Top returning prep basketball players in Snohomish County

Published 1:30 am Thursday, December 9, 2021

Prep basketball players returned to the court last week for their first game action of the 2021-22 school year.

Here’s a look at some of the area’s top returning players:

BOYS

Jeffrey Anyimah, sr., G, Mountlake Terrace

Anyimah helped lead the Hawks to an 8-2 record in the spring while averaging 9.1 points and 3.3 assists per game. He also played a key defensive role for a team that allowed just 48.8 points per contest. The 5-foot-11 guard is a three-year starter and was a first-team All-Wesco South selection last season.

Blake Conyers, sr., F, Lakewood

Conyers knocked down 38% of his 3-point attempts and posted 16 points and seven rebounds per game to help lead the Cougars to a 9-1 record in the spring. He was a second-team All-Wesco North selection. Conyers led Lakewood with 16 points in a season-opening victory over Stanwood and is averaging 15 points through three games this season.

Steve Kuhnle, jr., G, Monroe

Kuhnle averaged 14 points and four rebounds per game as a sophomore in the spring. The 6-foot guard netted 20 points in the Bearcats’ season opener against Woodinville.

Elijah Johnson, sr., G, Shorecrest

Johnson is the top returning scorer in the area after averaging 29.3 points, seven assists and two rebounds per game while leading the Scots to a 9-1 record in the spring. He was a first-team All-Area and All-Wesco South selection as a junior, and a first-team All-Wesco 3A/2A pick as a sophomore. The 5-foot-10 guard is averaging 24.7 points through the first three games of this season, including 26 in a key non-league win over Mariner.

Ethan Martin, sr., G, Arlington

Martin delivered 22 points, seven rebounds, 2.5 assists and two steals contest as a junior during the spring season. He was a first-team All-Wesco North selection and a second-team All-Area pick. The 6-foot guard also earned second-team All-Wesco 3A/2A honors as a sophomore. Martin netted 30 points in the Eagles’ season opener.

Naser Motley, sr., G, Mariner

Motley averaged 12 points and five rebounds per contest while helping the Marauders to a perfect 10-0 mark in the spring and was an All-Wesco South honorable mention. The 6-foot guard scored 27 points against Edmonds-Woodway on Tuesday and is averaging 17 points through four games.

Maddox Preder, jr., G, Lake Stevens

Preder connected on 40% of his 3-point attempts and averaged 11.5 points and three assists per game while helping the Vikings to an 8-2 record in the spring, earning a second-team All-Wesco North selection. The 6-foot guard is averaging 24 points through two games, including a 27-point outing with six 3-pointers against Everett.

Tijan Saine, sr., G, Mariner

Saine is the leading returning scorer from the Marauders’ 10-0 run in the spring when he averaged 15 points, five assists and four steals per game in his first season after transferring from Kamiak. He was a second-team All-Wesco South selection. Saine, a 5-foot-10 guard, scored 17 points in Mariner’s season-opening win over Marysville Getchell.

Bobby Siebers, sr., G, Glacier Peak

Siebers posted 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game as a junior. The 6-foot-4 guard helped lead the Grizzlies to a 7-2 record in the spring while being selected first-team All-Area and All-Wesco North. He poured in 27 points in Glacier Peak’s season-opening win over North Creek and is averaging 22 points through two games.

Justice Taylor, sr., G, Lakewood

Taylor stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds and 5.5 assists per game as the Cougars went 9-1 in the spring. He hit a school-record eight 3-pointers in a game against Monroe and sported a 4.1 to 1 assist-to-turnover ration. Taylor was All-Wesco North honorable mention last season and is averaging 18.3 points through three games this season.

Drilon Veliu, sr., G, Jackson

Veliu averaged 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals per game while helping the Timberwolves to a 7-3 record in the spring. He was a second-team All-Wesco North pick as a junior and is averaging 23 points through three games this season.

Sylas Williams, jr., W/F, Jackson

Williams posted 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists per contest in the spring as the Timberwolves went 7-3. The 6-foot-6 wing/forward was a second-team All-Wesco North selection. Williams is averaging 23.3 points through three games this season and has scored 21 or more points in each game, including 23 points and 22 rebounds in a win over Meadowdale.

GIRLS

Vivienne Berrett, jr., C/F, Stanwood

Berrett shot 61% from the field during the spring while posting 15 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and one block per game. She was a first-team All-Wesco North pick and second-team All-Area selection. The 6-foot-4 post netted 19 points in Stanwood’s win over Sedro-Woolley on Dec. 2.

Ella Gallatin, sr., G, Snohomish

Gallatin netted 20 points per game and posted double-doubles in four of 10 games as the Panthers’ went 6-4 in the spring. The Eastern Washington University signee was a first-team All-Area and All-Wesco North selection. Gallatin hit a game-winner at the buzzer in Snohomish’s season opener against Lynden Christian and is averaging 18.5 points through four games.

Bella Hasan, soph., G, Kamiak

Hasan averaged 18 points as a freshman in the spring and earned first-team All-Wesco South and second-team All-Area honors.

Aniya Hooker, soph., G, Lynnwood

Hooker posted 10.7 points, five rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3.8 assists per game as a freshman in the spring and was a first-team All-Wesco South pick. Through two games this season, the 5-foot-5 guard is averaging 14 points, seven rebounds and 6.5 steals.

Camille Jentzsch, sr., F, Lake Stevens

Jentzsch was a first-team All-Wesco North selection in the spring. She posted 8.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game as a sophomore during the 2019-20 season and was named second-team All-Wesco 4A. The Eastern Washington University signee is averaging 14.5 points through two games this season.

Adria Lincoln, jr., G, Monroe

Lincoln drained 38% of her 3-point attempts and averaged 19.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game during the spring. She was a first-team All-Area and All-Wesco North selection. The 6-foot-1 guard was one of 30 invitees to attend the 2021 USA Women’s U16 National Team Trials.

Keira Marsh, sr., G, Arlington

Marsh poured in 18 points per game to go along with four rebounds, four steals and three assists per contest as she helped lead the Eagles to a 7-2 record in the spring. The California State University-East Bay signee was a first-team All-Area and All-Wesco North selection.

Taylor Reed, sr., G, Archbishop Murphy

Reed averaged 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and two steals per game as the Wildcats went 7-3 in the spring. She was a first-team All-Wesco South selection.

Baylor Thomas, sr., G, Lake Stevens

Thomas was a first-team All-Wesco North selection in the spring. She averaged 10 points, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game as a sophomore during the 2019-2020 season, earning second-team All-Wesco 4A honors. The West Virginia State University signee is averaging 18.5 points through two games this season.

Grace Trichler, sr., G, Sultan

Trichler is the area’s leading returning scorer after averaging 23.5 points to go along with 6.5 steals per game in spring. She helped lead the Turks to a share of the Emerald Sound Conference Coho Division title and was named the division’s most valuable player. She’s averaging 14.0 points through three games this season, including 27 in Sultan’s season opener.

Jenna Villa, jr., G, Arlington

Villa averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per contest as the Eagles went 7-2 in the spring. She was a first-team All-Area and All-Wesco North selection. She broke a school-record with 10 3-pointers while scoring 34 points in a victory over Mountlake Terrace on Thursday. Villa is averaging 22 points through three games.

Cori Wilcox, sr., F, Lake Stevens

Wilcox was a first-team All-Wesco North selection in the spring. She’s an Eastern Washington University signee. As a sophomore during the 2019-20 season, Wilcox averaged six points and 5.4 rebounds per contest.

Note: All current season stats are through Thursday, Dec. 9.