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Kevin Cacabelos
Student at Loyola Marymount University.
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Info
- Summary
I am a Seattle-native who currently attends Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. At LMU, I am currently pursuing degrees in History and Spanish. After my undergraduate studies I plan on attending law school.
On the side, I am improving my sports journalism skills. You can find my work at UW Dawg Pound and The Loyolan.
Specialties: Diligent, independent, and smart leader who always puts the team before myself. Event planning, youth sports instruction, tutoring. Conversationally fluent Spanish. Proficient in Mac and Windows operating systems. Excel, Powerpoint, Word, Facebook, Twitter, and any blogging platform.Experience- Feb 2013 - PresentSports Editor / The Loyolan
Determine story coverage for twice-a-week issues. Supervise, train and motivate section writers. Responsible for print layout of 4-6 pages. Review, edit, proof and take responsibility for all copy in section. Expand online presence of section, maintain social media accounts.
- May 2011 - PresentStaff Writer / SB Nation
Currently write for UW Dawg Pound, covering Washington Huskies athletics. Wrote daily blog posts and a weekly feature for SB Nation's local Seattle website. Composed articles for a network-wide news desk, covering sports in all parts of the country. Provided support for SB Nation's regional and team sites with sports news coverage by writing on breaking news along with basic, planned news-based posts.
- Mar 2008 - PresentFounder, Editor Emeritus / SeaTown Sports
Independent Seattle sports blog under the Bloguin.com blog network. Coverage includes Mariners, Seahawks, Washington Huskies, Sounders FC, Storm, and local high school sports.
Articles have been linked under several mainstream websites including SeattleTimes.com, SeattlePi.com, and ESPN.com. Voted the No. 3 Sports Blog in King 5's 2011 Evening Magazine's Best of Western Washington contest.
- Sept 2011 - May 2013Writing Tutor / Loyola Marymount University Academic Resource Center
Give individualized tutorial instruction to help students become better writers. Conduct and run writing workshops (thesis-writing, study skills, etc,.)
CRLA, Regular/Level II certified Tutor
- Sept 2010 - Jan 2013Staff Sports Writer / The Loyolan
Currently write sports articles for the Loyola Marymount University school newspaper, The Loyolan. Versatile in coverage, have written about baseball, cross country, tennis, and women's soccer.
- Jun 2012 - Aug 2012Student Intern / King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Provided administrative support to the Juvenile Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Daily tasks and duties included processing mail, copying legal documents, maintaining files, records and other information sources. Worked with deputy attorneys on independent projects for their cases.
- Jul 2009 - Aug 2011Camp Counselor / Montlake Community Center
Led and instructed camps for kids ages 7 to 12 years. All-Sport, Basketball, Baseball and Ceramics.
- Sept 2010 - Mar 2011Student Basketball Manager / Loyola Marymount University
Served as a general manager for the Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team. Tasks included set-up and breakdown of daily practices. On the court: helped coaches conduct a smooth practice, including helping out with drills. Off the court: worked with coaches to compile and put together scouting reports and assist director of Basketball operations in film exchange. Job required independent quick-thinking, a willingness to sacrifice for the good-will of the team, and versatility in working with players, coaches, and other managers.
- Jul 2009 - Jan 2010Hawk Squad Staff / Youth Force
Fan Support Staff for Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC games. Handed out giveaways and set-up/broke-down for charity vendors.
Education-
2010 - 2014Loyola Marymount UniversityHistory, Spanish
Activities: Magis Service Organization, Alpha Sigma Nu (Jesuit Honor Society) -
2012 - 2012Saint Louis University, Madrid CampusSpanish and Iberian Studies
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2006 - 2010Seattle Preparatory School
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Honors:2010- Jesuit and Marymount LMU Scholarship 2010 Jesuit Secondary Education Association Award 2009 1st place Washington State National History Day Winner (Senior Paper Division)
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Posts
- Best Friends, Best Rivals: Tere Calloway And Tatum Taylor Gear Up For Their Senior Seasons
The morning after a loss is the worst. The throbbing pain remains in the thighs and calves, while the emotional anguish of the defeat is fresh in the memory. Ignorant of the pain, Seattle Preparatory running back Tere Calloway sat on the couch with his best friend, re-living the most heart-breaking loss in his high school football career thus far.
-July 30th 2012, full article at SB Nation Seattle.
- Indulging In CenturyLink's Stadium Food: What To Expect This Coming Football Season
First up, Uli’s Famous Sausage. Straight out of Pike Place Market, Uli’s Famous Sausage is relatively new at the CLink and is turning into a popular item not only in the suites and club seats, but also on the Field Plaza level that is accessible to general admission ticketholders. The man behind the sausage, Uli Legenberg, will occasionally make appearances behind his stand on the plaza and throughout the stadium to serve fans his handmade and authentic German Sausages.
-July 19th 2012, full article at SB Nation Seattle.
- Brandon Roy's Comeback Bid Supported By Fellow Seattle-Area Players
Seattle-area NBA stars streamed into Spokane Arena on Saturday night, participating in the Jamal Crawford A PLUS Classic, but the most recognizable star was notably absent. Though Crawford and game organizers promoted Brandon Roy’s participation, he was nowhere to be found in the NBA charity game raising funds for the Seattle-based A PLUS Youth Program.
-July 4th 2012, full article at SBNation.com.
- Seattle Arena Rally: Video, Photos, Interviews and More
The Seattle Arena investment group led by Christopher Hansen held a rally Thursday afternoon that aimed to show the city and county exactly how serious Seattle fans are about getting an NBA franchise back in the area.
-June 13th 2012, full coverage at SB Nation Seattle.
- Diederichs proves loyalty
Seconds winding down, an undetected Tim Diederichs snuck past the St. Mary’s Gaels’ defense and received a laser pass from teammate Anthony Ireland. Elevating off of two feet, Diederichs jumped and converted a layup off the backboard before the first-half buzzer sounded.
-March 22nd 2012, full article at The Loyolan.
- WIAA Boys State Basketball Tournament 2012 Coverage
Provided extensive coverage of the 2012 WIAA 4A and 3A state boys basketball tournaments. Wrote recaps for every single game in the winner’s brackets while holding live chats on days one and two with readers.Marquis Davis could not miss. He started the game off with three straight three-pointers and he finished the game with 30 points and a state championship trophy.
“We just took it one game at a time and came out ready to go,” said the junior guard. “We came together the most in the fourth quarter and stuck together.”
-March 1st through March 3rd 2012, full coverage at SB Nation Seattle.
- DuBois’s late 3-pointer seals win for Lions
Jarred DuBois played his best game of the season in Loyola Marymount University’s 62-59 victory over the Portland Pilots on Saturday night. DuBois hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to break a 59-59 tie, putting the Lions ahead in Saturday night’s West Coast Conference (WCC) game at Gersten Pavilion.
-January 30th 2012, full article at The Loyolan.
Co-hosted a nine episode podcast in the summer of 2012 with Brian Elsner of Wait For It Seattle. Topics revolved around Seattle sports teams and personalties along with local takes on national sports news. Previewed the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Huskies football seasons in final two episodes.
- Home runs fuel final home stand
The ball flew over the center field fence and senior Sam Fischer’s walk-off grand slam gave LMU the third and final game victory of Sunday’s delayed doubleheader against the Sacramento State Hornets. “She is the most dangerous hitter in the country right now,” said LMU Head Coach Gary Ferrin.
-April 15th, 2012, full article at The Loyolan.
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Tweets
- RT @BrianMFloyd: Believe the Skagit River bridge that collapsed was on WSDOT's structurally deficient list http://t.co/bTVTPoKqKh
- @JWilks26 super scary. Following via twitter and tv.
- @gretchELMO manong and manang I like more.
- @gretchELMO @kelseyflones glad kelsey is getting a crash course.
- RT @alexSSN: No Mariners tonight, but you can catch @UWSoftball in the Super Regionals on ESPN right now.
- @NealNieves really!?
- @kokeeffe22 YES!
- @moxieg @Tessita70 jaja. we talked about it in our latest podcast episode.
- @kokeeffe22 what song?
- RT @AdamZagoria: Veteran NBA Scout on Peyton Siva; "I think he'll be drafted in the second round."May 23, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- this guy on "Dinner:Impossible" is super mean.
- @EntendreDaGiant at second glance....it doesn't make sense.
- We all do man. We all do. RT @KeithPrice17: The sun wants to come out so badd out here in Seattle
- RT @XXL: The City's spitters @Solzilla, @NachoPicasso and @JarvDee made our Seattle New New list. See who else did here - http://t.co/TfsHO…
- RT @JoshGershon: 2014 Intro: Seattle Franklin PF Eugene Artison - http://t.co/7RyzxD9bJd
- RT @JoshGershon: 2014 Intro: Seattle Rainier Beach C Elijah Foster - http://t.co/3btuzDAxCZ
- EVERYONE LISTEN TO MY HIGH VOICE TALK ABOUT SEATTLE SPORTS. Season 2 of the Wait For It Seattle podcast commences: http://t.co/fVuf3HK4wN
- @LilMareMare the worst.
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Posts
Happy birthday @woodrowliu! The Madrid club scene misses us. Badly. #happybirthday #allsocialnetworks #mejoramigo (at Pacha)
I wish I was in Rome helping pick the new pope with these people. #tbt #Trevi @woodrowliu @cwiebs @flabbyabby5 @katrinaherzik @snievess
I’m not smiling in the photo, but this photo makes me smile now. #tbt #madrid @flabbyabby5 @marissanl @woodrowliu
- Fin
I miss Spain.
You miss something when you cannot stop thinking about it. This reaction is normal when you spend four months away from home and actually enjoy being away. Not because being away is better than being at home, but because being away offers so much that home cannot offer.
Before leaving for Spain, I did not comprehend or understand the excitement and the promises of people saying I would have the time of my life. I shrugged and showed them a faint smile while hiding my fears — living with strangers, being away from home for so long and the guaranteed uncertainty looming in the future. I look back, and those people were completely correct. I did have the time of my life.
And though I’ve experienced pure happiness before, the type of happiness where you can only smile, hug others and repeat the act over and over again — I never thought I’d experience that same exact feeling so many different times in such a short period of time.
I could not stop being happy while I was in Spain, while I was in Paris, while I was in Prague, while I was in the most unsanitary hostel in Lisbon. These moments of pure joy all rooted itself in the initial vulnerability I held going into this experience.
As I was just getting comfortable, becoming so sure of myself in college, this experience reminded me of how much I simply do not have control over. Instead of freaking out, all I could do was smile. It is a bigger risk not getting out of your comfort zone because you simply will not grow to become a better person when you always spend time with the same people, in the same places, in the same situations.
I loved study abroad because I forced myself into so many situations where I had zero control. I was not only forced to adapt, but I had to accept, but more importantly, embrace all the question marks that the experience threw at me. I immersed myself in a new school, made new friends and did my best to live in an entirely different culture.
Of course, being abroad held its practical benefits. My confidence with the language grew, even though I did not become fluent like I ambitiously wished for at the beginning. I also crossed so many places off of my bucket list. I accomplished my goal of seeing and touching history.
Despite these positive outcomes, I will not remember them in five years. What I will remember are the countless stories and friendships formed during these past four months. I did not anticipate becoming so close to these people and I did not foresee them becoming the highlight of my experience. By the end, I realized these people were not just my friends, but they were my family. They witnessed the best and worst of me. We all got sick of each other more than once during the semester, but in the end, we all looked out for each other.
These friendships probably will not be as strong as they were before in the future, but I do know they will last forever. They know things about me, and I know things about them that no on else will ever know outside or our group of friends. There are only a handful of people who know how much this experience has impacted me and these are those people. This is comforting.
I spent so much money, but it was all worth it. I would spend it all over again, because I continually felt richer and richer after every experience.
I did not anticipate getting so pumped about being Catholic, but I couldn’t help it after seeing the countless cathedrals, visiting Loyola and seeing Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
I never thought I would end up staying out late so often and partying with my friends, but Kapitol is awesome.
I did not know Cesar and Bela would all of a sudden also become family to me. However, they embraced me and treated me like I was one of their children.
I knew nothing about Spain or the culture before coming into the country. After four months, I can confidently call Madrid a second home.
In the end, I am thankful for the experience. We can plan, forecast, and predict, but too much energy is wasted worrying about the future. There is so much in life that we have no control over. We do have control over the present and how we react to it. So be present to the present. There is no time for fretting, worrying and crying. There is too much time not to smile and live.
No pasa nada.
- One Final Close Call
We high fived each other in the moment of victory. We made it to the station named Nation whose final train would take us back to our hostel at 1:51 a.m..
Why were we struggling to get back to our hostel at this time in the first place?
Bear with me.
After a long day of touring and walking around Paris, we eventually ended up at the apartment of Simone’s Parisian friend Aymeric, who invited us over to his place for some drinks and a good old Paris pregame.
We were planning on just stopping by and then getting some rest at our hostel, but eventually were lured into following Aymeric to a Paris house party. As we talked in Aymeric’s apartment, he played some of his favorite French rap music before we asked him to play us some of his favorite American music. He led with Macklemore’s Thrift Shop, and immediately, I knew the night was turning into one of unpredictability.
Once at the house party, we were treated to try some laughing gas (I declined) and we did our best to not stand out, although, we obviously did. Eventually we embraced the fact that we were in the middle of a house party in Paris partying with French college students.
Sooner than we expected, it was already 12:00 a.m. and we did not know if we’d be able to make it back at time. Some of the people at the party didn’t think we’d make it although back from our hostel. We were in the southwestern corner of the city, and our hostel was pushing towards the northeast corner of the city. Of course, once we gathered ourselves and walked outside of the house we had no idea how to get back to the metro stop.
Luckily, Kendall’s friend Kate spoke some good French and helped us find our way to a metro station. Once we got onto one train, Kate did some more talking and told us it’d be a close call.
When we reached the station that had a corresponding line back to our hostel, we ran to the other Metro line and we made it. More importantly, we avoided having to pay for an expensive cab to shuttle us back. We were worried, but Kendall kept on saying it’ll be alright. When we saw that the final train would be arriving in five six minutes, we obnoxiously celebrated in the terrible and dirty smelling metro underground.
We were happy to have made it in time, but happier to be in Paris and even happier to experience one final close call on our final trip abroad.
- Reflecting on the ESL experience
Since late September, I’ve been teaching weekly intermediate level English classes to community members around the Saint Louis Madrid campus with a fellow SLU student, Alejandra. Every Monday we met with a group of students that usually consisted of 8 to 15 people coming from a variety of backgrounds.
Several of our students were in their mid-20’s in school, while some held full-time jobs and wished to improve their level of English. Since these classes were free, community members did not have to pay for other more expensive language classes around Madrid. We helped the students with grammar, but our primary focus was to get everyone in the classroom speaking as much English as possible.
Sadly, this past Monday was our last meeting with our students. I came into this experience blind, not knowing I’d end up growing so attached to my students. There were so many times when I walked out of the classroom with a huge grin on my face. I was feeling that teaching high. The same great feeling I sometimes receive after I have a writing tutor session back at LMU.
Our discussions were always lively, interesting and challenging. The students constantly challenged me to see and understand the differences but also the numerous commonalities between Spanish and American culture. These conversations made the class more than about just learning another language; the relationships between my teaching partner, our students and myself grew week after week.
The class surprised me on our last day with a Madrid t-shirt with notes and signatures written on the back. They were very gracious, but I don’t know if there’s a way I could repay them for what they’ve given me. I’m definitely going remember all the memories in our Monday night classroom and look back at them with fondness.
If I ever become some sort of teacher in the future, I’ll know that this is where my passion started. International post-graduate opportunities to teach English now seem so enticing and so possible after this experience.
I might just have to come back to Spain.
- Smiling in the Freezing Cold
If you asked me in September if I’d be spending a weekend in the Czech Republic in the first week of December, I would not believe you. Unlike my other trips, Prague was more expensive, a longer plane ride (two to three connections) and took away a couple of days of studying and writing in preparation for finals. I talked to my dad about it in September, telling him about my want to go, but the potential consequences. His answer was simple, “You might never have the chance to go again.” Once I was standing in the middle of the Christmas market looking at the Christmas tree light up in Prague, I knew the trip was worth it. I am constantly weighing the pros and cons in my life, doing my best to project the future, but sometimes you need to just let go and worry about the present.
We signed up for a tour with a group of other college students studying abroad, which removed the need for me to think and also reduced the chances of us getting lost as well. Having someone walk me around and tell me things was refreshing after having to plan out itineraries and map my way around different cities in the past few months. Like London the other weekend, Prague was also in Christmas mode. We were lucky enough to see and experience Prague’s world famous Christmas markets in their first week. I spent more than a few crowns on some gifts to bring back home. The entire weekend was literally freezing cold, in fact, I caught one, and am hoping it doesn’t get worse when I’m in Paris. Haha, that sentence was cool to write.
Although seeing all of the historical monuments and churches was cool, my favorite site was Lennon Wall (picture above). Dedicated to John Lennon, the wall originated from a group of Young Czechs who wrote grievances against the communist regime in power at the time. Since then, graffiti has graced the walls with several sayings, quotes and images.
Sunset:
I cannot believe my time in Spain is coming to an end. The date December 22nd has been in my head for the past few weeks, but I’ve been battling with feelings of excitement and sadness. I’m ready to be home in Seattle, but I don’t know if I’m ready to leave everything behind here in Madrid. 17 days. The countdown continues.
Christmas tree lighting up:
- Not Lost in Translation
I should stop being fascinated with people speaking Spanish. It is the second most commonly spoken language in the world, yet I enjoy hearing it everywhere I go, including on my latest weekend trip to London.
Woody and I were relieved to finally be in a place where English was everywhere. Getting lost and being confused wouldn’t be common occurrences when we could simply ask someone in English a question and tell them what we needed. Yet, on Thanksgiving night, we had to catch a night bus from one place back to our hostel that was very far away. Past midnight, with no idea of where we were in relation to the hostel, we lucked into striking a conversation with a native Spaniard and she was happy to help us and explain how the bus worked and where it would drop us off.
Once we boarded the night bus we ended up talking to another Spaniard who was also in his 20’s who overheard Woody, me and our other new Spanish friend speaking in Spanish. I can’t remember names, but I do remember the girl got off before we did and that the guy eventually helped give me and Woody turn by turn walking directions back to our hostel once we got off the bus stop with him. We made it back to the hostel safe and sound via the Spanish language.
On Saturday, Woody and I were again lost, trying to find the Westminster Cathedral. As we were wandering around the general area of Westminster, I overheard a couple speaking with a police officer, asking for directions. After they were done speaking with the police officer, I noticed they had a map. Instead of asking the officer for directions, I decided to take the initiative to ask the couple if I could see their map really quick to get a general idea of where Woody and I were in relation to the cathedral.
As I approached the couple, I noticed they were speaking Spanish to each other, and believe it or not, they were also looking for the cathedral! This goes without saying, all of our communication was in Spanish, and we ended up following the couple and finding the cathedral and eventually going to mass.
Woody and I couldn’t believe it.
Here we were in England, and in both cases where we were a little confused and a little lost, we ended up speaking Spanish with a handful of native Spaniards to find our way —funny how that works out.
Pictures from the trip after the jump!
Camden Market
Nathan, Monica, Me, Sarah…It was refreshing to see familiar faces and people that I was close with in high school. Nathan, is studying in London, and showed us around the city on Thursday night and Friday. We met up with Monica who’s studying in Ireland, and Sarah, who is studying in Paris for dinner on Friday night.
VIDEO: Walking the Millennium Bridge,
La Uno, also known as Televisión Española, came to the Saint Louis Madrid Campus to ask students and staff of their thoughts on Thanksgiving last week. I followed through with my promise in the video, and I did indeed end up eating “una cena grande.” Jaja.
SLU Thanksgiving 2012 (by SLUMadridCampus)
- Every song on this playlist will forever be associated with good times.
(No streaming audio available)0 plays - bluescholars: Blue Scholars - May Day I was approached by The Seattle Times to write an op-ed guest column commenting on the recent gun violence in Seattle. So I wrote a rap and they liked it and posted the lyrics here (w/ video) in the online Sunday edition (June 10th). People asked for a studio version so I quickly recorded the verses over this Sabzi beat from last year and the homie Justo came through with the clutch 90-minute mix down. Thank you for listening. - Geo/Prometheus Brown Get the instrumental as part of Sabzi’s Townfolk - YESLER beat tape here! Instrumental originally used on “BFA Say prod. Sabzi” by Brothers From Another!
(No streaming audio available)28223 plays - nwhiphop: Anyone else still in love with @DymeDef’s ‘Space Music’ album? Be on the look out for the visual for this song (FINALLY!)
(No streaming audio available)0 plays - 0 plays
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Posts
- May 22, 13
Nigel Williams-Goss has not played a game for the Washington Huskies yet, but he's already opening eyes this summer. The incoming freshman point guard accepted an invitation to the USA U19 Basketball training camp as announced by the UW athletic department on Wednesday morning.
Williams-Goss is one of the 24 players vying for a spot on the 12-player roster. The training camp will be held from June 14-19 at the US Olypmic Traning Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The final roster will be revealed on June 15th.
The team will be coached by Florida's Billy Donovan with Virginia's Tony Bennett and Virginia Commonwealth's Shaka Smart taking positions as assistant coaches.
Williams-Goss is considered to be the top point guard recruit from the class of 2013 in the Pac-12. He participated in the 2013 McDonald's All-American game and Jordan Brand classic this past March. The FIBA U19 World Championship takes place June 27th through July 7th in Prague, Czech Republic.
- May 21, 13
The spring signing period is over and each Pac-12 school has completed its recruiting class of 2013. This post begins a short series of three posts covering the top five players signed at the point guard position, the following two posts will rank the top five wings and the top five big men.
5. Jahmel Taylor, 5'11, 160lbs--Los Angeles, Calif. (Pacific Hills School)---WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Expert's take:
He has a scorer's mentality, but he has a tendency to penetrate into the teeth of the defense far too much-leading to turnovers and bad shot selection. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
The Huskies bring in a score first point guard who might remind some fans of former standout Justin Dentmon. Taylor is comfortable with shooting it from beyond the arc and is aggressive in attacking the basket. Taylor projects as a combo guard for the Huskies and will likely see plenty of time in the backcourt as a secondary ballhandler.
4. Malcolm Allen, 6'1, 165lbs--Las Vegas, Nev. (Centennial HS)--STANFORD CARDINAL
Expert's take:
Malcolm, like his twin brother Marcus, is a relentless competitor. Although Malcolm has a knack to score, he does a nice job of bringing the ball up through pressure and getting his team into its offense. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Malcolm is a bouncy and athletic point guard headed to Stanford with his brother Marcus. He is an unselfish player with a winning attitude. The twins will be the foundation and rock of the Cardinal perimeter in their time in Palo Alto. They won't have a hard time fitting in at Stanford – both brothers had 4.8 GPAs in high school.
3. Ikenna Iroegbu, 6'2, 190lbs--Elk Grove, Calif. (Oak HIll Academy)--WASHINGTON ST. COUGARS
Expert's take:
Iroegbu has an ideal lengthy frame with long arms and his speed and quickness are high-level. Iroegbu is a blur in transition where he literally blows by would-be defenders while attacking the basket. He exploded to the rim a number of times and converted some pull-up jump shots as well. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Ken Bone's squad will benefit from Iroegbu's presence on the roster. The Cougars lacked a true point guard last year, but will have two newcomers with experience at the position, with junior college transfer Danny Lawhorn likely seeing the majority of the minutes. Iroegbu is a top notch ball-handler but is not as polished as Lawhorn; he is a quick player that thrives in transition.
2. Sam Singer, 6'5, 185lbs--Miami, Fla. (Ransom Everglades School)--CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
Expert's take:
A heady guard who stands out with his ability to make shots but makes a variety of other contributions with his high basketball I.Q. and understanding of the game. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Singer's best strength is his shooting ability, he is an above-average three-point shooter who is also comfortable at pulling up mid-range. As a combo guard, he'll provide California Head Coach Mike Montgomery with some versatility in shaping up the future of his rotation of players. If Singer can improve his ball-handling, his size will make him an exceptional point guard. He averaged over 25 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists this past season at Ransom Everglades School in Florida.
1. Nigel Williams-Goss, 6'3, 180lbs--Happy Valley, Ore. (Findlay College Prep)--WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Expert's take:
Williams-Goss has great size and skill for the point guard position. He has a high basketball IQ and his decision making is pretty solid. He always has his head up while in transition and his passing is quite good. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Washington Huskies Head Coach Lorenzo Romar nabbed a probable four-year player in Williams-Goss. The Oregon-native's game is reminiscent of former Stanford stand-out Mitch Johnson. Williams-Goss is a cerebral type of player that doesn't make mistakes. His confidence and excellent decision-making combine to make him an above-average facilitator for his teammates.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/26/3254063/ransom-everglades-raiders-guard.html#storylink=cpy - Apr 05, 13
According to a report by Jeff Goodman from CBS Sports and a tweet by ESPN's Andy Katz, UNLV's Mike Moser will "likely" transfer to Washington.
"It's almost done that he's going to transfer and play at Washington," one source said. (Via: CBS Sports)
The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Rebels this past season, but battled a mid-season injury and played out of position the majority of the season. He is still not fully recovered from a dislocated elbow injury he suffered in December.
Rice said Moser still isn’t 100 percent. He said he can’t extend his reach on rebounds as he did in the past, and often has trouble finishing plays above the rim. But that's certainly a far cry from where he was back in January, when Moser begged his way back onto the court before he was ready. (Via: ESPN)
Moser would be eligible to play right away because he is graduating from UNLV and would be participating in a graduate program at UW if he were to transfer.
Once projected as a high NBA draft pick, Moser averaged 14 points and 10.5 rebounds as a sophomore at UNLV. The Portland native played one season in the Pac-10 at UCLA under Ben Howland, but transferred to UNLV after his freshman year.
Here's a short clip of him playing against other top college players at the 2012 LeBron James Academy (he's No. 25 on White):
- Apr 01, 13
Aaron Gordon announced his commitment to Arizona on Tuesday morning at the McDonald's All-American Game Media Day. Gordon chose Arizona over Washington, Oregon and Kentucky.
Gordon, a consensus five-star recruit, is likely a one-and-done player and would have had an immediate impact on UW's performance next season.
The Huskies recruiting class for 2013 is presumably complete. Romar adds Nigel Williams-Goss, Jahmel Taylor, Darin Johnson and Juco transfer Mike Anderson. Both Williams-Goss and Johnson signed their letter of intents in November, while Taylor will sign his LOI in the upcoming spring signing period beginning on April 17. Anderson is finishing up his final classes and hopes to gain admission to the UW later this year.
The Huskies were long considered the favorites for Gordon, but the team's performance this season put doubt in Washington's efforts to land him. Former Husky Eldridge Rescanser tweeted two weeks ago that a source said Gordon had committed to Arizona. Oregon, also a school in the running made it back onto Gordon's list in February. Many thought Oregon's winning season meant Gordon was putting more weight onto current on-the-court success than other factors. A source close to the Huskies coaching staff told the Seattle Times that the staff was notified last week that Gordon wouldn't be committing to the Huskies.
Several sources over the past few months have stated Romar has worked the hardest among all the other coaches in Gordon's recruitment. Gordon is an explosive high-energy player that can play both on the wing and at the power forward position. If there's any consolation for Husky fans, Gordon will likely only play one year for the Wildcats before bolting for the NBA.
- Mar 09, 13
The Huskies (17-14, 9-9) failed to keep their three-game win streak alive, falling 61-54 to UCLA (23-8, 13-5) on Saturday afternoon. The Bruins' win at Hec Ed was their first since 2004. Washington led 52-48 with six minutes remaining, but failed to score until a Shawn Kemp Jr. alley-oop dunk with one minute left in the game. UCLA finished the game on a 13-2 run.
Overall, the Huskies' 19 turnovers made winning this game much easier for the Bruins. Both Abdul Gaddy and Scott Suggs turned the ball over four times – an unacceptable number from two seniors on any night. Credit Larry Drew II and UCLA's perimeter defenders, they locked up and forced a handful of turnovers. Gaddy and Andrew Andrews could not drive to the basket nor make post entry passes for much of the second half.
The last six minutes were painful to watch. There have been spurts of great Husky basketball all year long, but the team has very rarely put together a complete 40 minute masterpiece. However, this team is still capable of making a run in the Pac-12 tournament. We've seen that they can compete with every single team in this conference.
Let's jump to player bullet points:
- While Suggs did turn the ball over four times, he did lead the Huskies with 14 points. Nothing magical has happened to him this late in the season, he's just starting to knock down his open shots. His shot selection is still suspect and he's still not confident putting the ball on the floor and slashing into the lane.
- Kemp was 5-for-6 from the field and finished with 10 points and 2 blocks. Does anyone else think the Huskies need to start making a more concentrated effort in getting him the basketball in the post?
- Gaddy is slowly getting more aggressive at knifing into the lane, but his finishing ability is not there. Four turnovers is bad.
- C.J. Wilcox horrid from the field today. Shooters will have bad days, but the problem with Wilcox is his inability to make players around him better both on offense and defense when his shots are not falling. His inconsistency mirrors this team's overall inconsistency the entire season.
- Aziz had an Aziz day. The Huskies want double digits rebounds from him every day and solid defense throughout the game. If he gets a double-double, it's a plus. His block in the second half was one of my favorite moments from this season. The push-ups after the block gives him major swagger points.
- As for the bench, Desmond Simmons is the definition of a glue guy. Eleven rebounds with four of those being offensive boards. I love the hustle and wish Wilcox and Suggs could channel some that same energy when it came to crashing the boards.
- Jernard Jarreau played like a freshman. I have loved his aggressiveness in scoring from the pinch, but he struggles to finish and is a clear liability on defense.
- Andrew Andrews needs to shoot the open jumper with confidence. UCLA gave him a wide-open look and he nailed it from the right wing in the second half.
Your post-game thoughts?
- Mar 04, 13
Most Pac-12 teams are finished recruiting their class of 2013, however a few teams are still trying to fill one or two spots with the remaining uncommitted players left in the country. One of these uncommitted players is Aaron Gordon, a consensus five-star power forward recruit from San Jose, CA.
Pac-12 schools Arizona, Oregon, Washington along with the SEC's Kentucky are currently in Gordon's list of final four schools. He has made official visits to all four schools.
Gordon and his Archbishop Mitty teammates will begin their quest for a 2013 CIF State open division championship this Friday. Gordon will make his decision sometime after his season ends sometime in these next few weeks until the final signing deadline on May 15th.
For those that have not seen Gordon play, he is one of the most explosive players at the high school level, drawing inevitable comparisons to Blake Griffin. His athleticism is his best quality, allowing him to dunk routinely and block shots on a consistent basis on the defensive end. Also, despite being 6-8, Gordon can put the ball on the ground and attack the basket from the perimeter.
No one has any idea where Gordon is leaning, and it is quite possible Gordon himself has no favorite in mind right now.
Most experts think Kentucky is not a valid option for Gordon because of their current depth at the power forward position. Five-star power forward recruit Marcus Lee and three-star forward recruit Derek Willis have both already signed their LOIs to Kentucky. The Wildcats will also likely return current sophomore Kyle Wiltjer at the power forward position. Assuming at least three Wildcats bolt for the draft (Nerlens Noel, Alex Polythress, Archie Goodwin,Willie Cauley-Stein), Kentucky will have around eight scholarships to give out.
Currently the Wildcats five LOIs signed and one verbal commitment from Dakari Johnson, putting the Wildcats at exactly 11 spots if four players declare for the NBA draft. Amazingly, the Wildcats are reportedly still involved in the recruitments of two players ranked ahead of Gordon; small forward Andrew Wiggins and power forward Julius Randle. Right now, Gordon's potential contribution to Kentucky is up in the air. If Randle chooses the Wildcats and if either Polythress or Cauley-Stein decided to stay, Gordon probably will look to stay on the west coast.
Let's move on to the three Pac-12 schools.
Arizona is a winning program and as Gordon states in this video interview, Miller has a reputation of improving the jump shots of his players. Like Kentucky, Arizona has a log jam at the power forward position. Sophomore Angelo Chol and freshmen Grant Jerrett and Brandon Ashley will all return to the team next season. While Gordon will certainly see playing time as a freshman, the presence of three established talents at Arizona naturally decreases the amount of his playing time.
Oregon is an interesting case because the Ducks snuck back into Gordon's list last month after he had previously trimmed it to Arizona, Washington and Kentucky last November. How did Oregon get back onto his list? The Ducks are winning with a 23-6 record and have a likely at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. Oregon Head Coach Dana Altman made an in-home visit with Gordon in February.
The Ducks currently have two power forwards signed (Jordan Bell and Cristiano Felicio) along with current freshmen Arik Armstead and Ben Carter on the roster. Unlike Arizona, Gordon would likely immediately start and have significant playing time as a Duck.
As for Washington, the Huskies have long been regarded as the favorite to land Gordon. The Huskies will have four power forward types next season, but none of them have close to the amount of talent that Aaron Gordon has. If it counts for anything, Huskies Head Coach Lorenzo Romar attended high school with Ed Gordon, Aaron's father. However, unlike Oregon and Arizona, the Huskies have come up short in the win column this past season. Winning is clearly a factor in Gordon's decision-making process as made evident in Oregon's resurfacing as a possible destination.
With all this said, where will Gordon end up? While Gordon claims he doesn't care too much about current depth on a potential school's roster, Arizona and Kentucky will make it more difficult for Gordon to have a big impact right away. If he's looking to "stand out" he may be better off at Oregon and Washington, the two schools who I think his decision will come down to.
For Gordon, he'll have to weigh what he wants more: making an immediate impact or winning right away. These two things are not exclusive, but at Oregon he'd be joining a situation where the team would be more equipped to win immediately.
At Washington, he'd be the best player on the team from day one. As a likely one-and-done player, Washington and Coach Romar have also proven to be a program that can get guys into the NBA (see: Spencer Hawes, Jon Brockman, Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten, etc.). If it's between Washington and Oregon, the Huskies would probably be the favorite just because they have always been on Gordon's list as opposed to Oregon coming on late.
- Feb 14, 13
I'm lovin' it. This basketball season is not going the way Husky fans want it to go, but there is some good news every now and then. Incoming Husky Nigel Williams-Goss was named to the McDonald's All-American game earlier today.
This is the fourth future Husky in recent memory to participate in this game, current Husky Abdul Gaddy played in 2009, Spencer Hawes in 2006 and Jon Brockman in 2005.
Williams-Goss will be playing with some great players on the West team, including Duke-bound Jabari Parker and future Kentucky Wildcat Andrew Harrison. Also on the West squad is Aaron Gordon, one of the two undeclared players on both the West and East teams' rosters. Along with Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Kentucky make up Gordon's final four schools.
Williams-Goss is looking like more and more of a steal for coach Lorenzo Romar and his staff. Along with averaging 18 points, 7.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game, he's also the consummate leader for the No. 1 team in team in the country, Findlay Prep. Williams-Goss and company are 27-0 this season.
Nobody works harder than Nigel," Findlay Prep coach Todd Simon said. "He has earned everything he has received. He has done it the old-fashioned way of rolling up his sleeves. (Via: Las Vegas Sun)
Williams-Goss will also be participating in the Jordan Brand Classic game on April 13th.
The McDonald's All-American game takes place on April 3rd at 6:30 p.m.
- Feb 11, 13
Is your team already out of the running for an NCAA tournament bid? Maybe taking a closer look at your incoming freshmen for next season will give you hope. Continuing from part 1 of our Pac-12 basketball 2013 recruiting roundup, part 2 covers the other six teams in the league.
Commits: PG Malcolm Allen, SG Marcus Allen, C Schuyler Rimmer
Lowdown: Stanford is getting its first set of twins since the Lopez brothers. Twin brothers Malcolm and Marcus Allen are two solid talents players with Marcus being a little more highly-regarded because of his scoring ability. Malcolm Allen at the point guard position is more of a distributor. Rimmer is a 6'10, 235lb center that head coach Johnny Dawkins thinks can turn into a valuable inside-outside threat for the Cardinal. Rimmer made his decision before the start of his senior season, he originally was committed to Florida prior to his September verbal commitment to Stanford.
Still in the hunt: N/A
Commits: SG Zach Lavine, SG Allerik Freeman, SF Noah Allen
Lowdown: Lavine is one of the purest high school scorers in the country. The 6'4 guard from Bothell, Wash. is a little on the lanky side, but once he bulks up will be a solid contributor at the next level for the Bruins. Lavine picked the Bruins over Washington, Louisville and Gonzaga. Freeman comes out of the powerhouse Findlay Prep. The shooting guard prospect can play at the wing as well because of his above average upper-body strength. The Bruins' third commitment comes from Noah Allen, a 6'6" wing who contains slashing ability and a decent jump shot.
Still in the hunt: The Bruins have one scholarship left, but will probably have an additional spot open, assuming Shabazz Muhammad declares for the NBA draft once the season is over. Ben Howland is looking for some depth at the point guard position to replace the graduating Larry Drew. Philadelphia point guard Rysheed Jordan visited UCLA in December and has the Bruins in his final three along with St. John's and Temple. UCLA also has an offer out to Emmanuel Owootoah, a 5'10 guard out of Kentucky. Power forward Gavin Schilling has UCLA in his final four along with Michigan State, Minnesota and Villanova. He made an official visit to UCLA last weekend.
Commits: Kendal Yancy-Harris, Julian Jacobs, Kahlil Dukes, Roschon Prince, Nikola Jovanovic
Lowdown: The Trojans welcome in a large class of five freshmen next season. Harris is a combo guard who has exceptional scoring ability and a knack for making plays in the paint. Jacobs is another scoring point guard. At 6'3" he is an explosive player off the dribble and overall has good vision as a passer. Rounding out the backcourt prospects, Kahlil Dukes is an undersized two-guard at 5'11. Dukes is a relentless scorer and just has a knack for putting the ball in the basket whether it be at the rim or a three-point jump shot.
Roschon Prince is a prototypical 6'5 wing out of Long Beach Poly in southern California. While his perimeter skills still leave a lot to be desired, he has a motor to defend, rebound and make hustle plays. Last but not least, Nikola Jovanovic from Serbia is a 6'10 post with three-point range. Jovanovic is not the greatest defender according to scouting reports, but his size will earn him playing time early on in his time at USC.
Still in the hunt: Will USC grant releases to any of these five commits that have signed their letter of intents? Fired in mid-January, Kevin O'Neill recruited and signed this entire class, but it remains to be see if any of these five commits will try to wiggle their way out and find themselves another home before the start of next season.
Commits: Brandon Miller, Parker Van Dyke, Ahmad Fields, Delon Wright, Marko Kovacevic
Lowdown: Utah-native Brandon Miller might not play next season, depending on his decision whether or not to serve an LDS mission after graduating high school. Miller is a scoring guard who led the state of Utah in scoring as a junior while simultaneously leading his team to a state championship. Van Dyke is another Utah-native scoring guard who chose the Utes over the likes of Arizona State and Utah State.
Coming in as a junior college transfer, Delon Wright, a 6-5 guard from Los Angeles, Calif. is expected to contribute right away. The brother of NBA player Dorell Wright, Delon is another combo guard at the disposal for coach Larry Krystkowiak. Last but not least, shooting guard Ahmad Fields from Washington, D.C. made a verbal commitment to Utah in early December. Fields is a lefty slasher with solid ball-handling skills. Like his counterparts, he has the ability to guard multiple positions - sense a pattern?
Rounding out the Utes class is center Marko Kovacevic. At 6-11, Utah coaches hope the Serbian can be an immediate presence in the post. Kovacevic and Wright are both transferring from junior colleges, meaning they will be immediately eligible as rising juniors next season.
Still in the hunt: N/A
Commits: Nigel-Williams Goss, Jahmel Taylor, Darin Johnson
Lowdown: Husky fans might be disappointed Coach Lorenzo Romar and his staff failed to gain commitments from both Jabari Parker and Jabari Brown, but the school's three commitments should provide for more than enough optimism. Williams-Goss is looking like a steal for the Huskies. At 6'4, Williams-Goss has exceptional court vision and a habit of making plays for his teammates. He projects as a four-year player who could potentially battle Andrew Andrews for starting point guard next season.
Jahmel Taylor provides more depth at the point guard position for Romar. At 6'0, Taylor is a little undersized, but he has a strong frame and is a relentless at scoring the basketball. He will compliment Williams-Goss well in the backcourt. Darin Johnson is a prototypical Washington prospect who can shoot the ball, dunk the ball and excel in transition.
Still in the hunt: Romar has three spots left in this recruiting class, with two open offers out to forward prospects Aaron Gordon and Lennard Freeman. Gordon is obviously the main target right now. The Huskies have been regarded as the five-star recruit's favorite throughout his recruitment, but Romar's current team is struggling and not really helping their cause to land Gordon.
This past month, Gordon added Oregon to his top three of Arizona, Kentucky and Washington. If Washington was ahead, I think Oregon and Arizona are now tied in their probability of landing Gordon. Washington looks like a wildcard school for Lennard Freeman. The 6-8 forward currently attends Oak Hill Academy and is from Washington D.C. Villanova, N.C. State and Xavier might stand out as better and closer options for Freeman.
Commits: Ikenna Iroegbu, Tanner Lancona, Josh Hawkinson
Lowdown: Ken Bone adds three commits, though it will be interesting to see if he'll still be coaching by the end of all their college careers. Iroegbu comes from national powerhouse Oak Hill Academy and is described as an explosive and speedy point guard. The incoming freshmen could be called on to start right away as he will be the only player listed on the roster as a point guard. Lancona is a 6-9 forward with solid shooting ability and a developing post game; he will remind Cougar fans of current standout Brock Motum.
Still in the hunt: N/A
- Jan 26, 13
The Washington Huskies take on the Oregon Ducks in a critical Pac-12 matchup for both teams. Washington is attempting to hand the Pac-12's first place team its first conference loss.
Watch and discuss the game with fellow UW Dawg Pound members. Game is being aired on the Pac-12 Networks.
- Jan 18, 13
This past Martin Luther King day weekend saw coaches across the country spending time and recruiting in high school gyms. Most Pac-12 teams are close to or already have completed their 2013 recruiting classes. To keep you up to speed, here are quick summaries on each team's situation including information on players that teams are still targeting. Half of the league will be covered in part one, while part two will come out next week.
Commits: SG Elliott Pitts, SF Rondae Jefferson
Lowdown: Pitts is a scoring guard that can hit from a variety of different spots on the floor, most notably in the mid-range. Jefferson is a long and versatile left-hander who is a relentless penetrator on offense and a fierce rebounder on both ends of the court. He's also rather effective in transition (see: video). Pitts and Jefferson are perfect replacements for Solomon HIll and Kevin Parrom who will be graduating this season.
Still in the hunt: Head Coach Sean Miller has said that the Wildcats would add at least one more player. Without a doubt, Aaron Gordon is who Miller and his staff have their eyes on. Gordon has Arizona, Kentucky and Washington in his final three. He made his official visit to Arizona in late October.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Commits: SG Chance Murray, SF Egor Koulechov
Lowdown: Murray is by no means a polished recruit, but his 6'3 180lb frame is ideal at the college level. He can shoot the ball and is a solid player all-around, though his athleticism won't jump out at you. Koulechov is an overseas product via Israel but currently plays basketball in Florida. He averaged 19.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for Israel in the FIBA U18 Championship tournament. Like most overseas players, he comes equipped with a decent offensive game but needs work on his skills on the defensive side.
Still in the hunt: N/A
Commits: PG Sam Singer, SG Jabari Bird, SG Jordan Matthews, C Kameron Rooks
Lowdown: Mike Montgomery has put together an impressive class. Singer is an aggressive scoring point guard with good size at 6'4. Bird is one of the premier players in the country. The consensus five-star recruit has a complete offensive package and will open eyes with his athletic ability.
Matthews is not a one-and-done type of player like Bird, but is also aggressive and talented at scoring. As a combo guard, he adds some versatility to Cal's roster. Rooks in completes this impressive recruiting class. While he's not the most polished prospect and he lacks explosiveness, he is massive at 7'0 and 270lbs — definitely warranting him a spot on Montgomery's squad.
Still in the hunt: N/A
Commits: SG Jaron Hopkins, SF Tre'Shuan Fletcher, PF Dustin Thomas
Lowdown: Hopkins is one of the top prospects coming out of the state of Arizona. The combo guard is great at distributing the basketball and plays well in transition. Fletcher has ideal size at the forward position and has the ability to get hot and take over games — he will likely be a four-year player for Head Coach Tad Boyle. Thomas is another solid recruit for Boyle, at 6'8 he is versatile to bang in the post but also contains above-average shooting ability for a player of his size.
Still in the hunt: N/A
Commits: SG A.J. Lapray, PF Jordan Bell, PF Cristiano Felicio
Lowdown: Oregon Head Coach Dana Altman secured one in-state product in the 2013 class, A.J. Lapray from Salem. Lapray is a big-time scorer who has deep range but also has the keen ability to slash and hit a variety of different floaters in the lane.
Jordan Bell emerged as one of the top forward prospects on the west coast last year. Bell has an incredible wing-span and above-average athleticism, making him a shot-blocking and rebounding machine. The third signee, Felicio, is an international recruit from Brazil. He'll be 21 years old entering his first season in Eugene. The raw 6'11 looks like a raw talent, but will get immediate playing time because of his size.
Still in the hunt: The Ducks have one scholarship left currently have their eyes on a couple targets. Altman and his staff recently offered point guard Austin Pope. Also in the mix are forwards Jabari McGhee, Kevin Thomas and MiKyle McIntosh.
Thomas made an official visit back in October and is considering Washington St. and Marshall as well. Lastly, Duck fans should keep their eyes on Tyree and Tyrell Robinson. The two-sport athletes originally committed to Oregon last fall for football, but have since re-opened their commitment after Chip Kelley's departure for the NFL. Both planned to play basketball at Oregon. Now, the two are said to be considering Ohio State, Notre Dame and USC in addition to Oregon.
Oregon State Beavers
Commits: SG Hallice Cooke, C Cheikh N'diaye
Lowdown: Hallice Cooke comes out of basketball powerhouse St. Anthony High School in New Jersey. Cookie is a versatile offensive player who is a solid shooter; he chose the Beavers over Richmond, Xavier and St. Joe's. N'diaye is a logical signee when considering the departures of senior centers Angus Brandt and Joe Burton. At 7'0 he'll at the least be a defensive force for the Beavers.
Still in the hunt: N/A
- Jan 21, 13
According to several basketball recruiting sources, Jahmel Taylor, a 2013 point guard from Los Angeles, Calif. has committed to Washington. Listed at 5'11 and 160lbs, Taylor stars for Pacific Hills School and was garnering interest from other Pac-12 schools including Colorado, USC and Washington State. Taylor joins Nigel Williams-Goss and Darin Johnson who have already signed their LOIs to play at Washington next season.
Taylor is a point guard with a scorer's mentality, as mentioned in an earlier post, an opposing high school coach in Taylor's league said he is "a raw athlete who plays more like a shooting guard." He could end up playing a similar role to that of former Husky Justin Dentmon.
The Huskies still have open offers out to 2013 forwards Aaron Gordon and Lennard Freeman.
From his ESPN scouting report:
Overall, it will be interesting to see how he develops because physically he appears to be already maxed out. Taylor's overall savvy for the point guard position needs to improve. He has a scorer's mentality, but he has a tendency to penetrate into the teeth of the defense far too much-leading to turnovers and bad shot selection.
Related Tweets:
Jahmel Taylor has committed to Washington, a source says. Point guard out of Los Angeles that has seen his stock rise over the past months
— Garrett Tucker (@GTuckerF150) enero 22, 2013Confirmed from a source..Jahmel Taylor has committed to Washington...much improved/deep jump shooter/competes
— Joel Francisco (@JoelFranESPN) enero 22, 2013Really impressed w the strides in Jahmel Taylor's game. Shot selection improved & he's doing a very good job creating. Talented late signee.
— Josh Gershon (@JoshGershon) enero 17, 2013 - Jan 18, 13
If you have not seen future Husky point guard Nigel Williams-Goss play, this Monday is your chance. Williams-Goss currently stars for the No. 2 ranked high school team in the nation, Findlay Prep (Nevada). Williams-Goss' team faces No. 1 Montverde Academy (Florida) at 1:00 p.m. PT in a game that will be televised on ESPNU and WatchESPN.com.
Top Husky target, power forward Aaron Gordon, will be playing earlier in the day on Monday at 9:00 a.m. PT. Starring for Archbishop Mitty, Gordon and his teammates will take on No. 3 Lone Peak (Utah). This game will also be televised on ESPNU and WatchESPN.com.
- Jan 16, 13
Are the Huskies for real? The team is in first place in the Pac-12, riding a three-game win streak and could possibly push their conference record to 5-0 if all goes right this week in Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington is coming off of a road sweep in the Bay Area with victories against California and Stanford. A win against the Buffaloes would give Washington its fourth 4-0 start to league play in 35 years.
Colorado (11-5, 1-3) at Washington (11-5, 3-0)
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013
Seattle, WA. -- Alaska Airlines Arena
8:30 p.m. PT
Pac-12 Network
KJR 950 AM & 102.9 FMPersonnel:
Colorado's offense consists of a balanced scoring attack with all but one of their starting five averaging double digit scoring. Sophomore guard Askia Booker is putting up close to 15 points a game while sophomore guard Spencer Dinwiddie is chipping in 14.4 points a game as well.
However, the team's best player is NBA prospect Andre Roberson. The junior is averaging 10.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. Also in the frontcourt is freshman Josh Scott who stands at 6'10 and is providing a scoring punch at 13.4 points per game. Finally, senior guard Sabatino Chen rounds out the starting five.
Analysis:
The gameplan against the Buffaloes is fairly simple; play great defense and control the glass. Rebounding becomes paramount in a game featuring one of the nation's best rebounders, Robinson. Washington shot a horrid 36.8% in their win over California last week, but won because of their rebounding edge.
Aziz N`Diaye and Desmond Simmons will both grab their rebounds, but it is even more crucial for the pair to rebound well this time around because the Buffaloes are 25-6 when Roberson collects 12 rebounds or more. At the same time, N`Diaye and Simmons have to defend well against Roberson and Scott. In the past two games, N`Diaye has been great at staying out of foul trouble, allowing the him to be a defensive force who can disrupt and block shots in the post.
In terms of the Huskies high post offense, it looks like the team is finally getting into a groove on the offensive end. Of course, preceding a good offense is a great defense. The more the Huskies can pressure the opposing team and force more turnovers, the less of a priority the high post offense becomes. In other words, the Huskies still want to run and still want to push the ball up the court.
In the half-court, upperclassmen C.J Wilcox and Scott Suggs should continue hunting uncontested mid-range and three-point shots. Wilcox, the Pac-12's reigning player of the week is putting up 21.3 points, leading the Pac-12 in conference scoring.
My confidence in this team is growing. After three road wins, the Huskies are finally starting to form its identity as a basketball team. The Buffaloes have been struggling as of late, and I don't see them pulling off an upset in Seattle over a hot Huskies team.
Prediction: Washington 64, Colorado 59
- Sometimes we forget how difficult the recruiting game is. There wasn’t a head coach who outworked...Jan 11, 13
Sometimes we forget how difficult the recruiting game is. There wasn’t a head coach who outworked Romar for Bird, but he still didn’t get the kid. It happens. I remember watching Romar watch Bird and No. 7 senior Aaron Gordon (San Jose, Calif./Bishop Mitty) last summer. He would actually be the last person to leave the gym just so he could get the extra face time with Bird and Gordon.
- 2013 power forward target Aaron Gordon talks about his final three schools; Kentucky, Arizona and...Jan 11, 13
2013 power forward target Aaron Gordon talks about his final three schools; Kentucky, Arizona and Washington.
- Jan 06, 13
The Washington Huskies played nearly flawless basketball for the first ten minutes of Saturday night's game against the Washington St. Cougars. Up 21-4, shots were falling for the Huskies while Ken Bone's squad simply could not put the ball in the basket.
Eventually Washington St. clawed their way back into the game, taking a 51-50 lead after a Brock Motum 3-pointer with 7:21 left in the game. Down by one point with under three minutes left, Scott Suggs scored three straight buckets for the Huskies, with Andrew Andrews icing the game, hitting four free-throws in the game's final minute for Washington.
While the Huskies failed to play a complete game of basketball, allowing the Cougs to climb back into the game, they came away with a win. And now that conference play has begun, style points do not matter. Road wins are bound to be ugly, and the Huskies know they are fortunate to start their conference season out with a win.
Post-game analysis bullet points:
- While this team can still win without C.J Wilcox's scoring, it doesn't hurt when the senior leader is hitting his shots. Most observers will notice his 18 points, but he also grabbed 7 rebounds, helping the Huskies finish with a 29-24 advantage on the boards.
- Desmond Simmons did a brilliant job containing Brock Motum. The Cougars looked terrible on offense in the first half because Motum was unable to get clean face-up and catch-and-shoot opportunities. Despite his first half struggles, Motum found creases in the UW defense in the second half and finished the game with 15 points. When Shawn Kemp Jr. replaced Simmons in the second half, Motum took advantage of Kemp's poor perimeter defensive skills and scored two straight buckets on him.
- UW's overall defense in the first ten minutes of the game might have been their best defensive effort all season. The team's pressure on the perimeter was forcing the Cougs to take shots late into the shot clock with Simmons doing a great job at preventing easy post entries to Motum.
- I was surprised by Shawn Kemp Jr.'s ability to run the floor and finish. I am growing more confident in his play as the season progresses.
- Kudos to Aziz N'Diaye who finished with 14 points on 7-for-9 shooting and also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked two shots. This is the ideal performance you want from your big man. He was able to stay out of foul trouble and play a solid 30 minutes for his team. A stat to remember: Washington is 4-0 this season when N'Diaye scores 14 or more points.
- As much flack as Abdul Gaddy has received from fans recently, I was impressed by his play early on in this game. When he is aggressive at penetrating the defense within the high-post offense, he has numerous options: he can finish with a floater, he can dish it to N'Diaye for an easy lay-up, or he can kick the ball out to an open three-point shooter when the defense collapses.
Up next: The Dawgs travel to Cal to face the Golden Bears for a Wednesday night matchup.
- Jan 04, 13
Huskies offer 2014 combo guard Silas Melson
Here's a video with some highlights and an interview with the prospect from Oregon. Melson attends Jefferson HS, same school where Terrence Jones played. UW now has around 15 reported open offers out to prospects from the class of 2014.
- Dec 31, 12
Washington opens up Pac-12 play against the Washington St. Cougars in Pullman this Saturday. After a loss to UConn on the road last weekend, the Huskies concluded their non-conference portion of thire schedule with a record of 8-5. So far, the team has performed below expectations, dropping winnable home games against Albany, Colorado St. and Nevada.
Last Saturday's loss to UConn showcased Washington's inability to create offense when perimeter shots are not falling. More specifically, the team's leading scorer C.J. Wilcox, only scored 5 points on 2-for-12 shooting from the field. Can the Huskies find a way to win when Wilcox's shots are not falling?
Washington (8-5) at Washington St. (9-4)
Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013
Pullman, WA. -- Friel Court
6:30 p.m. PT
ESPNU
KJR 950 AM & 102.9 FM
- Record: 9-4
- RPI: No. 193
- Sagarin: No. 74
- Coach: Ken Bone (66-50, Fourth season at WSU)
- Series: Washington leads, 174-100
Personnel:
Senior Brock Motum is the heart and soul of this Cougar team. Motum is both the team's leading scorer (19.7 points per game) and rebounder (7.0 rebounds per game). Complementing Motum in the frontcourt is forward D.J. Shelton (5.5 ppg, 5.8rpg). At 6'10, Shelton is more than capable of containing N'Diaye and causing problems for UW's big man.
In the backcourt, Ken Bone starts three guards; DaVonte Lacy (11.8ppg, 2.7 assists per game), Mike Ladd (8.9ppg, 2.5apg) and Royce Woolridge (7.0ppg, 2.9apg). The team lost Reggie Moore in late September after the senior point guard violated team rules. This development created a void at the point guard position for the Cougars, forcing senior shooting guard Mike Ladd to take over point guard duties.
Analysis:
Besides having better shooters than the Cougars, the Huskies hold an advantage at the point guard position. While Ladd has never played point guard before this season, Abdul Gaddy is one of the most polished point guards in the conference.
Though, Ladd holds a size advantage, Gaddy's savvy and play-making ability should benefit the Huskies on the offensive end. With this said, Gaddy and company can not get in foul trouble. Both Gaddy and N'Diaye got in foul trouble early against UConn, negatively affecting their play for the rest of the game; the two shot a combined 4-for-13 from the field.
To beat the Cougars, you have to contain Brock Motum. The Huskies will have to find a creative way to hold Motum below his season scoring average of 19.7 points per game. At 6'10, he creates a matchup problem for UW starting forward Desmond Simmons who is 6'7. Motum can hit the open three and take his man to the baseline and make shots in that area of the court.
The Cougars' offense runs through Motum, with several sets utilizing Motum at the high post. Expect to see Motum setting screens at the wing and then popping out for a potential three-pointer or rolling towards the basket for a high percentage shot.
Motum is only a 32.5% three-point shooter, but went 5-for-7 from beyond the arc against a close loss to Gonzaga in early December. The Huskies need to force him and Lacy (41.3% from three) to put the ball on the floor and prevent them from having catch-and-shoot opportunities.
The Cougs have yet to beat a team from a BCS conference, but they have played close games against the likes Gonzaga and Texas A&M. The Huskies have not inspired any confidence to make their fans believe they can go and win a game on the road. I'm not feeling good about this one.
Prediction: Washington St. 63, Washington 60
- Jan 03, 13
Austin Seferian-Jenkins will not be playing basketball for the Washington Huskies this season. The stand-out tight end announced on Thursday afternoon he will stop playing basketball to focus more of his energy on the gridiron.
I just need to focus on school and get (rested). I don't feel like I'd be able to help the basketball team much right now," Seferian-Jenkins said. (Via: GoHuskies.com)
As a walk on forward last season, Seferian-Jenkins averaged 17.2 minutes per game, putting up 1.1 points and grabbing 2.1 rebounds per game.
Seeing Seferian-Jenkins on the court last season was a rare sight. The last Husky player to play both football and basketball was Nate Robinson. Even Robinson could not sustain playing both sports at the same time, eventually deciding to quit football to focus on basketball after his freshman season.
According to Gregg Bell, before the season began, Romar hoped Seferian-Jenkins would return to provide depth at the forward position for the team.
Seferian-Jenkins' decision to focus on football is good for all parties involved. While some fans might argue ASJ provided crucial depth to the lineup, he was essentially taking minutes away from guys like Shawn Kemp Jr., Jernard Jarreau, and Martin Breunig. Additionally, Romar gained two transfer forwards during the off-season, Perris Blackwell and Giles Dierichx. Take into account Desmond Simmons, and that gives next season's roster six forwards; more than enough depth at that position.
- Jan 02, 13
Lorenzo Romar and his coaching staff will have to explore other options for a big man from the class of 2013 after failing to land the 7'0 Kameron Rooks out of San Marcos HS in California. Rooks made a verbal commitment via his twitter account on Tuesday night, choosing Cal over Arizona, Arizona St., UConn and Washington. Rooks follows in the footsteps of five-star recruit Jabari Bird, who also chose Cal over the Huskies in September.
While Washington has secured commitments from 2013 prospects Nigel Williams-Goss and Darin Johnson, Romar has yet to gain a commitment from a 2013 forward/center prospect. Rooks' commitment to Cal puts even more pressure on the coaching staff to sign Bay Area phenom, Aaron Gordon.
According to various recruiting news outlets, the Huskies have two active scholarship offers on the table; one for forward Aaron Gordon and the other for point guard Jahmel Taylor. The signing of point guard Williams-Goss makes it unlikely Taylor will choose UW, meaning the staff's sole and primary target is probably Gordon.
Will Romar go after another big man from this class? The lack of forwards prospects on the West Coast may force the staff to save a scholarship for 2014. Two names worth mentioning are Leon Lockwood and Emmanuel Ndumanya; both are unsigned 2013 forwards from California.
- Jan 02, 13
A roundup of Washington's current recruiting class from the class of 2013. Darin Johnson and Nigel Williams-Goss are signed, but everyone has their focus on the highly-regarded Aaron Gordon out of the Bay Area.
A quick introduction before I jump into the good stuff, my name is Kevin Cacabelos, you may have seen my writing around SB Nation Seattle or other places on the internet. Anthony was kind enough to invite me onto the writing staff at UW Dawg Pound. I'll be covering the basketball team's recruiting efforts along with some general coverage of the team. If there is any specific coverage you'd like to see, please leave a comment or contact me via twitter (@kevincacabelos) or shoot me an email (kcacabelos@gmail.com).
Here's a current breakdown of the roster for next season's roster (2013-2014):
Seniors
SG- C.J. Wilcox
C- Perris Blackwell
PG- Dion Overstreet*Juniors
SG- Hikeem Stewart
SG- Quinn Sterling*
PF- Desmond Simmons
PF- Austin Seferian-Jenkins*?
PF- Martin Breunig
PF- Shawn Kemp Jr.Sophomores
PG- Andrew Andrews (RS)
PF- Gilles Dierickx
PF- Jernard Jarreau (RS)Freshmen
SG- Darin Johnson
PG- Nigel Williams-Goss*= indicates walk-on
The team loses Abdul Gaddy, Aziz N'Diaye and Scott Suggs to graduation but could retain as many as 12 players from this season's current roster. Transfers Perris Blackwell and Giles Dierichx will become eligible after sitting out this season. In terms of walk-ons, Dion Overstreet, Quinn Sterling and Austin Seferian-Jenkins all could return next season. Although listed on the official roster for this season, it remains to be seen if Seferian-Jenkins will continue his basketball career at Washington.
Darin Johnson and Nigel Williams-Goss both signed their letter of intents during the early signing period in November. The Huskies have 11 scholarship spots taken for 2013-14 with two open spots. The team reportedly has three different open offers out to 2013 prospects. Here are quick breakdowns of the two current commitments along with the three prospects that currently hold offers from Washington.
Commitments:
Darin Johnson, SG, 6'4, 195lbs
Sacramento, Calif. (Sheldon High)
Scout Grades: ESPN (3 stars), Scout.com (4 stars), Rivals.com (4 stars)
Also Considered: Oregon, San Diego St., Texas A&MExpert's Take:
Physically, with his body type, he is ready to go right now," Romar said of Johnson. "He's aggressive, strong and a slasher that goes to the basket, but he compliments it with a nice jump shot. I don't want to compare him to Terrence Ross, but Terrence had that blend of being a slasher and a shooter. Terrence is probably a better shooter, but in terms of slashing, Darin is probably better at slashing to the basket. (Via: GoHuskies.com)
Breakdown:
Johnson looks like an elite scorer at the next level. He is athletic with a solid slashing ability, just the type of player Romar and his staff love in their system.Highlight Video:
Darin Johnson OFFICIAL Summer Mixtape... Washington Bound!!! (via Yayareasfinest2006)
Nigel Williams-Goss, PG, 6'3, 180lbs
Happy Valley, Ore. (Findlay College Prep)
Scout Grades: ESPN (4 stars),Scout.com (4 stars), Rivals.com (4 stars)
Also Considered: Harvard, Oklahoma, UCLA, UNLVExpert's Take:
He is a great floor general. He is very intelligent and has high, high basketball I.Q. He understands what it takes to win and is a great leader," continued Romar. Guys like him don't come around very often." (Via: GoHuskies.com)
Breakdown:
Williams-Goss will likely become Andrew Andrews' backup at the point guard position. He looks like the consummate teammate, a player that is more concerned with victories than the number of assists he dishes out each game. UW offered Williams-Goss when he was a freshman in high school.Highlight Video:
Nigel Williams-Goss highlights (via KUTheShiver)
Prospects:
Jahmel Taylor, PG, 6'0, 160lbs
Los Angeles, Calif. (Pacific Hills School)
Scout Grades: ESPN (2 stars), Scout.com (3 stars), Rivals.com (3 stars)
Reported Offers: Colorado, Long Beach St., Oregon, San Francisco, SMU, USC, Virginia Tech, Washington, Washington St.Expert's Take:
Overall, it will be interesting to see how he develops because physically he appears to be already maxed out. Taylor's overall savvy for the point guard position needs to improve. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Most scouting reports on Taylor peg him as a scoring guard even if he listed as a point guard. An opposing high school coach in Taylor's league described him as extremely athletic. Taylor is currently averaging over 20 points a game for Pacific Hills.Aaron Gordon, PF, 6'8, 215lbs
San Jose, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty HS)
Scout Grades: ESPN (5 stars), Rivals.com (5 stars)
Final Three: Arizona, Kentucky, WashingtonExpert's Take:
Gordon is the No. 1 prospect in the west regardless of class. He is not only becoming as bouncy as his older sibling Drew Gordon (transferred from UCLA to New Mexico) but he is a much better all-around player. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Gordon cut down his list to three schools in mid-November and has already made his official visits to those three schools. Though Washington has been considered a favorite throughout Gordon's recruitment, Romar and has staff have yet to beat out Kentucky and Arizona for such a highly-regarded recruit. At the same time, besides the case of Terrence Jones, I can't remember another time when the Huskies were this deep in the running for such a highly regarded recruit. Gordon's recruitment will make or break this 2013 class for Romar. He is the type of player that can turn a team into an instant contender.Video Highlights:
Aaron Gordon Kicks Off His Senior Season In STYLE! SICK First 3 Games Of Season Mix! (via Ballislifedotcom)
Kameron Rooks, C, 7'0, 270lbs
San Marcos, Calif. (Mission Hills)
Scout Grades: ESPN (3 stars), Scout.com (3 stars), Rivals.com (3 stars)
Final Four: Arizona, Arizona St., California, WashingtonExpert's Take:
Rooks has very soft hands, finishes well and plays smart basketball, looking for teammates out of the post and always fighting for rebounds. (Via: Scout.com)
Breakdown:
Rooks is not the most athletic player, but his size alone makes him a high-level recruit. While his skill-set does not necessarily match UW's system, having such a big player gives Washington something that other teams do not have and simply cannot match up against.Video Highlights:
Kameron Rooks '13, Mission Hills Junior Year vs. Crawford, 12/20/11 (via SportsOnTheSide)
- Dec 29, 12
Can Washington pull off an upset and keep its winning streak alive? Discuss today's non-conference matchup against UConn with other Husky fans here.
Gametime: 4:30 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN2
Online: WatchESPN.com
Radio: KJR 950 AM, 102.9 FM
UConn Projected Starters
C - Enosch Wolf
F - DeAndre Daniels
G - Omar Calhoun
G - Shabazz Napier
G - Ryan BoatrightWashington Projected Starters
C - Aziz N'Diaye
F - Desmond Simmons
G - C.J. Wilcox
G - Scott Suggs
G - Abdul Gaddy - Dec 29, 12
It's Huskies vs. Huskies this Saturday, as the two teams meet for the first time since UConn's thrilling victory over UW in a 2006 Sweet 16 matchup.
The last time these two teams played, Washington was up by four points with under 15 seconds to play, on the verge of making the Elite Eight in 2006. However, Mike Jensen fouled UConn's Marcus Williams, sending the guard to the free-throw line who cut UW's lead down to one point. Brandon Roy was subsequently fouled and sent to the free-throw line; he made two, putting UW back up by three. On the ensuing possession, UConn's Rashad Anderson nailed a 3-pointer, sending the game into overtime where UConn eventually won and advanced to an Elite Eight matchup against George Mason. Feel free to watch the horror on YouTube.
Obviously the two teams are different now, but a history lesson is mandatory if you consider yourself a Husky fan. There's also this other game that happened between these two teams in 1998, also a Sweet 16 matchup — not a good memory either.
Washington (8-4) at Connecticut (9-2)
Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012
Hartford, Conn. -- XL Center
4:30 p.m. PT
ESPN 2
KJR 950 AM & 102.9 FM
- Record: 9-2
- RPI: No. 27
- Sagarin: No. 52
- Coach: Kevin Ollie (9-2, 1st season at UConn)
- Series: UConn 3-0 against Washington, last meeting 2006
Personnel:
This is a lame duck season for the east coast powerhouse as UConn is excluded from postseason play this year because of low APR scores from past years. Kevin Ollie is in his first year as UConn's head coach after Jim Calhoun retired this past off-season. This is the program's first new coach since 1986 and only the program's fourth different coach in the last 43 years. Though unranked, the Huskies have performed well with a solid victory over Michigan St. to open the season; the team's two losses have come against New Mexico and N.C. State.
The UConn Huskies are led by two underclassmen, freshman guard Omar Calhoun and sophomore guard Ryan Boatright. Calhoun earned Big East Rookie of the Week last week after leading his team to two victories, scoring 22 and 17 points respectively against Maryland Eastern Short and Fordham.
Boatright recorded career-highs of 26 points and 9 assists in UConn's win over Fordham. Completing UConn's potent backcourt is junior Shabazz Napier who is leading the team with a 16.8 scoring average.
Senior guard R.J. Evans and junior forward Niels Giffey provide support for the Huskies coming off the bench, both are averaging close to five points a game. Ollie will likely use forward Enosch Wolf a little more to match up against Aziz N'Diaye. Wolf, a seven-footer is averaging 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Last but not least, expect to see a huge dose of junior forward Tyler Olander and sophomore forward DeAndre Daniels. While Olander brings a wealth of experience to the team, Daniels has started all 11 games for the Huskies and is putting up 10.1 points per game along with leading the team with a 4.3 rebounding average.
Analysis:
This game could turn ugly really quickly for Washington. Romar's team has shown an inability to stop talented offensive perimeter players, and UConn has three solid ones who are each averaging over 10 points a game. Scott Suggs, Abdul Gaddy and C.J. Wilcox will have to step up their defensive performances if they want to keep this game close.
One way the Huskies can be competitive in this game is by dominating the glass, an aspect this team has struggled with at times this season. UConn has -6.4 rebounding margin this season while UW has had a +3.3 margin with Desmond Simmons grabbing 8.2 while N'Diaye is grabbing 9.7 rebounds per game. Even if UW is somehow able to control the boards and contain UConn's backcourt, I don't see them winning this game on the road. UW is 0-12 in true road games in the Eastern Time Zone since Romar took over as coach in 2003.
Prediction: UConn 72, Washington 65
- Dec 25, 12
The last time these two teams played, Washington was up by four points with under 15 seconds to play, on the verge of making the Elite Eight in 2006. However, Mike Jensen fouled UConn's Marcus Williams, sending the guard to the free-throw line who cut UW's lead down to one point. Brandon Roy was subsequently fouled and sent to the free-throw line; he made two, putting UW back up by three. On the ensuing possession, UConn's Rashad Anderson nailed a 3-pointer, sending the game into overtime where UConn eventually won and advanced to an Elite Eight matchup against George Mason. Feel free to watch the horror on YouTube.
Obviously the two teams are different now, but a history lesson is mandatory if you consider yourself a Husky fan. There's also this other game that happened between these two teams in 1998, also a Sweet 16 matchup — not a good memory either.
Washington (8-4) at Connecticut (9-2)
Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012
Hartford, Conn. -- XL Center
4:30 p.m. PT
ESPN 2
KJR 950 AM & 102.9 FM
- Record: 9-2
- RPI: No. 27
- Sagarin: No. 52
- Coach: Kevin Ollie (9-2, 1st season at UConn)
- Series: UConn 3-0 against Washington, last meeting 2006
Personnel:
This is a lame duck season for the east coast powerhouse as UConn is excluded from postseason play this year because of low APR scores from past years. Kevin Ollie is in his first year as UConn's head coach after Jim Calhoun retired this past off-season. This is the program's first new coach since 1986 and only the program's fourth different coach in the last 43 years. Though unranked, the Huskies have performed well with a solid victory over Michigan St. to open the season; the team's two losses have come against New Mexico and N.C. State.
The UConn Huskies are led by two underclassmen, freshman guard Omar Calhoun and sophomore guard Ryan Boatright. Calhoun earned Big East Rookie of the Week last week after leading his team to two victories, scoring 22 and 17 points respectively against Maryland Eastern Short and Fordham.
Boatright recorded career-highs of 26 points and 9 assists in UConn's win over Fordham. Completing UConn's potent backcourt is junior Shabazz Napier who is leading the team with a 16.8 scoring average.
Senior guard R.J. Evans and junior forward Niels Giffey provide support for the Huskies coming off the bench, both are averaging close to five points a game. Ollie will likely use forward Enosch Wolf a little more to match up against Aziz N'Diaye. Wolf, a seven-footer is averaging 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Last but not least, expect to see a huge dose of junior forward Tyler Olander and sophomore forward DeAndre Daniels. While Olander brings a wealth of experience to the team, Daniels has started all 11 games for the Huskies and is putting up 10.1 points per game along with leading the team with a 4.3 rebounding average.
Analysis:
This game could turn ugly really quickly for Washington. Romar's team has shown an inability to stop talented offensive perimeter players, and UConn has three solid ones who are each averaging over 10 points a game. Scott Suggs, Abdul Gaddy and C.J. Wilcox will have to step up their defensive performances if they want to keep this game close.
One way the Huskies can be competitive in this game is by dominating the glass, an aspect this team has struggled with at times this season. UConn has -6.4 rebounding margin this season while UW has had a +3.3 margin with Desmond Simmons grabbing 8.2 while N'Diaye is grabbing 9.7 rebounds per game. Even if UW is somehow able to control the boards and contain UConn's backcourt, I don't see them winning this game on the road. UW is 0-12 in true road games in the Eastern Time Zone since Romar took over as coach in 2003.
Prediction: UConn 72, Washington 65
- Dec 26, 12
A quick introduction before I jump into the good stuff, my name is Kevin Cacabelos, you may have seen my writing around SB Nation Seattle or other places on the internet. Anthony was kind enough to invite me onto the writing staff at UW Dawg Pound. I'll be covering the basketball team's recruiting efforts along with some general coverage of the team. If there is any specific coverage you'd like to see, please leave a comment or contact me via twitter (@kevincacabelos) or shoot me an email (kcacabelos@gmail.com).
Here's a current breakdown of the roster for next season's roster (2013-2014):
Seniors
SG- C.J. Wilcox
C- Perris Blackwell
PG- Dion Overstreet*Juniors
SG- Hikeem Stewart
SG- Quinn Sterling*
PF- Desmond Simmons
PF- Austin Seferian-Jenkins*?
PF- Martin Breunig
PF- Shawn Kemp Jr.Sophomores
PG- Andrew Andrews (RS)
PF- Gilles Dierickx
PF- Jernard Jarreau (RS)Freshmen
SG- Darin Johnson
PG- Nigel Williams-Goss*= indicates walk-on
The team loses Abdul Gaddy, Aziz N'Diaye and Scott Suggs to graduation but could retain as many as 12 players from this season's current roster. Transfers Perris Blackwell and Giles Dierichx will become eligible after sitting out this season. In terms of walk-ons, Dion Overstreet, Quinn Sterling and Austin Seferian-Jenkins all could return next season. Although listed on the official roster for this season, it remains to be seen if Seferian-Jenkins will continue his basketball career at Washington.
Darin Johnson and Nigel Williams-Goss both signed their letter of intents during the early signing period in November. The Huskies have 11 scholarship spots taken for 2013-14 with two open spots. The team reportedly has three different open offers out to 2013 prospects. Here are quick breakdowns of the two current commitments along with the three prospects that currently hold offers from Washington.
Commitments:
Darin Johnson, SG, 6'4, 195lbs
Sacramento, Calif. (Sheldon High)
Scout Grades: ESPN (3 stars), Scout.com (4 stars), Rivals.com (4 stars)
Also Considered: Oregon, San Diego St., Texas A&MExpert's Take:
Physically, with his body type, he is ready to go right now," Romar said of Johnson. "He's aggressive, strong and a slasher that goes to the basket, but he compliments it with a nice jump shot. I don't want to compare him to Terrence Ross, but Terrence had that blend of being a slasher and a shooter. Terrence is probably a better shooter, but in terms of slashing, Darin is probably better at slashing to the basket. (Via: GoHuskies.com)
Breakdown:
Johnson looks like an elite scorer at the next level. He is athletic with a solid slashing ability, just the type of player Romar and his staff love in their system.Highlight Video:
Darin Johnson OFFICIAL Summer Mixtape... Washington Bound!!! (via Yayareasfinest2006)
Nigel Williams-Goss, PG, 6'3, 180lbs
Happy Valley, Ore. (Findlay College Prep)
Scout Grades: ESPN (4 stars),Scout.com (4 stars), Rivals.com (4 stars)
Also Considered: Harvard, Oklahoma, UCLA, UNLVExpert's Take:
He is a great floor general. He is very intelligent and has high, high basketball I.Q. He understands what it takes to win and is a great leader," continued Romar. Guys like him don't come around very often." (Via: GoHuskies.com)
Breakdown:
Williams-Goss will likely become Andrew Andrews' backup at the point guard position. He looks like the consummate teammate, a player that is more concerned with victories than the number of assists he dishes out each game. UW offered Williams-Goss when he was a freshman in high school.Highlight Video:
Nigel Williams-Goss highlights (via KUTheShiver)
Prospects:
Jahmel Taylor, PG, 6'0, 160lbs
Los Angeles, Calif. (Pacific Hills School)
Scout Grades: ESPN (2 stars), Scout.com (3 stars), Rivals.com (3 stars)
Reported Offers: Colorado, Long Beach St., Oregon, San Francisco, SMU, USC, Virginia Tech, Washington, Washington St.Expert's Take:
Overall, it will be interesting to see how he develops because physically he appears to be already maxed out. Taylor's overall savvy for the point guard position needs to improve. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Most scouting reports on Taylor peg him as a scoring guard even if he listed as a point guard. An opposing high school coach in Taylor's league described him as extremely athletic. Taylor is currently averaging over 20 points a game for Pacific Hills.Aaron Gordon, PF, 6'8, 215lbs
San Jose, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty HS)
Scout Grades: ESPN (5 stars), Rivals.com (5 stars)
Final Three: Arizona, Kentucky, WashingtonExpert's Take:
Gordon is the No. 1 prospect in the west regardless of class. He is not only becoming as bouncy as his older sibling Drew Gordon (transferred from UCLA to New Mexico) but he is a much better all-around player. (Via: ESPN)
Breakdown:
Gordon cut down his list to three schools in mid-November and has already made his official visits to those three schools. Though Washington has been considered a favorite throughout Gordon's recruitment, Romar and has staff have yet to beat out Kentucky and Arizona for such a highly-regarded recruit. At the same time, besides the case of Terrence Jones, I can't remember another time when the Huskies were this deep in the running for such a highly regarded recruit. Gordon's recruitment will make or break this 2013 class for Romar. He is the type of player that can turn a team into an instant contender.Video Highlights:
Aaron Gordon Kicks Off His Senior Season In STYLE! SICK First 3 Games Of Season Mix! (via Ballislifedotcom)
Kameron Rooks, C, 7'0, 270lbs
San Marcos, Calif. (Mission Hills)
Scout Grades: ESPN (3 stars), Scout.com (3 stars), Rivals.com (3 stars)
Final Four: Arizona, Arizona St., California, WashingtonExpert's Take:
Rooks has very soft hands, finishes well and plays smart basketball, looking for teammates out of the post and always fighting for rebounds. (Via: Scout.com)
Breakdown:
Rooks is not the most athletic player, but his size alone makes him a high-level recruit. While his skill-set does not necessarily match UW's system, having such a big player gives Washington something that other teams do not have and simply cannot match up against.Video Highlights:
Kameron Rooks '13, Mission Hills Junior Year vs. Crawford, 12/20/11 (via SportsOnTheSide)
- Nov 11, 12
Who is the number one high school basketball player in the state of Washington? For the fifth year in a row, I solicited input from players, coaches, scouting reports, other websites and my own observations to rank the top 25 high school basketball players in the state of Washington.
This year, seven of last year's top ten players have graduated, including the former No. 1 player, Kansas' Anrio Adams. Bothell's Zach Lavine moves into the top slot after an impressive junior year campaign and a commitment to the UCLA Bruins.
Note: This list is an update to the rankings we posted in late August. Shaqquan Aaron's transfer to Rainier Beach shifted some players down. Also, the college commitments made by players in September and October are now reflected in the rankings.
Is someone too high? Is someone too low? Who was snubbed? Let us know in the comments section.
Rankings are based on this criteria:1) Potential to play and perform at the Division One level of college basketball
2) Current performance at the high school level
1. Zach Lavine (Sr.)- Bothell, G, 6'3":
The smoothest scorer in the state has some deficiencies in his game, but because of his unlimited range and athleticism, he's the best player in the state of Washington. To become a complete player, Lavine will need to be more aggressive in attacking the defenses by penetrating and relying less on his shooting ability. He has the skills to finish at the rim, it is just a matter of him taking more initiative. Committed: UCLA
2. Shaqquan Aaron (Jr.)- Rainier Beach HS, F, 6'6":
The high profile transfer from southern California debuts at No. 2 on the rankings. Aaron is one of the most athletic wings in the country. He has the ability to take his man to the basket off the dribble and also has decent range on his jump shot. In terms of weaknesses, his upper body has some bulking up to do, but he will be the talk of the town this coming basketball season. Offers: Arizona, Connecticut, Oregon State, San Diego State, St. John's, Syracuse, UCLA, UNLV, Washington3. Ahmaad Rorie (Jr.)- Lincoln, G, 6'1": Rorie is a lightning quick point guard who can get to the rim and finish with grace. He has good balance and body control and excels in transition because of these traits. Committed: California
4. D.J. Fenner (Sr.)- Seattle Prep, G, 6'6": Everyone knows he can penetrate and score at will off the dribble, but not many people notice how good Fenner is defensively. When he sets his mind to it, Fenner is an elite defender. He has quick hands to force steals and nice leaping ability and timing to block shots. Committed: Nevada
5. Tre'Shaun Lexing (Sr.)- Lincoln, F, 6'6":
Lexing is not the type of player who is going to take over games by himself, but his length and athleticism project him as an effective player at the next level. He shows solid ability to get to the rim and finish in transition, but will need to improve his shooting touch. Committed: Colorado6. Brett Bailey (Sr.)- University, G, 6'6": Watching him at the state tournament this past March was a revelation. Bailey might have the prettiest jump shot in the state. Along with his jumper, Bailey can score off the dribble and is crafty at using pivots to draw contact to get to the free-throw line. San Diego is getting a good one. Committed: San Diego
7. Marquis Davis (Sr.)- Rainier Beach, G, 5'9": On the biggest stage at the 3A State Championship, Marquis Davis played the best out of a collection of the state's top talent. He's short, but his athleticism is off the charts. The elevation and form of his jump shot is eerily similar to Rainier Beach-alum Nate Robinson. While his level athleticism certainly doesn't match Robinson's, Davis' quickness and perimeter offensive skills are unmatched by anyone at the state at his position. Offers: Boise State
8. Lucas Meikle (Sr.)- Bellarmine Prep, F, 6'8": Meikle is a lanky and versatile forward who is comfortable facing up and taking his man off the dribble. He'll be a solid role player for the Zags at the next level, but he will need to add strength to his frame to become a consistent contributor. He won't jump out of the gym, but he has a decent range on his shot and he can hold his own against stronger players. Committed: Gonzaga
9. Tucker Haymond (Sr.)- Garfield, G/F, 6'5": Haymond did everything right in his junior year at Garfield. Not only did he show an ability to score from the perimeter, but he showed an ability to post-up smaller players, rebound and make the right pass to involve his teammates. Offers: Seattle U, Montana State, Western Michigan
10. Seth Berger (Sr.)- Ballard, F, 6'7": Berger is a long forward with exceptional scoring ability. He opened some eyes on the national recruiting scene this summer and will definitely surprise fans and observers this upcoming high school season. Committed: University of Massachusetts
11. Josh Martin (Jr.)- Bothell, F, 6'7" Offers: Gonzaga, Washington
12. Donovan Dorsey (Jr.)- Timberline, G, 6'6" Offers: Gonzaga, Oregon St., Portland St., Washington, Washington St.
13. Josh Hawkinson (Sr.)- Shorewood, F, 6'9" Committed: Washington St.
14. Brandon Gfeller (Sr.)- Colfax, G, 6'3", Committed: Montana
15. Tramaine Isabell (Jr.)- Lakeside, G, 6'0"
16. Jason Todd (Jr.)- Jackson, G/F, 6'6"
17. Will Dorsey (Sr.)- Rainier Beach, G, 5'9"
18. Matt Hubbard (Jr.)- Colville, F, 6'9"
19. Perrion Callandret (Sr.)- Bothell, G, 6'2", Committed: Idaho
20. Arell Hennings (Sr.)- Franklin, G, 5'8"
21. Latrey Newsome (Sr.)- West Seattle, G, 6'3"
22. Caden Rowland (Sr.)- Lincoln, G, 6'5"
23. Deeshawn Tucker (Jr.)- Federal Way, 6'0"
24. Djuan Piper (Sr.)- Rainier Beach, F, 6'6"
25. Naim Ladd (Jr.)- Rainier Beach, 5'9"
Next 15 in (in alphabetical order): Patrick Ball (Franklin), Brayon Blake (Federal Way), Marcus Chambers (Foss), David Crisp (Clover Park), Adrian Davis (Federal Way), Elijah Foster (Rainier Beach), Jordan Johnson (Lakes), Jacob Lampkin (O'Dea), Corey Langerveld (Pullman), Sefo Liufao (Bellarmine Prep), Fuquan Niles (Rainier Beach), Trent Riley (Mount Si), Zach Taylor (Cedarcrest), Dezmyn Trent (Foss), Bayek Tutlam (Mariner)
Three freshmen to keep your eyes on: Jashaun Agosto (Garfield), Isiah Brown (Lakeside), Sean Gummersall (Seattle Prep)
Past year's rankings (No. 1 player): 2011 (Anrio Adams), 2010 (Tony Wroten), 2009 (Josh Smith), 2008 (Tony Wroten)
For all the latest recruiting news on local basketball prospects, follow @KevinCacabelos on Twitter.
- Oct 22, 12
Last season, the Huskies won the Pac-12 regular season title, sent two players to the NBA and won at least 20 games for the fourth straight season.
Yet, 2011-12 can be marked as a huge failure because the team failed to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. A weak Pac-12 conference and a lackluster non-conference schedule, along with an opening round loss in the Pac-12 tournament landed Head Coach Lorenzo Romar's squad in the NIT.
Can this year's team avoid a repeat of last year's disappointment?
Here's a look at the 2012-13 Husky personnel:
This success of this Husky team depends wholly upon the play of senior point guard Abdul Gaddy. As the team's starting point guard, he will need to create scoring opportunities for C.J. Wilcox and Scott Suggs. Gaddy also needs to improve upon his 33% shooting percentage from three-point land -- by being a consistent shooter from the perimeter, he'll better keep defending point guards honest. The Huskies no longer have the luxury of giving the basketball to Tony Wroten and Terrence Ross and watching them create scoring opportunities for themselves.
Another key to the Huskies' success will be how effective C.J. Wilcox can be in isolation situations. Can he be effective on offense in other ways besides catching and shooting? The same question can be posed towards Scott Suggs. Wilcox and Suggs arguably make up the best perimeter-shooting duo in the Pac-12, but that means nothing if opposing teams can easily plan against the predictability of the pair settling for outside shots.
On offense and defense, the jobs of Desmond Simmons and Aziz N'Diaye are simple: rebound. N'Diaye's rebounding average increased from 5.7 to 7.3 from his sophomore to junior season, making the jump to 9 to 10 rebounds a game is not out of the question. N'Diaye will be in prime position for offensive rebounding within the high-post offense.
The most significant contributor off the bench will be Andrew Andrews. The redshirt point guard will be a pleasant surprise for Husky fans. Andrews' redshirting last season had more to do with the amount of point guards on the roster than his Andrews' actual ability. A year of experience going against a physically superior player like Wroten will have Andrews more than prepared to be a solid contributor off the bench for the Huskies.
Martin Breunig and Shawn Kemp Jr. will be battling for the backup forward spot, a consistent 15-20 minutes off the bench to relieve Simmons and N'Diaye. Guards Hikeem Stewart and Jernard Jarreau will also battling for a spot in the rotation; Stewart saw limited action at the end of game last season, while Jarreau redshirted his season.
New walk-on additions Dion Overstreet and Quinn Sterling will likely not see any significant minutes, and I suspect Austin Seferian-Jenkins will choose not to play basketball this season. The roster has 15 players, including Seferian-Jenkins, with an abundance of forwards. Considering this depth at the forward position and Seferian-Jenkins' focus on football, it is unlikely we'll see him playing this coming season.
Romar and his staff will have to wait a year for transfers Perris Blackwell and Giles Dierichx to play, but Blackwell could have easily battled for a starting spot in the rotation this season.
Season Outlook:
Losing Wroten and Ross initially seems like a huge blow to this team, but a glance at the projected starting lineup reveals five players who are proven contributors. The starting lineup has experience with Desmond Simmons being the sole underclassmen. As a result of the experience of this team's upperclassman, playing elite defense from the beginning of the season is a possibility.
The Huskies match up well in the post. When Aziz N'Diaye stays out of foul trouble, he is a force in disrupting and blocking shots. Desmond Simmons is a player that will give you 110% on both ends of the court in the unheralded stat categories.
Without a go-to scorer, the offense will be moving the ball from side to side more often than last season. Expect to see C.J. Wilcox and Scott Suggs taking the majority of the shots for the Huskies. When both are hitting shots from the outside, this team will be difficult to defend. The Huskies also have arguably the top point guard in the Pac-12. Abdul Gaddy's size, skill and decision-making will be the driving force of this team's offense.
While not having a player like Tony Wroten dominate the ball may lead to a more team-oriented offense, it signals one fundamental problem with this year's Husky team: a lack of talent. C.J. Wilcox and Abdul Gaddy are borderline NBA prospects and the Huskies lose close to half of their point production in the departures of Darnell Gant, Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten. Neither Simmons nor N'Diaye are a threat on offense. Furthermore, if the starting forwards get into foul trouble, there is an abundance of inexperience behind them on the roster.
History tells us the Huskies will likely finish the season in the top half of the Pac-12 standings. In Romar's ten seasons, he's only finished in the bottom half on two occasions: 2006-07 and 2007-08. In 2006-07, the Huskies suffered from a lack of experience, starting four underclassmen. In 2007-08, the Huskies lacked a go-to player on the perimeter and played in a super competitive Pac-10 with five teams making it into the NCAA tournament that season. The experience on this year's squad will serve it well, but not having a go-to scorer will hurt this squad in close games.
If this team makes the tournament, they will not be making it in with a high seed. With this said, I'm predicting a third place finish in the Pac-12 and an NCAA tournament berth for this year's Huskies.
- Oct 09, 12
Local high school basketball standout D.J. Fenner committed to the University of Nevada last Friday. The 6'6 senior shooting guard from Seattle Prep is regarded as one of the top players in the state of Washington.
Fenner was juggling offers from UC Irvine, Utah and Hawaii, but made his decision after making an official visit to Nevada in early September.
"The coaches made it clear that I would be playing the two-guard position and that I would have a real opportunity to get on the floor my freshman year. That was very important to me," Fenner said.
Former Seattle Prep standout and current Nevada senior Patrick Nyeko played a role in Fenner's decision to choose the Wolf Pack.
"It felt great knowing somebody goes here who went to my soon-to-be high school alma mater. It gave me a sense of security that if Pat who went to [Seattle] Prep could stay in Reno for that long, then I could probably do the same. That Seattle Prep connection and community is very important and strong to me," Fenner said.
In August, SB Nation Seattle ranked Fenner as the No. 3 player in the state in its top 25 Washington state high school basketball players list, citing his defensive skills as an underrated aspect of his game.
The athletic two-guard helped lead his team to a runner-up finish at the WIAA 3A state tournament last March.
"I think Nevada got a player who will be ready to contribute right away. He is not a player who's body needs to mature. He's plenty strong, athletic, and quick enough to play at that level and he has another 12 months to continue improving," Seattle Prep Head Coach Mike Kelly said.
"He can get to the basket and finish with contact, will continue to improve his range and consistency from beyond the arc, is as good as anyone I've seen in high school shooting off the bounce from mid-range, and can guard the 1, 2, and 3 at the next level."
Fenner credited former Eastern Washington standout and current Nevada Assistant Coach Zac Claus for making him feel at home at Nevada during his visit.
"Both of my parents were all-in since I made the official visit. Knowing that they feel just as strongly about Nevada as I do makes me feel confident with my decision," Fenner said. "It seemed like the best opportunity for me to make it to the next level after college, be it a professional engineer, businessman, or ball player."
- Sep 27, 12
The Washington Huskies are promoting Thursday night's game against Stanford as the "Blackout Of The Century." Set to take place at Washington's temporary home at CenturyLink Field, this will be the Huskies' first game of 2012 wearing black uniforms.
World-class photographer Olugbenro Ogunsemore was brought on by Washington's athletic department to snap a promotional photo (picture below) for the Blackout.
Here's a behind the scenes video of the photo shoot courtesy of GoHuskies.com:
Fans are advised to arrive early to Thursday night's game, Starbucks is providing the first 25,000 fans with black gloves, Boeing Employee Credit Union is giving away black beanies to the first 11,000 fans and black sunglasses will be given to UW's student section courtesy of Coca-Cola.
Lastly, a pre-game rally is set for 3:30 p.m. PT at Hing Hay Park in Seattle's International District. Pre-game entertainment will be provided at the park until 5:00 p.m. PT when a march to the stadium will commence.
Thursday night's kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. PT.
- Sep 12, 12
The Rainier Beach Vikings might have won the 2013 3A state basketball championship last week. Four-star recruit Shaqquan Aaron is enrolled at Rainier Beach HS after moving from southern California and barring any academic issues, will become eligible to play for the Vikings this coming school year.
No other school in the state in both the 3A and 4A classifications, has the amount of depth and talent that the Vikings have entering the 2012-13 season.
Aaron, a junior, easily becomes one of the best basketball talents in the state. I'd have to see more games in-person, but his reputation puts him on the UCLA-bound Zach Lavine's level.
The 6'6" small forward prospect is entering his junior year and currently holds offers from Arizona, UConn, Syracuse, UCLA and Washington among several others.
At Rainier Beach, Aaron joins senior guards Marquis Davis, Will Dorsey and Naim Ladd, along with forwards Djuan Piper, Elijah Foster and Fuquan Niles. The team will likely appear in the preseason national rankings when they come out before the season.
Here's a short snippet of a scouting report from ESPN on Aaron:
Aaron has a frame and a budding skill-set that oozes potential. He handles the ball well in the open court and he's a high-level passer. (Via: ESPN Insider)
And here's a short highlight video of Aaron at 2011 Adidas Nation:
Shaqquan Aaron Highlights - Class of 2014 - Adidas Nations 2011 (via CityLeagueHoopsTV)
(h/t: Seattle Times)
