Sierra Canyon’s Duane Washington, Jr. putting CIF Open Division foes on notice

When the news broke that Michigan-native Duane Washington, Jr. was transferring from Grand Rapids Christian halfway across the country to Chatsworth Sierra Canyon, the simple question asked was, “Why?” “I made the switch to come out to here to California to get better as a person,” Washington told Prep Hoops So-Cal about his move. “Leaving home will help me grow as a man and be ready for college.” The question of college preparedness is not something that pops in the mind when you're watching the point guard go to work. His game and frame are both ready to compete at the highest level of college basketball right now. Washington has a throwback feel to his skill set, which his probably due in large part to his father who had a brief stint in the NBA and his uncle, Derek Fisher, who played in the NBA for 18 seasons and won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. He thrives off of physicality, takes pride on the defensive end, rebounds well for his position and is a consistent shooter from both 3-point and mid-range levels, as evidenced by his 10 3-pointer performance against Mater Dei at the Rolling Hills Prep Fall Classic. Michigan-native Duane Washington, Jr. is already leaving his mark on Southern California high school basketball. The Ohio State-commit said that while he's certain his skill set will translate well to California basketball, it's another aspect of his game that will separate him. “I think it's the toughness,” Washington said. “I grew up in Big Ten country and that's just hard-nosed, big guards, strong and coming out here to California I want to bring that. I want to get some of the California basketball in my game, as well, so I can expand my game as much as possible.” That toughness has already begun to rub off on his Sierra Canyon teammates, especially on juniors K.J. Martin and Cassius Stanley and sophomore Terren Frank, all of whom transferred to Sierra Canyon in the offseason. I'm going to help bring the way better stuff out of them,” Washington said. “I'm going to hold them accountable. That's what I need to work on, as well, my leadership skills. Being a point guard that's something that's expected. “You have to be a coach on the court,” he added. “I can see K.J. and Cassius getting better already and it's only October.” It's extremely difficult to find a hole in Washington's game because he does everything so well, but the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder has plenty of ideas about where he needs to get better. “I definitely need to work on the defensive end; that's always something I can get better at,” he said. “I'm really working on everything. Trying to master certain skills so I can take them to the next level. I need to make open shots count and get more athletic. I don't get to show it a lot, but getting higher on rebounder now, staying in front of guys and getting more explosive. I'm just sharpening everything up.” Sierra Canyon is certainly bound for CIF Southern Section and State Open Division competition, along with Mater Dei and Bishop Montgomery, and Washington believes the Trailblazers will be more than competitive at that level. “Definitely,” he said. “We have a lot to get better at and we're not even near where we can be at. I'm not looking ahead, I just want to stay in the moment and keep getting better before our first game. We're not searching over top or in between games, because we might not even get there if we don't do what we're supposed to do.”