wiaa boys basketball tournament 2026 action in Yakima, Washington, sharpened into full semifinal focus on March 6, 2026, as teams at the Yakima SunDome pushed within one win of Saturday’s title game. Royal made the loudest statement Thursday, blasting past defending champion Annie Wright, 63-37, to move on. Now the bracket tightens: top-seeded, unbeaten Zillah stands between the Knights and a championship shot.
Royal surges, unbeaten Zillah waits in Friday’s 3: 45 p. m. ET semifinal
Royal’s path turned decisive in the Class 1A state boys quarterfinals Thursday at the Yakima SunDome, where the third-seeded Knights (23-4) overwhelmed Annie Wright (16-10), 63-37. The win ended any chance of a repeat title run for Annie Wright and set Royal up with another semifinal appearance—its second straight trip to this round.
Royal will face No. 1 Zillah (35-0) in Friday’s semifinal at 3: 45 p. m. ET, with a berth in Saturday’s title game at stake. Zillah advanced by pulling away in the second half against No. 7 Chelan, winning 68-53 on Thursday.
Royal’s history adds weight to the moment: the Knights have never won a state title and have reached only one championship game, losing to Lynden Christian in 1976. A win Friday would put Royal back on that stage for the first time in decades.
Wiaa Boys Basketball Tournament 2026: Stakes rise for trophies and survival games
Beyond the semifinal spotlight, the tournament’s placement games are already shaping who leaves Yakima with hardware. Annie Wright, despite Thursday’s loss, still has a route to a third consecutive trophy finish. The Gators will meet Chelan in a loser-out game Friday at 9: 00 a. m. ET. The winner stays alive and will play Saturday for fourth and sixth places; the loser is eliminated.
Zillah, meanwhile, is already guaranteed a fifth straight trophy finish—an ongoing run of high placements that includes a state championship in 2024 and a third-place finish last season after a semifinal loss to Annie Wright.
Immediate reactions from inside the SunDome
Sandy Ringer, reporter covering the tournament from the Yakima SunDome, framed Friday as a day where reputations can flip in 32 minutes. The bracket’s top seed is unbeaten, Royal is chasing a rare title-game return, and elimination games ensure there is no margin for a slow start.
Within the building, the scoreboard tells the story starkly: Royal’s 26-point quarterfinal win was the round’s clearest blowout among the 1A boys details available, while Zillah’s second-half surge against Chelan underlined the Leopards’ ability to separate when pressure spikes.
Quick context
The Yakima SunDome is hosting the semifinal round on Friday, with championship implications for Saturday. In Class 1A boys, Friday’s schedule includes both a semifinal at 3: 45 p. m. ET and a loser-out game at 9: 00 a. m. ET.
What’s next
Friday at the Yakima SunDome will define the weekend: Royal and Zillah collide at 3: 45 p. m. ET with the title game on the line, while Annie Wright and Chelan fight to extend their run earlier in the day. By Friday night, the wiaa boys basketball tournament 2026 bracket in this division will be trimmed to the teams still standing for Saturday’s final placements—and for one side, the last step toward a championship.
