PREP BOYS HOOPS PREVIEW: Five to watch

Michael Washington Jr. | Oak Harbor, Sr.

Washington Jr. has been an All-Wesco selection in each of his first three years in high school, making the first-team last season for the first time. Washington Jr. carries a 3.98 grade point average and has committed to play basketball at Princeton University next season. Washington Jr. has carried the offensive load for the Wildcats in his first three years of high school having games where he has scored as many as 40 points. This season, his father and coach Michael Washington Sr. has asked him to focus on making his teammates better. Washington Sr. says less will be best from his son this season, saying he doesn’t want his son to feel like he has to score for the team to be successful. Washington Jr. should make Oak Harbor one of the more competitive teams in the Wesco 3A this season.

Ryan Shannon | Mountlake Terrace, Sr.

Shannon is going into his first season with Mountlake Terrace after spending his first three varsity seasons with Marysville Pilchuck. An offseason transfer to Mountlake Terrace has many Wesco 3A coaches picking the Hawks as the team to beat. His new coach, Nalin Sood hasn’t had long to be around his new player, but says that Shannon’s eagerness to work hard and get better has been evident from the moment of his arrival. Those traits have helped him be accepted by his new teammates. “He’s fit in great and he’s been wonderful to coach,” Sood said. Shannon averaged a double-double last year with the Tomahawks and adds depth to a Mountlake Terrace team that hopes to compete for the league crown. Shannon, who averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks per game last season, will play basketball at Montana State University after graduation.

Luke Hamlin | Snohomish, Sr.

Coach Len Bone almost doesn’t know where to start when talking about Hamlin, saying he does so much for the Panthers basketball program. Last season, as a junior Hamlin averaged 14 points per game and led the team in assists and rebounds, which earned him a selection to the All-Wesco team. Bone says that Hamlin is a better scorer than he is a shooter and that he loves to drive and will score a lot of his points off of offensive rebounds and free throws. But Bone says Hamlin still does have the ability to shoot the ball well and expects his scoring to go up again this season. “This season Luke will sell tickets, sweep the floor and do whatever he has to do to help this team,” Bone joked. Bone added that Hamlin is a model teammate to his fellow Panthers and has high expectations of himself and his teammates. “If you’re looking to watch someone that plays hard every night and totally loves the game, make sure you watch Luke Hamlin play this season,” Bone said.

Jason Todd | Jackson, So.

With the departure of Brett Kingma, who graduated at the end of last school year and is playing at the University of Oregon. The Timberwolves will be led offensively by Jason Todd, who averaged nearly a double-double a year ago. “He’s an outstanding passer with a great feel for the game. He’s a versatile and very effective defender. He can play away from the hoop as well as down low and this offseason has improved his perimeter skills and outside shooting considerably,” coach Steve Johnson said. Johnson said that he believes that Todd can be one of the best players in the area this season and that he is certainly one of the best in his grade level in the area and perhaps even the entire state. The Timberwolves have a lot of work to get back to where they have been the last two season, but building around Todd should help.

Zach Taylor | Cedarcrest, Jr.

Taylor was voted first-team All-Conference last season as a sophomore and finished second in the voting for Most Valuable Player in the league according to coach Mark Prince. Taylor led the Red Wolves in scoring, rebounding, steals, assists , field goal percentage and free throw percentage – quite the accomplishment for a sophomore. Prince says that Taylor has a great knowledge of the game and is an unselfish player. Prince expects Taylor to be a leader on and off the court and to be a player that the team can go to in any situation. “He is one of those special players who wants the ball in his hands when a big shot or big play is needed,” Prince said.

Aaron Lommers, Herald Writer

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