Metro League Superlatives

Another impressive season has come to an end for the teams of the Seattle Metro League. After sending five teams to the state tournament, four of those teams would finish in the top five - Garfield (1), O’Dea (2), Eastside Catholic (3), and Rainer Beach (5). It really is a different brand of basketball here in Seattle, and in the absence of a professional NBA team, we should feel lucky to have access to such a high level of talent for only $6 per game. Now that the season is over, I wanted to take an opportunity to highlight some of the athletes who didn’t necessarily play in the limelight all season. In a league with the amount of high-level talent that we have here in Seattle, it’s easy to be overlooked. Some of the athletes coming off the bench in metro league could be all-league players for other schools around the state, and many of these athletes have earned more recognition than they’ve received. Most Likely to Break Ankles: [player_tooltip player_id="711297" first="Julian" last="Agosto"] | 5’10" PG | 2021, Nathan Hale Earlier this season, I was asked to name my favorite player to watch in the Seattle Metro League, and [player_tooltip player_id="711297" first="Julian" last="Agosto"] was my choice. Agosto was voted to the 3rd team All-Metro, but I personally think he was deserving of even more praise. Finding themselves in the middle of the league, Nathan Hale played in close games all season and had to fight for wins. Between [player_tooltip player_id="711297" first="Julian" last="Agosto"] and teammate [player_tooltip player_id="709057" first="Marcus" last="Collins"], Nathan Hale could rely on their ball-handlers to put up big numbers when their teams needed them. Along with his timely scoring, there is so much more to like about Agosto’s game. He has incredible athleticism, he can score at will, and he plays tremendous defense, but more so than any other athlete in the league, Agosto is an unequaled threat with the ball in his hands. You would be hardpressed to find anyone who can get better separation with a basic crossover than [player_tooltip player_id="711297" first="Julian" last="Agosto"], and he used that to knock down mid-range jumpers routinely this season. Atlas Award: [player_tooltip player_id="674431" first="Kamal" last="Muhammad"] | 6’8" PF | 2022, Lakeside In Greek mythology, Atlas is the titan who holds up the sky, and that’s probably how [player_tooltip player_id="674431" first="Kamal" last="Muhammad"] felt for much of this season. Lakeside struggled to a 6 win - 16 loss season, and Muhammad - towering over his teammates by half-a-foot - carried the load for the Lions. Muhammed has strength to go with his size, but there is only so much you can do when you’re matched up against the likes of [player_tooltip player_id="611182" first="Paolo" last="Banchero"], [player_tooltip player_id="709046" first="Kendall" last="Munson"], and JT Tuimoloau night after night. Despite this, Muhammed found enough success to earn 3rd-team recognition alongside [player_tooltip player_id="711297" first="Julian" last="Agosto"]. Muhammad might not have enough skill to turn Lakeside into a powerhouse in the next two years, but his ability to influence shots, control the glass, and finish at the rim make him an emerging threat in the league. Most Improved: [player_tooltip player_id="929622" first="Isaiah" last="Watts"] | 6’0" G | 2022, West Seattle Physically, Watts isn’t the most imposing threat on the court. He has great height and length, but not much in the way of overpowering strength, and when I saw him play early on in the season, I thought the same thing about his demeanor. I was impressed with his leadership as a sophomore, but he seemed too nice. When I saw him play more recently, however, the "nice guy" persona was gone, and you could see it on his face. He was a top-notch shooter from the beginning of the season, and that never changed, but somewhere along the line, he found a bit of the Mamba Mentality that he needed to take his game to the next level. I’m disappointed that Isaiah won’t have another season with seniors [player_tooltip player_id="840297" first="Vlad" last="Salaridze"] and Sage Nelson, but he seems to be prepared to carry the torch for the Wildcats. Jimmy Garoppolo Award: [player_tooltip player_id="843781" first="Patton" last="Lanier"] | 6’1" SG | 2021, Eastside Catholic [player_tooltip player_id="843781" first="Patton" last="Lanier"] might be the best player in the league to average the fewest minutes. He plays for an Eastside Catholic team with overwhelming talent and depth, and even with his athleticism and ability to knock down the long ball, he just didn’t have enough of a chance to make an impact for the Crusaders; he’s a bit like Jimmy Garoppolo watching Tom Brady from the Patriot’s sideline. Lanier moves well without the ball, he has a quick release, and he can put the ball on the court if defenders get too aggressive on closeouts. Despite the fact that the Crusaders will lose only two seniors from their main rotation, Lanier will likely find himself in the starting five next season, and he will have a chance to show everyone what he is capable of. Under the Radar: Justin Burceag | 6’4" W | 2021, Ballard I was introduced to Justin Burceag after a 13-point game against O’Dea early in the season. 13-points isn’t an eye-popping total, but considering that his team scored only 45-points and that he was playing against the likes of Banchero, Christofilis, and Davis, I was impressed. Burceag doesn’t have overpowering strength or speed, but he was still able to score in a variety of different ways and he knocked down difficult shots including one memorable baseline drive and reverse. On a team laden with seniors, Burceag will have the ball in his hands and responsibility on his shoulders in the 2020-21 season, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do as a senior.