Breakout Teams and the Players Leading the Way

<p>Every year there are teams that are overlooked, that have quietly put in the work while other teams and players got the praise. Then, they just come out and ball. These teams have let their play do the talking and have shown incredible improvements from last season. It's been a combination of young talent mixing in with upperclassmen who have continued to polish their game that has seen many of these teams flourish this season. Here are some of the breakout teams from the 2022-23 season, and the players who led them along the way.</p>   <h3>Nathan Hale (20-3), Last Season: 2-14</h3>   <p>The Raiders may have been the breakout team of the 2022-23 season. They brought in a new head coach, saw a number of players shuffle in and out, to and from different schools, and came together to pull off a remarkable season. Led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1086788' first='Solomon' last='Barnes'], the Raiders went undefeated in league play (14-0) and won the Metro Sound Division. Barnes was a first-team all-league selection in the Sound Division and also Defensive Player of the Year. He's a major athlete at the guard spot with a long reach, strong burst, and proved a reliable scoring option while also bringing great activity to the floor. </p>   <p>Hale also had one of the top freshmen this season and a second-team all-league selection with [player_tooltip player_id='1587980' first='Ismail' last='Guyo']. Guyo started alongside Barnes in the backcourt and had more than his fair share of big games this season. He is a player with major potential whose stock is only going up from here. He has serious range, can impact the game on the defensive end with a lengthy frame, and sees the game with a maturity not common at his age.</p>   <p>Unfortunately, their season came to an end after getting knocked out by O'Dea in the opening round of the SeaKing tournament but managed to reach 20 total wins on the year before it was all said and done.</p>   <h3>Monroe (16-4), Last Season: 5-12</h3>   <p>Monroe started the season by winning 12 games in a row and completely demolishing their win total from last year. They were in total control of the Wesco 2A/3A lead before stumbling a bit in late January, losing three of four games at one point. The Bearcats still managed to finish fourth in the conference, just a game out of the top spot at 12-3. </p>   <p>They are led by seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1560527' first='Steve' last='Kuhnle'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1728942' first='Hayden' last='Creswell'] who provide a great inside and out scoring tandem. Kuhnle is one of the top shooters in the league and can catch fire at any time from deep. He's also a strong perimeter defender, while Creswell is a big, 6-foot-5 forward who can score all around the paint and sprinkles in some mid-range jumpers too. He's a physical player that doesn't mind contact, and the two have been able to establish a balanced attack for Monroe all season. </p>   <p>They head into a loser-out game against Everett on Wednesday that could get them one step closer to the state tournament.</p>   <h3>Foss (17-5), Last Season: 9-12</h3>   <p>Foss has been one of the bigger surprises this season and after starting the season with a loss to Mt. Tahoma, rattled off 12 wins in a row to catch everyone's attention in the south sound. They have a balanced attack that starts with a four or five-out offense predicated on driving to the lane, drawing fouls and knocking down outside shots. With five players averaging over 8 PPG and six notching at least one steal per contest, the Foss Falcons play team ball on both ends of the court. </p>   <p>They are led in scoring by seniors <strong>Keshawn Lewis</strong> (16.8) and <strong>Jamie Killian-Howard </strong>(14.9). Both players can score inside and out, and shoot at least 40 percent from the 3-point line. Senior <strong>Nathaniel Campbell</strong> is a big-time playmaker for the Falcons on both ends of the court. He leads the team in rebounding (5.7), assists (4.2), and is second with 2.3 steals per game. Foss finished the regular season second in the SPSL 2A at 13-3 in league play. They match up with Sammamish on Wednesday in the first round of the District 2/3 2A tournament.</p>   <h3>Battle Ground (16-8), Last Season: 5-13</h3>   <p>Battle Ground has one of the leading scorers in the state with junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1450946' first='Tait' last='Spencer']. He's a dynamic player that has put up 40-plus points on multiple occasions and does it from all over the floor. He has great instincts and body control that keep him in great positions to make plays. He also brings in almost nine rebounds per game (8.8), and chips in 2.4 steals per game.</p>   <p>While Tait has gotten a lot of attention this season, <strong>Trey Spencer</strong> has also been a lightning rod at times and scores just under 15 points per game for the Tigers. Trey can be nearly just as explosive scoring the ball and when he is feeling it, can bury shots from deep behind the arc. They've been a great one-two punch with a well-rounded supporting cast.</p>   <p>Battle Ground finished third at 2-4 in the 4A GSHL, but they will play Sumner in a loser-out game on Wednesday. They hope to continue their turnaround season and work their way through a tough District 3/4 tournament to an appearance at State. </p>   <h3>Puyallup (15-10), Last season: 4-13</h3>   <p>The Vikings have had one of the biggest turnarounds in the state from a year ago. They have won almost three times as many games as they did last season, including 12 of their last 15 to close out the regular season. It's been a big youth movement for Puyallup with guys like freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1685506' first='Will' last='Nasinec'], and sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1696693' first='Drew' last='Jones']</strong>, playing pivotal roles. </p>   <p>Nasinec is a 6-foot-5 post with immense potential, who's played with great toughness inside and has real opportunity to expand his game further away from the rim next season. Jones has been a reliable ballhandler and shooter, helping take some pressure off of junior leader [player_tooltip player_id='1463084' first='Isaiah' last='Sonntag']. Sonntag is a guard with great range who was an all-league selection last season and should probably be one again this year. </p>   <p>Puyallup finished 6-7 in SPSL league play and was narrowly edged out in the opening round of district playoffs, losing to Battle Ground by two, 66-68, to see an impressive season come to an end.</p>   <h3>Anacortes (19-2), Last season: 9-9</h3>   <p>At the beginning of the season, I'm sure not many people were picking Anacortes to upset teams like Lynden, Lynden Christian, or Sehome, and take the NWC regular season crown. But with [player_tooltip player_id='1485542' first='Davis' last='Fogle'] leading the way, Anacortes has become one of the stories of the season. They finished 14-1 in conference play, and their only two losses have come by one point to Lake Stevens (4A), and five points to Lynden.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1485542' first='Davis' last='Fogle'] has been the catalyst behind this awesome uprising by the Seahawks. He's a 6-foot-5 combo guard that is long, wiry, and can score just about at will. He's a dribbling machine, hits the tough contested shots around the paint, and has consistently drilled shots from a good four to five feet behind the 3-point line. </p>   <p>The Seahawks face off with Lakewood tonight, in a winner-to-state game at Mt. Vernon High School.</p>

Every year there are teams that are overlooked, that have quietly put in the work while other teams and players got the praise. Then, they just come out and ball. These teams have let their play do the talking and have shown incredible improvements from last season. It's been a combination of young talent mixing in with upperclassmen who have continued to polish their game that has seen many of these teams flourish this season. Here are some of the breakout teams from the 2022-23 season, and the players who led them along the way.