With no state playoffs or RPI ratings and no media or coaches polls, it’s hard to know where the best boys and girls basketball teams stood against the rest of the state this past season. So one website did its own final state rankings.
And to no one’s surprise, the Lynden Christian girls led our Whatcom teams by being selected No.1 in the Class 1A ranks.
Scorebook Live, a website that covers high school sports in most states, recently came out with its final boys and girls top 10 team rankings for all six classifications in Washington for the spring 2021 season.
Five Whatcom teams were ranked, and at the top of the list were the undefeated defending Class 1A state champion Lynden Christian girls.
Not only did the 12-0 Lyncs roll through their abbreviated Northwest Conference schedule by an average margin of victory of more than 30 points a game, but they defeated two other highly ranked opponents — No.2 La Salle and No. 8 King’s — on the road.
“We had a special group of players who were unselfish and played for one another,” said LC coach Brady Bomber. “They made the most of the opportunities given to them. We are proud of this team for how they stuck together through all of the ups and downs of the past year.”
SBLive’s other top-ranked girls teams were 4A Woodinville, 3A Seattle Prep, 2A Tumwater, 2B Warden, and 1B Sunnyside Christian.
The next highest ranked Whatcom team was also in the Class 1A ranks: the Nooksack Valley girls. The No.5 Pioneers finished 12-1 with 11 of the victories by double digits. Nooksack’s only loss came at the hands of No.1 Lynden Christian.
For a complete list of the top 10 girls teams in each classification, check out Girls State Rankings.
In the boys rankings, three Whatcom teams were in the top 10 in their respective classifications.
Lynden Christian (13-3) was ranked sixth in Class 1A after going unbeaten in the Northwest Conference and placing fifth in the 1A State Invitational, an unofficial post-season tournament. The Lyncs’ only losses were to No.2 Seattle Academy (twice) and No.3 King’s.
Lummi Nation (11-1) also was ranked sixth after dominating its opponents in the Northwest 1B League. The Blackhawks’ only loss was to Class 1A Blaine in a non-league contest.
Lynden was ranked eighth among Class 2A teams after going 11-3 and placing second in the Northwest Conference.
Earning the top spot in each classification for the boys were 4A Kamiakin, 3A Auburn, 2A North Kitsap, 1A Life Christian Academy, 2B Columbia (Burbank), and 1B Almira-Coulee-Hartline.
