After a week of snow and postponements and a wild Friday night of games, Whatcom County boys and girls basketball fans want to know: Who is in (the state tournaments), who still has a shot, and who is out?
Well, Whatcom Hoops has the answers.
Keep checking www.whatcomhoops.com and the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page for updated stories and lots of photos from Friday’s playoff action.
Heading To State: Town Of Lynden, Meridian Girls, Lummi Boys
As expected, the Lynden and Lynden Christian boys and girls teams all will be making a return trip to the Class 2A and 1A state tournaments starting with the regional rounds next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22 and 23, and the Yakima portion of the tournament starting Feb. 27.
LYNDEN BOYS AND GIRLS: The Lions swept their doubleheader with Burlington-Edison on Friday in the 2A District 1/2 semifinals with the girls winning a come-from-behind nail-biter, 43-40, and the boys running away with a 63-38 victory.
Both Lynden teams will be playing for district championships Saturday night at Mount Vernon High School — the girls against Archbishop Murphy at 5:30 and the boys against Anacortes at 7 p.m.
LYNDEN CHRISTIAN BOYS AND GIRLS: The Lyncs clinched their state tournament berths on Wednesday when they claimed 1A District 1 championships.
Both will be playing for Bi-District 1/2 titles Saturday night at King’s High School in Seattle — the LC boys against Seattle Academy at 5 p.m. and the LC girls against Overlake at 6:30 p.m.
MERIDIAN GIRLS: The Meridian girls also will be joining the 1A state party thanks to their 51-29 victory over Nooksack Valley on Friday night in the bi-district consolation final.
LUMMI NATION BOYS: The only other team guaranteed a spot at state is the Lummi Nation boys squad, which clinched their state berth by winning a quarterfinal game in the 1B Tri-District 1/2/3 tournament on Thursday.
The win also puts the Blackhawks in the tri-district semifinals against Lopez on Saturday at 4:45 p.m. at Mount Vernon Christian High School. But win or lose Saturday, the Blackhawks will be done with the tri-district as the championship and consolation finals were canceled because of all the weather-related postponements.
Win Saturday, They’re In: Ferndale, Bellingham Girls; Sehome Boys
FERNDALE GIRLS: The Golden Eagles won a loser-out 3A District 1 contest against Stanwood on Friday to not only keep their season alive, but to put themselves in a winner-to-state, loser-out consolation game against Edmonds-Woodway on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Everett Community College.
BELLINGHAM GIRLS: The Red Raiders beat Liberty (Issaquah), 52-48, in the consolation round of the 2A District 1 tournament on Friday and can punch their ticket to state by beating Burlington-Edison on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Mount Vernon High School.
SEHOME BOYS: The Mariners lost Friday to Anacortes, 63-48, and are now in the winner-to-state, loser-out consolation semifinals of the 2A district tourney. Sehome will take on Liberty (Issaquah) on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Mount Vernon High School.
Season Over: Squalicum, Bellingham, Meridian Boys; Nooksack Girls
SQUALICUM BOYS: The Storm ran out of magic Friday, when they lost to Shorewood, 52-45, and were eliminated from the 3A District 1 tournament.
BELLINGHAM BOYS: The Red Raiders fell to Liberty (Issaquah), 70-51, in a 2A District 1/2 loser-out game Friday.
MERIDIAN BOYS: The Trojans were overcome by Overlake, 69-50, on Friday in the consolation portion of the 1A bi-district.
NOOKSACK VALLEY GIRLS: The Pioneers, by virtue of their loss to Meridian in the 1A bi-district tournament, also saw their season come to an end.
Jim Carberry is a former Bellingham Herald sports editor and author of several books on Whatcom County prep basketball. Follow him on Twitter @whatcomhoops and visit the Whatcom Hoops Facebook page.
