Marysville Pilchuck wing Michael Painter loved the Marysville community he grew up playing in.
He’s hoping to find that same sense of community in Lacey, where he will play at Saint Martin’s University. Painter, The Herald’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year, signed his National Letter of Intent with the Saints on Thursday, finalizing his college basketball plans.
“It’s a sense of community,” Painter said. “(Marysville Pilchuck head coach Bary) Gould’s really built up a family sense at Marysville Pilchuck and Saint Martin’s is trying to do the same thing culture-wise and campus-wise. It’s a beautiful campus and I feel like I fit in great there.”
The versatile, 6-foot-4 senior will play wing or guard for the Saints and new coach Alex Pribble – a former assistant at Eastern Washington. Painter picked Saint Martin’s over Minot State and George Fox.
“There were some other places I could have gone, but Saint Martin’s just made the most sense,” Painter said. “Being off the I-5 corridor it’s nice to not be too far away so my family can come watch a game if they want to. And not being too far away from coming home once in awhile.”
Gould received a text from Painter Wednesday night alerting him of his decision, and thanking the Marysville Pilchuck coach for everything he’s done for Painter in his high school career.
Painter ended the text “family always.”
“I think that it is a really good situation for him,” Gould said. “I think so highly of Mike and I think it’s a spot where he can contribute and play and have a great experience. … He’s just a confident team player. I feel like he’s so coachable, and teachable, and moldable and shapeable. He’ll work so hard. Whatever the coach is going to ask him to do, he’ll do.
“It’s a wonderful pickup for Saint Martin’s. They’re going to be really pleased with what they get.”
Painter averaged 16 points, six rebounds and four assists per game this season and was a first-team All-Wesco selection. He led the Tomahawks to the state tournament, for the first time since 1993, and was a second-team all-tournament pick in Tacoma.
But it still took a bit for Painter to decide what was next. The senior is happy to have his letter of intent signed and his college plans figured out.
“It was a great sense of relief,” Painter said. “It’s really a great opportunity they’ve offered me to go down and play, get my school covered and get a degree from there. Instead of thinking about, ‘How am I going to finance college?’ I get to do the things I love. … It’s really starting to sink in and it’s an incredible feeling.”
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