The postseason has arrived and for the NPSL, the district tournament is on the docket for these qualified teams. Here are the matchups and some information on the first round of the boys West Central District matchups.

3A matchups

• (16) Kent-Meridian @ (1) Auburn Mountainview: Feb. 12

Last meeting: Jan. 24, 2025; Auburn Mountainview 92, Kent-Meridian 50

Skinny: With a 19-1 record, Auburn Mountainview was given the number one seed in the 3A WCD tournament. The Lions have swept Kent-Meridian this season by a total score of 177-84 in the two games this season.

Kent-Meridian makes the district tournament for the fourth straight time. In their three previous tournaments, they have been eliminated in their first game.

• (14) Silas @ (3) Federal Way: Feb. 12

Last meeting: Dec. 12, 2023; Federal Way 77, Silas 46

Skinny: Federal Way seems to be a sleeping giant this year. After taking a trip to Alaska this December, the Eagles are 13-1 and unbeaten in their league games since a loss to Auburn Mountainview in mid-December.

Silas played Auburn Mountainview as the lone common opponent this season between these two sides. The Rams fell 68-53 to Auburn Mountainview at home, a team that the Eagles beat on the road just two weeks ago.

• (12) Gig Harbor @ (5) Todd Beamer: Feb. 12

Last meeting: Feb. 12, 2015; Gig Harbor 66, Todd Beamer 65

Skinny: The Titans have had a strange season so far this year, and a 15-6 record is what they end with. But it could have been much more. Of the six losses this season, the Titans lost five of them by five or fewer points. Two of their losses have been by a single point — Federal Way 39-38 and White River 72-71.

Gig Harbor is coming in with a little momentum as they are winners of four of their last five after a brutal four-game losing streak late in the year. The Tides and Titans are unfamiliar opponents, which could lead to a very competitive game.

• (9) White River @ (8) Mountain View: Feb. 12

Last meeting: N/A

Skinny: White River’s first season in the 3A NPSL went quite well with a third-place finish. Due to a 10-point loss to Todd Beamer, the Titans leap-frogged the Hornets as far as seeding goes in the district tournament. The Hornets are coming in without much momentum as winners of two of their last five games.

Mountain View also doesn’t have much momentum as they have won one of their last four games. But the Thunder were in the three games they have lost, losing all three by a combined nine points.

• (10) Enumclaw @ (7) Timberline: Feb. 12

Last meeting: Dec. 26, 2015; Timberline 64, Enumclaw 50

Skinny: In their first season in the NPSL, the Enumclaw Hornets struggled to find their footing. Against top four teams, the Hornets’ record was 2-5 this season with wins over White River and Todd Beamer. Outside of the pandemic shortened season, Enumclaw won double digit games for the ninth straight season.

Timberline is a dangerous seventh seed — over the past two seasons, they seem always due for an impressive performance. Since the pandemic, the Blazers have made the state tournament three straight years.

4A:

• (15) Bonney Lake @ (2) Auburn: Feb. 12

Last meeting: Feb. 2, 2016; Auburn 57, Bonney Lake 44

Skinny: Auburn made the jump to 4A this season and their domination continued, including two big wins over Kentwood, which turned out to be a pretty good team. Last season they came into the postseason with championship aspirations, but were upset twice in the state tournament. They’ll be looking to exorcize those demons this season.

Bonney Lake is just 8-13 this season and against teams under .500 the last two seasons, Auburn is 14-0.

• (15) Curtis @ (5) Kentwood: Feb. 12

Last Meeting: Feb. 2, 2022 Curtis 75 Kentwood 50

Skinny: Curtis is just one year removed from back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023. But this year’s Curtis is a different team than two seasons ago. Kentwood is in its window, and the three-headed monster of Mason St. Louis, Brandon Tagle and Corey Tita are primed to make a run.

Kentwood took second in the Curtis Invitational, losing to Mt. Spokane in the finals, while Curtis took a first-round loss to West Valley.

(10) Rogers @ (7) Kennedy Catholic: Feb. 12

• Last meeting: Dec. 02, 2018; Rogers 62, Kennedy Catholic 56

Skinny: The Lancers had their first double-digit win season since 2019 this year in a cramped NPSL at the top of the standings. The Lancers were the one team in the state to beat Auburn this year on Jan. 21, 68-52, and split the season series with Kentwood.

The Lancers played very well at home this season after losing their first two games at home. Kennedy went on to win their next nine home games and they get Rogers at home to open up the district tournament.

• (14) Mount Rainier @ (3) Puyallup: Feb. 12

Last meeting: Feb. 14, 2024; Puyallup 52, Mount Rainier 44

Skinny: Mount Rainier sort of eked into the district tournament, winning just one game since Jan. 17 over Auburn Riverside and having a record of 1-5 over that stretch. A season sweep over Kentridge put the Rams in the playoffs, but on a very difficult road.

The Vikings are 18-5 this season and winners of three of their last four, with a two-point loss to Curtis in the midst of that span.

Alijah Townsel drives to the basket against Highline. Ben Ray / The Reporter