Top High School Team Regardless of Class?
Nars Martinez
In this article:
High school basketball is here and the debates over who will be the top high school basketball team regardless of class are a hot topic as always. The lack of a real season a year ago and a plethora of transfers makes the conversation a little more difficult than it already would be in a typical year. Not too long ago I polled who people thought would be the top team in the state regardless of class. Two teams that were consistently brought up were Garfield (3A) and Woodinville (4A).
Jada
Walters
5'11" | SF
Garfield | 2022
State
WA
will be tough inside force and slasher from the wing. 2024 5’10 point guard
Katie Fiso
Katie
Fiso
5'10" | PG
Garfield | 2024
State
WA
will make her official high school debut after garnering a lot of attention through her middle school years with her smooth, skilled game. The biggest news of the off-season, transfer wise, is 2023 5’5 point guard
Malia Samuels
Malia
Samuels
5'7" | PG
Garfield | 2023
State
#46
Nation
WA
incoming transfer from Eastside Catholic High School in her freshman year and BFL Prep in her sophomore year. Samuels is a top 100 prospect in Prep Girls Hoops national rankings. 2024 6’4 center
Naima Joseph
Naima
Joseph
6'5" | C
Garfield | 2024
WA
will provide some size and rebounding for opponents who will present Garfield with size. 2023 5’6
Navaeh Talbert
Navaeh
Talbert
5'6" | CG
Garfield | 2023
State
WA
is a steady point guard presence that can score and make plays off the bounce. 6’2 small forward
Imbie Jones
Imbie
Jones
6'2" | SF
Garfield | 2023
State
WA
is another transfer from Eastside Catholic High School that makes her official debut. Jones provides more length on the wing for Garfield.
Garfield will not have to go through some of the stronger teams that 4A will provide on their way to contending for a state title. They have the size, length and athleticism to do well in the uptempo or half court game. The keys will be chemistry and the group playing for one another with the ultimate goal of running the table in 3A as a unit.
Brooke
Beresford
5'10" | SG
Woodinville | 2023
State
WA
is strong and physical and provides an outside shooting threat for the Lady Falcons. 2024 6’2 center
Jacey Eggers
Jacey
Eggers
6'2" | PF
Woodinville | 2024
State
WA
is a developing post prospect with Division 1 potential that will provide an inside post presence. Her development and performance could be the key to this group sweeping the 4A classification. Woodinville always seems to have some other hidden gems that will also break onto the scene and we will be on the lookout for that.
The two programs differ quite a bit from one another with Woodinville relying on deep rooted chemistry, trust and fundamentally sound basketball that fits their system. Garfield has superior depth of talent, length and athleticism that can make for a difficult matchup with anyone. Maxpreps shows neither program as being slated to play one another, but that is a game everyone would love to see. It is a shame they are not in the same class. Other programs such as Camas, Tahoma, Emerald Ridge and Kentwood can be strong contenders in 4A, while Lake Washington will be one of the stronger figures in the 3A.
Garfield High School (Seattle, WA) - 3A Metro League
The 2020 3A champions have an entirely new roster from just two years ago. Coach Marvin Hall leads a group that possesses good length and athleticism. This year’s group could be more talented top to bottom than the 2020 group. Alaska Fairbanks 5’11 signee Jada Walters
Jada
Walters
5'11" | SF
Garfield | 2022
State
WA
will be tough inside force and slasher from the wing. 2024 5’10 point guard
Katie Fiso
Katie
Fiso
5'10" | PG
Garfield | 2024
State
WA
will make her official high school debut after garnering a lot of attention through her middle school years with her smooth, skilled game. The biggest news of the off-season, transfer wise, is 2023 5’5 point guard
Malia Samuels
Malia
Samuels
5'7" | PG
Garfield | 2023
State
#46
Nation
WA
incoming transfer from Eastside Catholic High School in her freshman year and BFL Prep in her sophomore year. Samuels is a top 100 prospect in Prep Girls Hoops national rankings. 2024 6’4 center
Naima Joseph
Naima
Joseph
6'5" | C
Garfield | 2024
WA
will provide some size and rebounding for opponents who will present Garfield with size. 2023 5’6
Navaeh Talbert
Navaeh
Talbert
5'6" | CG
Garfield | 2023
State
WA
is a steady point guard presence that can score and make plays off the bounce. 6’2 small forward
Imbie Jones
Imbie
Jones
6'2" | SF
Garfield | 2023
State
WA
is another transfer from Eastside Catholic High School that makes her official debut. Jones provides more length on the wing for Garfield.
Garfield will not have to go through some of the stronger teams that 4A will provide on their way to contending for a state title. They have the size, length and athleticism to do well in the uptempo or half court game. The keys will be chemistry and the group playing for one another with the ultimate goal of running the table in 3A as a unit.
Woodinville High School (Woodinville, WA) - 4A KingCo
Woodinville has multiple runner-up finishes in the last four years and a heart breaking loss in 2020 where they were slightly favored over Central Valley High School of Spokane, but ultimately lost. While a lot of talent has graduated over the last few years, there is a strong core returning and some up and coming talent as the wave of talent continues in the Woodinville, Washington area. Coach Scott Bullock’s group is built more organically and will possess a lot of chemistry and trust among one another as they grew up in the Woodinville feeder program. Everything starts with San Diego signee Veronica Sheffey Veronica Sheffey 5'8" | PG Woodinville | 2022 State WA , a 5’8 point guard. Sheffey has been a four year varsity impact player and leads the charge from the lead guard position. Boise State signee Tatum Thompson Tatum Thompson 6'0" | SF Woodinville | 2022 State WA stands 6’0 tall and does a little bit of everything on the floor on both sides of the ball. She has been a great utility player, but will need to step into a bit more of a star role in her senior season. All of the tools to do so are there for Thompson. 2023 5’10 wing Brooke Beresford
Brooke
Beresford
5'10" | SG
Woodinville | 2023
State
WA
is strong and physical and provides an outside shooting threat for the Lady Falcons. 2024 6’2 center
Jacey Eggers
Jacey
Eggers
6'2" | PF
Woodinville | 2024
State
WA
is a developing post prospect with Division 1 potential that will provide an inside post presence. Her development and performance could be the key to this group sweeping the 4A classification. Woodinville always seems to have some other hidden gems that will also break onto the scene and we will be on the lookout for that.
The two programs differ quite a bit from one another with Woodinville relying on deep rooted chemistry, trust and fundamentally sound basketball that fits their system. Garfield has superior depth of talent, length and athleticism that can make for a difficult matchup with anyone. Maxpreps shows neither program as being slated to play one another, but that is a game everyone would love to see. It is a shame they are not in the same class. Other programs such as Camas, Tahoma, Emerald Ridge and Kentwood can be strong contenders in 4A, while Lake Washington will be one of the stronger figures in the 3A.
