefeated and surprisingly seeded only seventh.
Coach David James: “The girls have worked hard all season to be where we are at right now. We are improving every week, every practice, and ever game. That’s about all you can ask for. I believe our girls will make a good run over in Spokane this year. We’ll definitely be the underdogs, but rankings are nothing but a number. We might be undersized, but what we lack in size we will make up for with hustle and heart.”
CLASS 1B GIRLS STATE REGIONALS
Tuesday, Feb. 25
#16 Muckleshoot Tribal 53, #17 Mary M. Knight 44 (loser out)
#15 Taholah 58, #18 Evergreen Lutheran 35 (loser out)
#14 Almira-Coulee-Hartline 58, #19 Willapa Valley 22 (loser out)
#13 Wilbur-Creston-Keller 61, #20 Summit Classical Christian 15 (loser out)
Friday, Feb. 28
#5 Wellpinit (21-2) vs. #4 Yakama Tribal (18-3) at Davis HS, 6 p.m. (both to state tournament)
Muckleshoot Tribal (14-8) vs. #9 Lummi Nation (22-4) at Mount Vernon HS, 8 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
#6 Inchelium (19-1) vs. #3 Garfield-Palouse (20-3) at Cheney HS, 8 p.m. (both to state tournament)
Saturday, March 1
#7 Pe Ell (21-0) vs. #2 Waterville-Mansfield (20-3) at Wenatchee HS, noon (both to state tournament)
#8 Pateros (19-5) vs #1 Neah Bay (20-1) at Mount Tahoma HS, 2 p.m. (both to state tournament)
Taholah (18-6) vs. #10 Oakesdale (18-5) at Cheney HS, 4 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Almira-Coulee-Hartline (14-11) vs. #11 Sunnyside Christian (19-5) at Davis HS, 4 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
Wilbur-Creston-Keller (15-7) vs. #12 Crosspoint Christian (17-7) at Mount Tahoma HS, 4 p.m. (winner to state tournament, loser out)
