Recruiting Report: Jamison Washington (2017)
It was no secret that Colbey Ross entered his final grassroots season with considerable buzz, and he lived up to it during a strong 2016 season while earning a handful of new offers.
But it may have been his 2017 backcourt mate who had the team’s biggest breakout party.
“Jamison Washington was a monster in July,” said Colorado Chaos director Dave Matthews of the team’s 6-2 guard. “He just tore up the circuit and we won against good teams.”
Washington’s big season, particularly his play in July, helped him generate some buzz of his own, while also picking up his first offer from the University of Sioux Falls, a Division II school out of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
“I felt good,” Washington said of the offer. “I hope I get some more offers coming in, but that was good to get. It was my first offer.”
As for what the Cougars’ coaching staff said they liked about Washington’s game?
“They liked that I can get going and score for myself when I want to, but then also set my teammates up and stuff like that,” Washington said. “They like how I’m aggressive.”
Washington entered the 2016 grassroots season with high hopes, knowing Chaos had a strong unit capable of surprising people.
“It turned out to be better than I thought,” Washington said. “Our team just clicked, and we were beating big-time players and teams. Almost every team we played had at least four D-I players on their teams, and we were beating them. I think it was just our team chemistry, honestly. Our team is just really close. Then you have me and Colbey, we just wanted to push our teammates to the max and get the most out of them.”
Washington said he really took off in July. After having what he described as an OK spring, he knew he needed to dial up his play a few notches during summer evaluation periods, and that improvement was tied to confidence. He learned how to become a more effective guard off the ball, trusting that he would still have a chance to make his impact. That trust paid off during the first evaluation period in Dallas, when Washington came off the ball to receive a pass from Ross make a game-winning shot on a nifty drive to the basket (below), propelling Chaos to its first of three straight runner-up finishes in top bracket play.
Thrilling 58-56 win for Chaos 17's Elite over YGC36 at #GASO. @jaymowash game winner. @TexasHoopsGASO @GASObrackets pic.twitter.com/Rv0u8d90JQ
— Colorado Chaos (@ColoradoChaos) July 15, 2016
“I think it was a lot to do with confidence,” Washington said. “With Colbey, I learned to move without the ball a lot. If he’s bringing it up, I have to move without the ball because it’s not in my hands. That helped me become a better scorer, moving without the ball and stuff like that.”
Washington is trying to ride the momentum of a strong July, spending time in the weight room and in the gym working on his game each day. The rising point guard is looking forward to what he hopes will be a strong senior season at Denver East, a team that should have the pieces to make another deep 5A run.
“I’m excited,” said Washington, who averaged 13.5 points and 3.4 assists per game as a junior at Lincoln last year, “but we just have to stay focused to make sure we accomplish our goals.”
Early action @ColoradoChaos invitational. @jaymowash taking it the length of the floor for a drive and one. pic.twitter.com/ogPWhEm4kP
— K. Smith (@KSmithonHoops) July 1, 2016