Postseason Sparkplugs
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Every team needs that spark to pick them up at different spots in the game or come out of the gates with infectious energy. These next seven players brought big efforts in their team’s postseason games and provided a spark…
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Continue ReadingEvery team needs that spark to pick them up at different spots in the game or come out of the gates with infectious energy. These next seven players brought big efforts in their team’s postseason games and provided a spark that can often be the difference in these important games.
Agosto is a speedy, gritty guard who showed up right away in their win against Sammamish with tough on ball defense. He’s quick side-to-side, gave ballhandlers very little room to operate, and was able to get his hands in on a couple of balls to poke them free and disrupt the offense’s rhythm. Agosto also did a great job sprinting out on breaks, whether pushing the ball or filling lanes on the wings. He was able to make some plays scoring and distributing and was a big source of energy for his team in a tight game.
Howell was really impressive in their win over Kamiakin in the District 8 quarterfinals. He made a few key plays early on, first reading the defense for a nice backdoor cut for an easy layup, then jumping the ballhandler next time down and timing his dribble for a steal. Then, a little later in the first he came down and drained an open 3 from the top. He kept up that scrappy defense in the second half, anticipating driving angles to get in front, causing more steals, and threw a couple of really nice dimes while working around the paint. He was a big factor on both ends and should be a guy to watch as the Bullpups get ready for the 4A tournament.
The Grandview guard provided a steady spark throughout their matchup with Selah, controlling the ball at times, putting in timely buckets, and playing solid defense throughout the night. Dorsett really looked like a poised player with the ball, attacking gaps early on and playing with strength and assertiveness that helped him score around the hoop. Later in the game they ran a few ball screens for him, and the defense kept going under, so Dorsett kept hitting open jumpers off the screen. It was his intensity and smarts that really stood out, helping him play a big role in a lot of areas to make sure his Greyhounds locked in their spot at State.
Michael Henderson
Michael Henderson
Kelso vs Timberline was pretty much the Hayden Yore Hayden Yore 6’2″ | CG Kelso | 2024 State WA game but as was mentioned on the game cast, Kelso needed one more player to step up if they were going to pull away from the Blazers. That player was Michael Henderson. He didn’t get much to go prior to the fourth quarter but he’s a speedy player who can attack the hoop and get downhill in a hurry, so when guys started to tire a bit in the fourth, Henderson stepped up and started really attacking lanes to the rim. He got a couple of easy blow-by’s and then helped seal the game with some free throws. In all, he came away with 10 points in the game, all of which came in the second half.
The Eagles lost a tough overtime game to Mount Rainier but Fuller had a great game, making an impact of both ends of the floor. Early on it was all about getting out in transition and out-running defenders. He has good speed with the ball and was able to push the pace in transition to get some key buckets. Later on in the contest he did some more work in the halfcourt, getting by defenders on the outside and then finding different finishes around the help inside. He was really impressive defensively though, showing some hustle and IQ to make plays all over the court. He strung together a few big plays in the first half, blocking a jump shooter from behind, then tipping and stealing an inbounds pass, and finally pulling the chair to force a travel on an out-of-control player. It was a great effort put forth by the senior guard in his final high school game.
Kaiden Devereaux
Kaiden Devereaux
Devereaux came to life with some big plays at key moments early on in the first half of a close game against Quincy. With Quincy pulling away, Omak needed someone to breathe life into their team and Devereaux stepped up to spark a little run that got them back into the game. It started with his hustle to beat guys down the floor on breaks, but momentum really swung when he poked a ball loose from behind and started a breakout the other way. He also had good spurts of activity and playmaking on offense, using his quickness to set up teammates inside. Later in the game he came up with some big shots at the foul line though his Omak squad fell just short of the win.
Marcelino Armendariz Marcelino Armendariz 5'8" | CG Grandview | 2025 State WA
Marcelino Armendariz Marcelino Armendariz 5'8" | CG Grandview | 2025 State WA
Grandview has quite a few guards that play with energy on both ends of the court, and Armendariz was one of them that caught my eye almost immediately with his pace and ability to dart around on offense and defense. He has a good handle, is pretty shifty on the perimeter to either create space for jumpers or knife inside. Overall, he used good change of speeds with the ball to get separation in different areas and was prepared to take what the defense gave him. He didn’t take a ton of shots but was capable of scoring inside and out and was a solid option to create action when the ball came his way.