All-League Preview: Big 9

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis was at the top of the league last season and it's easy to see why with all the returning all-league talent they have. Those guys should continue to dominate the all-league discussion this year, but West Valley returns a couple of first-teamers from a season ago, and Sunnyside has some younger players who could make a strong push to be in the discussion. Here's a quick rundown of last year's all-league performers and then some names to watch heading into this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Returning All-League</em></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>First-Team</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1450999' first='Cesar' last='Hernandez'] Davis <em>'25</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hernandez not only has a strong probability of earning a repeat all-league selection, he has a chance to lead Davis to a top-six finish at this year's state tournament. He leads a talented Davis team as their best shot-creator and one of the most skilled scoring guards in all of the 4A. He'll set the pace for the Pirates and be one of the top names to watch this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1450996' first='Landen' last='Birley'] West Valley (Yakima) <em>'25</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another junior guard who could vie for the best player in the Big 9, Birley took a huge step forward last season and has continued to show that reliable scoring presence throughout the summer and fall leagues. He's not he most physical guard, but he shoots the lights out and can work from a lot of different spots on the floor. He put up about 20 points per game last season and should be in for another big season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1587955' first='Parker' last='Mills'] West Valley (Yakima) <em>'26</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mills is a big-body forward who establishes position near the hoop, works hard on the glass, and is a constant double-double threat with his strong hands and work rate around the hoop. He put up around 14 points and 9 boards a game in his freshman year and should build on that this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Second-Team</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1688028' first='Finnegan' last='Anderson'] Davis <em>'24</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the biggest risers of the summer, Anderson has filled out his offensive profile and still brings some good size and toughness from the wing spot. He can rebound at a high rate, shoots the three ball well, but can bring another steady scoring presence to the Pirates that might help take them to the next level this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2295407' first='Kyson' last='Thomas']</strong> Moses Lake <em>'24</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Moses Lake guard plays with big pace. He's a strong, stout guard who is highly aggressive on defense and in transition. He's got good lateral quickness, a strong base, and makes his mark competing on the defensive end. He can make some strong takes to the hoop and hit he occasional three but really impacts the game with his energy and defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1450945' first='Brandon' last='Lee'] Davis <em>'24</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee is a shooter with big range who can heat up and really shift the balance of a game in one quarter. He's shown he can run the point too and is one of the senior leaders on this Davis team. He's a tough kid whose got the grit and intuition to make big plays all over the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Honorable Mention</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1450565' first='Blake' last='Garza'] Davis <em>'24</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Garza's one of the top athletes in the entire league and makes a huge impact on the defensive end, blocking and altering shots, and using that length to rebound. Offensively, he was a little up and down last season but has looked better this summer. If he can make some more plays with the ball in his hands and knock down some more jumpers, as he's shown he can do this summer, he could be a first-teamer when the season wraps up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1450619' first='Noah' last='McNair'] Sunnyside <em>'24</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sunnyside was an undersized squad last season and it looks like that will be the case this winter as well. That means the 6-foot-3 McNair plays a big role around the paint for the Grizzlies. He's a pretty athletic kid and can hit shots from either elbow, but also does a lot of his scoring by slashing to the hoop from the mid-range and picking up scraps on the boards. They'll count on him for more production this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2295415' first='Amir' last='Mitchell'] </strong>Eisenhower <em>'24</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He's a pretty patient attacker who's got quick feet and a little wiggle to his game. He'll probably bring the ball up most games for Eisenhower and be counted on for a lot of playmaking and downhill action to move the defense. He does a good job splitting defenders from the top and looking off guys before he shoots gaps with the drive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Other Players to Watch</em></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1850304' first='Tyson' last='Lee'] Davis <em>'25</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee is another electric guard for Davis who can get hot in a hurry. He's got deep 3-point range and won't hesitate to launch if the defense sags off. He's another smaller guard for them who brings toughness to the defensive end and will be a key player for them this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2173769' first='Julian' last='Villanueva']</strong> Sunnyside <em>'27</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've only seen a little of Villanueva but what I did see was extremely impressive. He led the way for them at the June D1 Event at Mt Si, going up against teams like Walla Walla, Liberty (Renton), and Ballard. He was clearly the guy the rest of the team deferred to when they needed a bucket. He brought the ball down, set things in motion, and showed incredible confidence for a kid who was just starting to get a taste of high school ball. He's a kid to watch closely who could be a real surprise in the Big 9 this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2935266' first='Jayden' last='Saenz']</strong> Sunnyside <em>'26</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another younger guy to watch for Sunnyside is Saenz. He'll be a sophomore and got some good minutes last season, showing confidence and some aggression with the ball in his hands. He can make some plays off the dribble, find space off the ball to cut in behind the defense, and was pretty strong in possession. These guards will be relied on to make a lot happen and could start to usher in a new standout backcourt at Sunnyside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->