SNOHOMISH – Snohomish High School basketball standout Jon Brockman didn’t waste much time confirming the decision he made public on Oct. 5.
Brockman, a 6-foot-8 power forward who averaged 22 points and 13 rebounds last season as a junior, signed an NCAA letter of intent with the University of Washington at 7:01 Wednesday morning – one minute after the opening of the early signing period that runs through Nov. 17.
“I should have started a little earlier,” Brockman said with a laugh.
Brockman’s father, Gordy, and Snohomish coach Len Bone were among those who joined Brockman in the Snohomish High athletic office as he officially accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of Washington.
“It was pretty much over – I knew I was gonna go (to Washington) already,” Brockman said, “but it was nice to just have it over with and just feel it’s kind of the final word.”
Washington, which is ranked No. 22 in this week’s Associated Press preseason poll and is expected to challenge for the Pac-10 title, defeated Westmont College 92-52 in an exhibition game Wednesday night in Seattle. Brockman wasn’t among the estimated 3,300 fans who turned out to watch the Huskies, but he said his older brother, Paul Brockman, attended and filled Jon in on all the highlight-reel details.
“It feels like it’s that much closer, I’m that much closer to being there, just seeing how well they did last night,” Jon Brockman said.
Brockman plans to attend the Huskies’ non-conference, regular-season opener Nov. 19 when Seattle Pacific University makes the short trip to Bank of America Arena on the UW campus. There will be some mixed emotions because Paul, a Snohomish High alum, is a freshman forward for SPU. He plans to redshirt this season.
“It’ll be fun,” Jon Brockman said. “I think my parents will be stuck in the middle on who they’re going to root for.”
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Brockman was one of five players who signed letters of intent with the Huskies on Wednesday. Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar was pleased with the addition of Brockman.
“He is an energy guy,” the UW coach said of the Snohomish senior. ”He gets a kick out of kicking people. He enjoys banging and hitting. And he’s not out of control with it. He’s not a dirty player. He’s as physical as you want to get.
“He’s also skilled. He’s a good passer. He can really run. He’s athletic. And he has a gift to make you want to play hard for him. He’s infectious that way.”
Romar was pleased with what Brockman will bring to the UW program both on and off the court.
“He’s a great student,” Romar said. ”He’s a great person. He’s got a great attitude. Let’s leave basketball out of it. He’s going to be successful. He’s got the whole package, as far as I’m concerned.”
The other four players who signed with UW include two guards, a forward and a center.
* Martell Webster, a 6-6 forward from Seattle Prep. Webster, who missed most of last season because of a knee injury, averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, 3.5 assists, three blocked shots and two steals as a sophomore. He is ranked as the top incoming recruit in the Pac-10 by Scout.com, which has Webster rated as the nation’s No. 9 prep prospect.
“Martell will arguably be the most talented freshman ever to enter the University of Washington,” Romar said. “He not only knows how to score, but knows how to play the game. He has an assassin’s mentality on the basketball floor.”
* Justin Dentmon, a 6-foot point guard from Carbondale (Ill.) High School and The Winchendon School (Mass.). Dentmon enrolled at The Winchendon School this year after graduating from Carbondale. He averaged 21.7 points a game in his senior year at Carbondale.
“We watched a lot of games all summer and Justin played as well as any point guard that we watched,” Romar said. “Also, he has a great knack for winning. He took his team to the semifinals of the Illinois state championship, which says a lot for his ability to lead a team.”
* Roburt Sallie, a 6-5 guard from Valley High School in Sacramento, Calif., and currently is enrolled at Laurinberg (N.C.) Prep School. He averaged 21.4 points a game in his senior year at Valley.
“Roburt Sallie is a very good basketball player,” Romar said. “He really knows how to score. He plays with a lot of energy.”
* Artem Wallace, a 6-8 center born in St. Petersburg, Russia, who is enrolled at Toledo High School. He averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds in leading the Indians to a fourth-place finish in the Washington state Class A tournament last season.
“Artem has very good instincts on the basketball floor in terms of rebounding and scoring,” Romar said. “He also helps us become a more physical basketball team.”
A sixth player is expected to sign today. He is expected to be Harvey Perry, a 6-5 shooting guard from Foothill High School in Las Vegas.
Romar said the class is his strongest he has had since he became a head coach.
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