Class of 2029: Impact Players in the NWC

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The class of 2029 is really deep up here in Whatcom County, with a lot of incoming sophomores getting ready to step into bigger roles. Here are a few names to keep an eye on over the next couple years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Tysen VanRooyen - Lynden Christian</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tysen played a big role in the Lynden Christian JV team winning the varsity bracket last weekend at the 2026 Laurel Shootout. He gets to his mid-range shot really smoothly, finding his spots and having an advanced skillset on the offensive side. His defensive game is intense too, bringing energy and going 100% everywhere. He gets his hands in the passing lanes with ease, leading to easy buckets for himself or teammates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3027194' first='Grant' last='Adams'] - Lynden Christian</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant is a great ball handler, being able to attack the rim at a high level with either hand. He is strong with the ball and does a great job at protecting the ball when getting to the rack. He plays under-pressure really well by staying composed and calm on the offensive side of the ball. He knocks down shots at a high level too, mostly being able to hit mid-range shots while being contested. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Axel Erickson - Ferndale</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Axel is poised for a big season with Ferndale on the varsity team. He is a pure point guard that is pass-first, keeping his eyes up and facilitating the offense at a high level. He stays calm when pressure comes his way, keeping his composure to find open teammates and maintain his dribble. Axel is going to be a guard to watch over the coming years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3667470' first='Grady' last='Kooy'] - Lynden Christian</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grady was arguably the best player on the court last weekend during the 2026 Laurel Shooutout. He scored from all 3 levels all weekend long, showcasing a smooth jumper and his ability to finish through contact in the paint. He played great on or off ball, having a high IQ for the game on both ends. He can get into his rhythm quickly, knowing how to pick apart opposing players at a high level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Carter Weg - Lynden</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter is a player that I could see getting playing time for the Lions. He has great speed on the court and uses it well on his first step to get by defenders. He can handle the rock with both hands at a high level and can attack going left just as well as his right. He knows how to stay grounded, playing off two feet and being a player who makes the right decision. Weg is a dynamic guard who knows how to facilitate the offense and find open teammates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->