WIAA State Tournament: 3A Semifinal and Loser Out Breakdown

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best Overall Team</h2>   Eastside Catholic Crusaders   Eastside Catholic delivered the most complete performance of the semifinal round with a 47-43 win over Snohomish to advance to the state championship game. The Crusaders controlled the glass with a 38-27 rebounding advantage and generated 18 second-chance points, which proved critical in a tight game.   Eastside Catholic also dominated the paint with 32 interior points and leaned on efficient free throw shooting late to close the game. In semifinal matchups where possessions are limited, that type of physical rebounding presence often becomes the difference.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Most Dominant Victory</h2>   White River Hornets def. Stanwood Spartans 47-28   White River delivered the most decisive win of the round with a strong defensive performance against Stanwood. The Hornets jumped out early and never allowed the Spartans to find offensive rhythm, holding them to just 10 made field goals and 28 total points.   White River controlled the boards 47-33 and created 20 points off turnovers. When a team forces that many extra possessions while limiting shooting efficiency, it becomes very difficult for opponents to stay competitive.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Biggest Surprise</h2>   Evergreen Plainsmen def. Lakeside Lions 51-46   Evergreen secured one of the biggest results of the day by rallying past Lakeside in a competitive loser-out game. The Plainsmen used a strong second half and a 31-point performance from their bench to flip the momentum after trailing earlier in the contest.   Evergreen also dominated the paint with 30 interior points and capitalized on turnovers to build separation late. That balanced scoring effort allowed the Plainsmen to survive and extend their tournament run.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Impact Players from the Round</h2>    Nduka delivered one of the most dominant performances of the round with 23 points and 12 rebounds. She shot 8-of-16 from the field and added seven free throws while controlling the interior for the Crusaders.   Her ability to score efficiently while rebounding at a high level helped Eastside Catholic maintain control in a close semifinal matchup.     Capelli produced another standout performance with 20 points and five rebounds while shooting 10-of-22 from the field. She consistently created offense for the Panthers and kept Snohomish within striking distance throughout the game.   Even in the loss, her scoring ability remained one of the biggest offensive threats on the floor.     Froemke delivered one of the most explosive shooting performances of the round with 18 points, knocking down six three-pointers. Her perimeter scoring helped White River build an early lead and maintain separation throughout the game.   When a guard finds rhythm from deep in a tournament game, it can quickly shift momentum the way Froemke did.     Simanton led Bellevue with 21 points while shooting 7-of-14 from the field and adding six rebounds. She attacked the basket consistently and helped the Wolverines control the paint with 28 interior points.   Her scoring helped Bellevue secure a hard-fought semifinal victory over Roosevelt.