Timberline vs. Franklin (3:45 p.m.)

Timberline is treading new water led by 2014 Donaven Dorsey. Head Coach Jason Kerr has Franklin back in the state tournament for the first time since 2009. Head Coach Allen Thomas has his Timberline team believing in the system and playing their best basketball at the right time of the year.

Players to watch:

2013 Patrick Ball (Franklin) – Ball is a 6’5 guard who can shoot and get to the rim. Ball can drop 30 points in a game if he is on.  The Franklin guard is getting some D2 looks.

2013 Elijah Sanders (Timberline) – Sanders is a 6’7 PF who has nice footwork, hands, and a soft touch in the post. Sanders sat out last year with back problems. The big man has had some big games for Timberline this year. Sanders is receiving interest from some local CC’s and Jucos.

2013 Arell Hennings (Franklin) – Hennings is a tough noised guard who goes out and plays hard. A solid point guard at 5’10, Hennings is the floor general of the Franklin Quakers.

2013 Tim McMillon (Franklin) – McMillon has had some big games for the Quakers when guys like Hennings and Ball had off nights. McMillon can fill it up from behind the arc.

2014 Donaven Dorsey (Timberline) – One of the best players in the state of Washington, Dorsey can do it all at 6’6. Dorsey can score, rebound, and get his players involved. During Dorsey’s junior season: Washington, Washington State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, and Portland have all offered Dorsey.

2016 Keith Smith (Franklin) – Smith is a talented freshman and is one of the best freshmen in the state of Washington. At 6’3 Smith has had some double digit games for his young age. Smith is averaging around 6 pts but has shown signs of good things to come.

 Rainier Beach vs. Seattle prep (5:30 p.m.)

This game will be a rematch of an earlier matchup that happened earlier in the year. Seattle Prep came out victorious due to a huge 4^th quarter from 2013 Nevada commit DJ Fenner. Fenner came up huge along with 2014 Laurence Hicks for Prep. Rainier Beach has steam rolled through the competition since then minus one bump in the road, which was Lakeside who beat Beach in the District title game.

Players to watch:

2013 DJ Fenner (Seattle Prep) – The Nevada commit hasn’t disappointed this year. Fenner is on a tear and can hit between 30-40 points on any given night. Fenner has had a scorer’s mentality all year and hasn’t slowed down.

2013 Will Dorsey (Rainier Beach) – At 5’10, Dorsey is a pass first point guard who loves to get his team involved. Dorsey can hit the open shot and break down his opponent to get to the rim. Dorsey also displays toughness on the defensive end.

2013 Marquis Davis (Rainier Beach) – Davis was MVP of last year’s championship game and this year Davis is one of Rainier Beach’s leaders on the court. Very emotional on the court, Davis shows a lot of heart and will. Davis can light it up from beyond the arc, displays a nice mid-range game and get take it to the rack. Defense is another thing that stands out from Davis.

2014 Laurence Hicks (Seattle Prep) – Hicks has chipped in a lot during the season for Prep. Hicks has shown he can hit shots at 6’2 and has the ability to get to the rim.

2014 Djuan Piper (Rainier Beach) – Piper is an active player who has a bunch of intangibles that he brings to the court. Piper is 6’5 who can rebound, block shots, and has a long wingspan to get interrupt the passing lanes. Piper has been consistent all year for the Vikings.

2014 Elijah Foster (Rainier Beach) – 6’6 Foster is a big bodied forward who knows how to play in the paint.  Foster has soft hands and uses his body to position himself for rebounds. Foster displays a nice face up and post up game.

2014 Naim Ladd (Rainier Beach) – Ladd is a small 5’8 point guard who plays bigger than his height. Ladd gives Beach nice balance at the guard position. Ladd finds ways to break his opponent down with his low dribble to the ground and can dish out assists to his teammates.

2014 Shaqquan Aaron (Rainier Beach) – 6’6 Aaron has lived up to the hype all year for Rainier Beach. The Louisville commit has been compared to former Beach legend Jamal Crawford. Aaron does it all on the offensive side of the ball. You don’t want to take your eye off the court just in case Aaron does a jaw dropping play.

2015 De’Jounte Murray (Rainier Beach) – Beach is in good hands down the road with 6’2 Murray. Murray has a bunch of talent for his age. The young man can hit the open shot and put the ball on the ground. Rainier Beach has a loaded roster and at times Murray doesn’t get as much burn but when he does, you can see the potential in him.

2015 Jordan Kitchen (Seattle Prep) – 6’5 Kitchen has a nice upside and it seems like he is growing even more. Kitchen is a wing/forward player who will be interesting to see how he progresses in the next couple of years.

2016 Sean Gummersall (Seattle Prep) – Gummersall is a skilled 6’6 freshman who has been playing his best basketball the second half of the season. Gummersall is a true big man who likes to bang in the post and can finish around the rim. Gummersall will have a bright future for years to come.

 Lincoln vs. Mountlake Terrace (7:15 p.m.)

Lincoln has been very impressive this year but proved they can be beaten. Mountlake Terrace has nice size to their team. Lincoln has a duo of Pac-12 commits in 2013 Colorado commit Tre’Shaun Fletcher and 2014 California commit Ahmaad Rorie. Mountlake Terrace is a well-balanced program who lost to Lincoln earlier in the year by 1 point after blowing a 12 point lead.

Players to watch:

2013 Tre’Shaun Fletcher (Lincoln) – 6’7 Colorado commit has stepped up his game throughout the year. Fletcher is patient on the offensive side and can pick apart the defense when he wants to. Fletcher has an all around game that is rare for his size. Colorado is getting a steal in Fletcher.

2013 Marquis Armstead (Mountlake Terrace) – 6’1 guard is one of 4 players on a balanced scoring Mountlake Terrace squad. Armstead can take over a game with his bulldog approach taking it to the rim.

2013 Blake Fernandez (Mountlake Terrace) – Fernandez likes to put the ball on the ground and take it to the rack. Fernandez can hit the occasional jumper at times as well.

2014 Ahmaad Rorie (Lincoln) – One of the best players in the state, Rorie has a motor that doesn’t stop. A silent assassin on the court, Rorie is a coachable player who can put up points in a hurry and from anywhere on the court. California is getting one heck of a player in Rorie.

2014 Loren Lacasse (Mountlake Terrace) – 6’6 Lacasse can play the wing and forward position. Lacasse can put the ball and the ground and hit open shots.

2014 Armond Davis (Lincoln) – Davis is the third leading scorer for Lincoln. The 6’6 guard can get hot from behind the arc at any given moment. Davis has a long wingspan that interrupts the passing lanes. Davis also can put the ball on the ground and take it to the rim.

2014 Greg Bowman (Mountlake Terrace) – Bowman is physical in the paint, displays a decent post up game and can hit an open three at times.

 University vs. Lakeside (9:00 p.m.)

Lakeside is playing its best basketball right now. 2014 Tramaine Isabell has been fantastic down the stretch of the season. University is led by 2013 San Diego commit Brett Bailey who can put up points in a hurry. If Lakeside can contain Bailey they should be able to advance to Friday. University will need contributions from their role players.

Players to watch:

2013 Brett Bailey (University) – 6’5 San Diego commit can put up points in a hurry and finish in the lane. Bailey is a name you don’t hear about much but the kid can hoop.

2014 Tramaine Isabell (Lakeside) – Isabell has been playing with a chip on his shoulder all year. Isabell is the heart of the team and will be the key player for the Lakeside Lions. Isabell can get to the rim, get his teammates involved, and has a knack of getting into the passing lanes. Isabell is getting interest from Boise State, Seattle U, Idaho, Providence, and many other schools.

2014 D’Marques Tyson (Lakeside) – Tyson is a 6’6 wing who can hit shots from behind and arc. Tyson has the ability to put the ball on the ground and get to the rim as well. Tyson is a late bloomer and hasn’t reached his potential yet.

2016 Isiah Brown (Lakeside) – Brown is a well-built 6’1 guard who isn’t asked to do much yet but has stepped up this year with some double digit scoring games. Brown is one of the best rising freshmen in the state and holds an offer from the University of Washington already.

Rooks is scheduled to visit Washington this weekend.  Left Coast Recruiting will be following Rooks recruiting throughout his senior year.

Martin transferred from Seattle Prep to Bothell High School over the summer.  Bothell High School will enter the 4A Washington State rankings as #1.  2013 5-star prospect Zach LaVine  and 2013 prospect Perrion Callandret also attend Bothell.

Martin holds offers from Washington and Gonzaga.  Washington offered last year while Gonzaga offered recently.  Mark Few personally offered Martin at Bothell High School.  Martin is drawing interest from many schools in the Pac-12 as well.

Although Martin’s athletic ability is out this world, he will need to work on some go to post up moves to add to his game. Left Coast Recruiting will follow Martin’s progress this year.

“Syracuse, Kentucky, Arizona, UCLA, USC, Florida, San Diego State University, Washington, Stanford, Louisville, NC State, Florida State, UNLV, and Colorado.”

In due time the list will be trimmed but right now these are the schools that have a chance.

“These are the schools I feel are doing the best recruiting me right now.”

Some say Kentucky and Arizona are the two schools that stand out than the others but only time will tell. Expect Johnson to have a big year at powerhouse Mater Dei High School.

Describe your game

I try to focus on every aspect of my game so I can be as well-rounded as possible. So I would say I’m a guard that is able to do whatever is needed on the floor at any time and get the job done. The best part about my game however is definitely my mid-range game and playing in transition. Whether it is floaters, jumpers, ball screens or just pushing the tempo. I think that’s where I’m most effective.

How does it feel to get attention at a young age by colleges?

It’s definitely an honor, but I try not to think about it much and just focus on my game. It’s good to know that you’re doing something right, but at the same time I still try to keep progressing every day.

Which colleges have contacted you?

Washington, Arizona, Washington State, Boise State, Utah State, Cal, Seattle U, Portland State, Oregon State

What offers do you have?

University of Washington

What do you need to work on?

I think offensively I need to work on staying low with the ball and being as explosive as possible. Also, spot-up shooting is going to be important for me this year with the team we have so I’ve been trying to focus on that. On defense I need to work on playing with my hands up coming up with more steals in the passing lanes.

Since you live in the Seattle area, having an offer from UW, did you grow up wanting to go there?

I’m actually not from Seattle, I was born in Anchorage, Alaska and moved here in ’09, but UW has always been a school I’ve looked at and I’m honored to have an offer from them.

You play with another prospect Tramiane Isabell. How is it going to be playing with him?

I think it’s going to be great. Having a scorer like that in the backcourt with you makes my job easy and we’re able to take some pressure of each other. I think we’re going to be one of the toughest, if not the toughest matchup for opposing teams this upcoming season.

How did you do over the summer? Notice you played on the 17 u Hoopaholics.

I think I held my own for sure. I felt like I played well and impressed some people, plus my team had a pretty successful summer so it was definitely a good experience.

Will you be playing with them next AAU season?

No, I’ll be playing up for a program called A PLUS here in Seattle.

Left Coast Recruiting will be keeping progress on Brown’s freshman year.

Donaven Dorsey

The 2014 class in the Evergreen State has a chance to be something special.  The quality of D1 talent is deep in the class.  Many players have offers and interest from D1 colleges locally and nationally.  Left Coast Recruiting watched this special group play all summer to evaluate their talent .

Many of the players played well against the talent across the nation.  Here is a rundown of players to watch out for.

Shaqquan Aaron (Rainier Beach High School)- Aaron is a 5 star transfer from California and possibly the best prospect in the state regardless of class since his arrival.  The 6’8 SF can do pretty much everything a guard can do with the ball.  Aaron can handle the rock, get to the rim with ease, and use his long arms on defense.  Rainier Beach will be hard to beat with their all star roster.

Offers: Louisville, Kansas, UNLV, Syracuse, Uconn, San Diego State, St John’s, Georgetown, and all 12 schools in the Pac-12

Donaven Dorsey (Timberline High School) At 6’6 Dorsey can play the 1-3 spot.  If Dorsey plays up to his potential, he could possibly end up being the best player in the state. Dorsey has all the tools to take his game to the elite level. Timberline isn’t known for a basketball team.  Dorsey is out to make a statement this year.

Offers: Gonzaga, Oregon State, Washington State, and Portland State

Josh Martin (Bothell High School)– Martin is one of the most athletic prospects in the west coast.  The 6’6 forward can jump out the gym.  What Martin brings to the table is a blue collar worker mentality.  You won’t see Martin take a day off.  You don’t want to take your eyes off Martin at anytime in the game.  You might possible miss a Sports Center top 10 play. Martin needs to work on his overall offensive game but the talent is there to be something special.

Interest: Washington (Offer), Washington State, Utah, Gonzaga (Offer)

Ahmaad Rorie (Lincoln High School) – The 6’0 guard has the heart of champion.  Rorie is score first guard who can put up points in a hurry. Rorie can score in multiple ways. Nothing really fazes Rorie on the court and has a cold blooded approach to the game.

Committed: California

Tramaine Isabell (Lakeside High School)– Isabell is a 6’1 point guard whose game is ahead of his age.  The poised guard can break down his opponent, shoot, and get his teammates involved.  Isabell is a smart player on the court and is expected to have a breakout season at Lakeside.

Interest: Washington, UC Irvine, Oregon State, Washington State, Boise State, California, and Portland State

Deeshawn Tucker (Federal Way High School) – Tucker is a 6’0 guard who has the speed and court vision of an elite point guard.  Tucker needs to work on his shot to be more of an offensive threat but the Federal Way guard can get to the rim with ease by breaking down his opponent.

Offers: San Francisco, Portland, Oregon State (Interest)

Adrian Davis (Federal Way High School) – Davis is a scoring guard who at times takes plays off but there is no question the talent is there.  Davis is athletic and has a nice body for his size. Davis has worked on his overall game over the summer and is looking better than last year.

Interest: Oregon State, Seattle U, Boise State, Washington, California, Gonzaga, and USC

Brayon Blake (Federal Way High School) – Blake came on the scene last year playing for Federal Way High School.  The 6’6 forward plays with his back to the basket and displays a nice tough around the basket.  One of the best big men in the state, expect Blake to pick up some offers this season.

Interest: Oregon State, Washington, Seattle U, California, and Montana State

David Crisp (Clover Park High School) – Crisp is a 6’0 guard who can shoot and get to the rim.  Crisp will be without his longtime friend Ahmaad Rorie this year at Clover Park.  This will give a chance for Crisp to shine and step up to become a fierce leader for his team.

Interest: Oregon State, St. Mary’s, Boise State, and University of San Francisco

Jason Todd (Jackson High School) -  Todd has made a name for himself the last couple of years.  At 6’5, Todd can bang in the paint and transitioning into a wing player.  Many colleges have been in contact with Todd as of lately.  Todd has a bright future.

Naim Ladd (Rainier Beach High School) – Standing roughly around 5’8 don’t let the size fool you.  Ladd can hang with the best of them.  Ladd had a great second half of the season last year at Rainier Beach.  Ladd uses his speed to get past opponents and to the rim.  The young man also displays nice court vision.

Interest: University of Utah, Arizona, Seattle U, and Washington State

Elijah Foster (Rainier Beach High School)– Foster is a 6’7 forward built like Andrew Bynum. Foster has a chance to be the best big man in the state if he plays up to his potential.  A little raw on the offensive side, Foster makes up for it on defense.  When Foster reaches his peak it could be a scary site.

Interest: Washington, UCLA, UNLV, and Seattle U

How did you enjoy your visit?

Good, I really enjoyed it.

Has anything changed where UW stands in your recruiting?

No nothing has changed.   I really like UW, they have a good chance.

Did you have a better vibe this time around since it was your official visit?

Definitely was! I loved shooting in that gym.

You told LCR last year that you would love to play the three at the next level.  How did coach Romar say he would use you on the court?

Romar knows that I have the capability to play multiple positions. He said he would play me at the three. (more…)

Josh Martin

It was a busy weekend for many prospects in the Northwest. College coaches are able to call or text players as of Friday night at 12am under the new NCAA rules. Left Coast Recruiting caught up with some prospects in the Northwest to see how the weekend went.

2013

Will Dorsey - Dorsey is a solid point guard who is fearless on the court.  The 5’9 guard is a leader and has the will to help his team win.  Any D-2 coach who needs a coachable player, Dorsey is your guy.  Dorsey has received interest from Florida International and USC.  In the fall Dorsey will visit Florida International on an official visit.

Tucker Haymond - Haymond has come a long way since his freshman days.  Haymond is reliable with the ball in his hands, can get to the rim, rebound, and has worked on his jumper.  Boise State is the newest school to contact Haymond.

D.J. Fenner - Fenner has been flying under the radar but colleges have been taking notice as of lately.  Fenner has been contacted by USC, Gonzaga, and Quinnipiac.  It will be a make or break July for the shooting guard.  Fenner plans on taking an unofficial to Gonzaga in the near future.

Perrion Callandret - Callandret made a name for himself last year playing alongside 2013 superstar Zach Lavine.  Callandret held his own all last year and is doing well on the AAU scene this year.  Callandret has heard from Washington, USC, Boise State, Utah, Portland, Seattle U, Rice, and TCU,

2014

Josh Martin – Martin is one of, if not the most athletic prospect in the Northwest.  By the end of July, Martin will have his name on the map. Harvard, San Francisco, Washington, and Stanford have been in contact with Martin.

Kameron Chatman - Chatman keeps growing and is now a solid strong forward.  Chatman displays nice ball handling and has worked on his jumper.  Louisville, Oregon State and USC contacted Chatman over the weekend.  Just a couple weeks ago Chatman picked up an offer from Arizona.

Donaven Dorsey - Dorsey can play the 1-4 at 6’6.  The only thing holding Dorsey back is himself.  Many people you talk to see the talent he displays but heart is the question.  Dorsey has heard from Boise State, Washington State, Oregon State, Washington, and the University of California.

Tramaine Isabell - Isabell is quick point guard who shined during the Rose City Showcase in Portland, Oregon a couple weeks back.  The Seattle Rotary guard heard from Washington, Washington State, Oregon State, and UC Irvine.

Jason Todd - Todd is an interesting prospect with a nice upside.  At a young age, Todd is poised on the court and doesn’t seem rattled.  At 6’5 Todd can play the 3 and 4 position.  Oregon State, Stanford, Santa Clara, Portland, Boise State, and Northern Arizona have contacted the young man.  Off topic but Todd also throws an 89 mph fastball but took time off to focus on basketball.

Shabazz Muhammad

The practice was yet again very intense. Can’t say enough how much Coach Kevin Boyle has made his presence felt as a coach. The team worked hard as they played an up-tempo pace of basketball.

The team went over various plays that they learned yesterday and implemented them into what they want to accomplish Saturday. Mainly the first practice was similar to the morning practice they had on Thursday.

The second practice was held at the Trailblazers facility in front of a big crowd. NBA scouts were allowed to attend the practice to watch the team. Team USA played a 40 min scrimmage with 10 minute quarters against some players who work for Nike.

You would’ve thought that Team USA would’ve beaten down a team of Nike employees in there 30′s. That wasn’t the case as the team of 6 employees gave USA a run for their money.

In four 10 minute quarters USA won 2 of them and tied one. Each quarter the score started over. The team didn’t have problems with their starting five but their bench didn’t fare well enough against the opposing team.

The players who stood out were .

Shabazz Muhammad – The undecided senior is the hardest worker here. Muhammad looked good in the scrimmage. Right off the bat he hit a couple jump shots from the elbow and was very aggressive. Some NBA scouts were comparing Muhammad to a more skilled Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who has a motor that doesn’t stop.

Archie Goodwin – Once Goodwin can knock down his jumper consistently, it’s going to be a problem for the opposition. Goodwin’s body is built for basketball and is a player you would want on your team. There isn’t anyone that can stop the Kentucky bound player going to the rim. Goodwin’s ceiling is high. Coach Cal will bring out the best of the young man next year.

Kyle Anderson – Slow Mo showed his abilities to play defense, score, and share the ball. There were some people in the crowd talking about how well Anderson will fit in at UCLA and were impressed. It’s going to be very interesting to see how Anderson game evolves in the NBA after college.

Kaleb Tarczewski – The Arizona bound Center can run the court well for size and is very crafty Tarczewski around the rim. He has the ability take his opponent off the dribble at his size. Tarczewski will help out Arizona right away.