Early Season Senior Standouts

There have been some monster performances to start the season, and while I haven't seen them all yet, I've seen enough to identify a handful of top performers from this early portion of the year. Check out some seniors who have been balling to start the year and should continue that trend throughout the winter.    Misra had a great game scoring and dishing the rock against Sammamish, ending the contest with 25 points and 10 assists. He started the game with some good decision-making, acting quickly and showing he can put the ball on the money from different spots to set up teammates. Then, after a breakaway dunk, he really started to get his own shot off. He dropped in one, then two, then three, then four 3s, and kept looking to attack as he found his rhythm.     Annie Wright came away with a big win at Rainier Beach, and in a close game (64-60), Harshman's all-around impact from the point proved to be a game-changer. He finished the night with 12 points, seven rebounds, and six assists to go along with two steals. As usual, he was able to control their tempo from the top, handling pressure on the ball and traps off screens, quickly locating his outlets and understanding where the extra defenders were coming from. Keep an eye on this squad that has proven time and again, they can play with anyone.     Hartley started his year off with a bang, dropping in 42 points against Mt Tahoma. The 6-foot-4 wing started it off by nailing catch-and-shoot looks, identifying space and taking advantage of it both from the midrange and behind the arc. Later on, he started attacking the paint, using pump fakes outside to get a step and then playing strong off two to split defenders inside. Toward the end of the game, he started hitting from outside again and really kept defenders guessing on what he wanted to do.     Stevens went off for 40 points against a tough Mountain View team and displayed a pretty solid and balanced attack to pair with some exceptional athleticism. He was able to knock down some outside shots early on, then started working closer in, navigating the middle of the floor and getting to the rim. He also worked a ton off the ball, curling screens and making well-timed cuts to get the ball in dangerous spots. His consistent paint work led to a lot of free throws too, and he capped off his final few points at the line.     Birley led the way for West Valley with 29 points in a big win against 2A Grandview. He went for 13 in the first half as the Rams built a decent lead, but in the second half Grandview stormed back and Birley turned it up for 16 more to put the Greyhounds away. He attacked every spot on the floor, sinking tough midrange pull-ups, dropping in several threes, and working his way to the cup with good footwork and deception.     Kennedy faced a tough matchup with 3A power Garfield and were able to hang with the Bulldogs until about midway through the third quarter, largely in part to Garcia's all-around play. He was able to get consistent paint touches by mixing up speeds, using some craft and footwork to work through multiple defenders, and finish or dime up teammates. Garfield applied pressure up the floor much of the game and Garcia was key in handling that pressure and getting the ball into space.

There have been some monster performances to start the season, and while I haven't seen them all yet, I've seen enough to identify a handful of top performers from this early portion of the year. Check out some seniors who have been balling to start the year and should continue that trend throughout the winter.