NWAC Commitment Catchup – Washington Schools

May 1 is known as College Decision Day as that's the date when most high school seniors have determined where they will be going to school. While they aren't necessarily bound by that, some senior hoop standouts have recently decided on where they'll be playing their college ball and several of these are headed to the NWAC. Here's a breakdown of some of those players and their decisions - specially the ones who have chosen to take their talents up to memberschools in the state of Washington.

Tko Westbrook, South Salem - Columbia Basin

A stalwart at point guard for the Saxons, Westbrook put together an outstanding senior campaign averaging 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, establishing himself as one of the best pure passers in the state. He'll take his skills to the Tri-Cities area and Columbia Basin College where he's hoping to make an immediate impact.

"Well first off their campus is really nice and big so it will be a good experience for me to learn more," Westbrook said. "But the program part, the coaches are great I love coach Owens and all the other coaches too. Their team there is really good and I think I could help them moving forwards."

Rafael Ochoa, North Salem - Big Bend

Also moving up to Washington from the Salem area is Ochoa, who has been a part of North Salem's revival the past couple of seasons. The athletic combo guard averaged 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists and after garnering all sorts of collegiate interest from junior college programs both in the NWAC and out, he decided that Big Bend would be the best fit for him.

"Coach Spencer really believes in me and that stood out from the start," Ochoa said. "The structure and schedule fit what I need to develop, and getting out of state was a big goal for me to challenge myself and grow. I'm confident I can show what I can do in that style. Right away I see myself bringing energy scoring, rebounding, getting to the paint, making plays, defending, and doing whatever it takes to help win. I'm excited and ready to get to work."

Tai Zimmerman, St. Mary's-Medford - Edmonds

Going up I-5 north of Seattle for school is Zimmerman, who has signed with Edmonds in Lynnwood. The lanky 6-foot-2 guard had a solid senior year with Crusaders, earning First Team All-League and Third Team 3A All-State honors, and he is now looking forward to continuing his career at the college level.

"I decided on Edmonds because it felt like the best fit for me both as a player and a person," Zimmerman said. "I really liked the coaching staff, the way they recruited me. I also really like everything it has to offer in terms of basketball development and I feel like I can really develop my game there. I felt like the program believes in me and will push me to get better every day. The school being near Seattle was exciting too, and overall it just felt like the right place for my next step."

Our congratulations go out to these seniors and their families on their commitments.