SNOHOMISH — Samantha Fatkin, Paisley Johnson and Kayla Watkins have played basketball together since they were in the fifth grade.
Needless to say, their connection on the court is strong. The Glacier Park seniors can rely on instinct because of the trust that’s been forged between them.
The symmetry in motion can be beautiful to watch.
“It’s like a dance, a ballet,” Grizzlies coach Brian Hill said. “Everything is perfect and crisp and looks pretty. When they play together, everything flows together.”
They’ll try to make their last dance together a good one; they’re aiming to lead Glacier Park to a 4A state tournament appearance. After graduating, they’ll go their separate ways, but their basketball careers will continue at the college level — Fatkin at the University of Arizona; Johnson at Brigham Young University; and Watkins at Weber State University.
The three Division-I recruits possess differing personalities — “I’m the loud one, Sam keeps us all level-headed, and Kayla’s also a crazy one. We balance each other out nicely,” Johnson said — but they also have a lot of things in common, on and off the court.
All of them are good outside shooters — even Watkins, a post player. All of them have good ball-handling skills and high basketball IQs, and they see the court well. They have a scoring mentality but also a desire to get their teammates involved.
But above all else, they all have a fierce desire to reach their ultimate potential.
“They have very high expectations for themselves and others,” said Hill, who guided the Grizzlies to a 15-7 record last season. “They have an attitude that is demanding — they can say, ‘That’s not good enough’ — but at the same time is nurturing and caring and helping and encouraging.”
Coming back strong
The 5-foot-11 Fatkin is healthy after missing the second half of last season with a foot injury. Despite the missed time, she received All-Wesco 3A/2A South honorable mention after averaging 13.1 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
“She’s got great court awareness,” Hill said. “She sees where people are going, she can make the extra pass, she’s really strong with the ball, she can shoot from the outside, she can drive. Her assist-to-turnover ratio has gotten better, and her defense has gotten better. She’s just a great point guard. That’s why she runs the show for us.”
Although Fatkin knows that she’s capable of scoring when she wants to, she considers herself a pass-first point guard.
“I just want to do whatever it takes to win,” she said. “My favorite part of the game is distributing the ball to my teammates. I’ve been lifting (weights), and that’s been the biggest part of my improvement. Having a quicker first step (and becoming) more explosive and a lot more physical (has made her better).”
Fatkin chose Arizona because she relishes the idea of helping the Wildcats’ rebuilding efforts under new head coach Adia Barnes.
“There’s five people in our recruiting class, including me, and we’re going into our freshman year (with the goal) of making a change, and we want to turn the program around and make it a winning program,” said Fatkin, who intends to study medicine and possibly become a paramedic or physician’s assistant. “I’m really excited to be a part of that change.”
Going at different speeds
The 5-9 Johnson is an athletic combo guard/wing with a solid mid-range game. She can draw contact, finish plays at the free-throw line and execute in the half-court.
Last season she averaged a team-leading 16.2 points per game, to go along with 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.3 steals. She was named to the All-Wesco 3A/2A South first team.
“She’s got a ton of talent and skill, and she gives 110 percent 110 percent of the time,” Hill said. “She’ll run through a wall to get to the ball, but she’s learned to slow down and become more patient. She knows that she can make something good happen without forcing things.”
“I used to go 1,000 miles per hour, but now I kind of like to switch it up,” Johnson said. “I play my game at different speeds, and I feel like I really make the defense not know about what I’m going to do next.”
Johnson committed to BYU as a sophomore after catching the eye of the Cougars’ coaching staff at a camp. She’s considering going into nursing, law or business.
“I’m interested in helping people and (discovering) why people do things,” she said. “I was on our senior debate team this year, and that was interesting. I feel like I am (a good debater). I have pretty strong opinions. I always think I’m right.”
‘A strong presence’
The 6-2 Watkins balances the outside firepower of Fatkin and Johnson with a steady inside presence. She can grab rebounds and score on put-backs, but she’s been working on becoming more of an all-around player.
“She can shoot from the outside, and she’s a load inside,” Hill said. “She’s tough to guard because she’s so strong. She’s getting lighter on her feet and seeing the floor better. She’s come a long way, and she has more confidence in herself.”
Watkins averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game and was a second-team All-Wesco 3A/2A South selection last season.
“I would say I’m a strong presence,” Watkins said. “(I want to) be able to go inside and outside and be diverse. I can’t just go inside all the time. I have to (make) my 10-foot shot, (and) I’ve been working on it. My footwork has gotten a lot better (in order) to create space and go up strong and finish.”
Watkins is especially interested in the mental aspect of the game.
“I’m probably going to (study) sports psychology,” she said. “I see people have down times in their games — every athlete’s been through that — and I always want to know what’s going on in their minds and try to help them get back up and succeed. I think I’m a good icebreaker. I can make good conversation. It’s a good skill to have (in a team environment).”
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