Boys basketball: Metro league outlook

Dec 10, 2002

By Matt Massey

Special to The Seattle Times

Sound Division

Top returning players — G-F Rodrick Stewart, Rainier Beach, 6-5, Sr.; G-F Lodrick Stewart, Rainier Beach, 6-5, Sr.; G Nate Jackson, Cleveland, 6-1, Sr.; F Antonio Sims, Cleveland, 6-3, Sr.; F-G Nick Benevenga, Nathan Hale, 5-10, Sr.; PG Lee Nearing, Ingraham, 6-0, Sr.; PG Joe Evan Jones, Chief Sealth, 5-7, Jr.; F Nate Neumiller, Chief Sealth, 6-4, Sr.; PG Elliot Rivera-Flodine, Nathan Hale, 5-7, Jr.; F David Maddox, Rainier Beach, 6-2, Sr.; P Elliot Sims, Chief Sealth, 6-4, Sr.

Top newcomers — F Ben Wade, Ingraham, 6-5, Sr. (transfer from Lathrop, Alaska); F Terrence Williams, Rainier Beach, 6-5, So. (transfer from Garfield); C Chester "C.J." Giles, Rainier Beach, 6-10, Jr. (transfer from Federal Way School District, ineligible last season); F Josh Love, Rainier Beach, 6-8, Sr. (transfer from Auburn); G Jason Pegues, Cleveland, 6-2, Jr.; F Michael Woolley, Nathan Hale, 6-3, So.; C Jeremiah McMillion, Ingraham, 6-7, Sr.; G Michael Rheubottom, Chief Sealth, 6-1, Sr. (transfer from Franklin); C Robert Yodi, West Seattle, 6-5, Sr.; F Jarvis Stewart, Rainier Beach, 6-6, Jr. (transfer from Mississippi).

Notable — On paper, Rainier Beach has the kind of talent that could push it into the category of best teams in state history along with Cleveland's state-title teams of 1975 and '76 and Garfield's championship team of '74. The Vikings, top-ranked in the state and No. 2 nationally in the USA Today Super 25 rankings and No. 1 in the West Region, feature the USC-bound Stewart twins — Rodrick (19.4 ppg) and Lodrick (17.8) — and a much taller lineup that includes transfers Giles and Love. At 6-5, 6-5, 6-5, 6-8 and 6-10, Beach could prove untouchable. ... With a 1-2 punch of Nearing, a preseason all-state pick and Metro's leading scorer at 21.9 ppg as a junior, and Wade, Ingraham would seem to have the best chance among division foes to knock off Beach.

Mountain Division

Top returning players — P Kris Tinglestad, Bishop Blanchet, 6-2, Sr.; PG Patrick Beach, Eastside Catholic, 5-10, Jr.; F Nick Mills, Eastside Catholic, 6-4, Sr.; P Kyle Moskos, Eastside Catholic, 6-5, Sr.; F Spencer Evans, Bainbridge, 6-3, Sr.; F-G Jamal Shareef, Lakeside, 6-3, Sr.; PG Houston Gossett, Lakeside, 5-6, Jr.; PG Chad Troyer, Seattle Prep, 6-3, Jr.; F Martell Webster, Seattle Prep, 6-6, So.; G Michael Knight, Seattle Prep, 6-2, Jr.; C Robbie Will, O'Dea, 6-9, Sr.; PG Mitch Johnson, O'Dea, 6-1, So.; G-F Brandon Markey, O'Dea, 6-0, Sr.

Top newcomers — F-G Alex Graves, Bishop Blanchet, 6-1, Jr.; G Henry Guterson, Bainbridge, 5-11, Sr.; F Nick Scott, Lakeside, 6-3½, Jr.; P Erik Lawler, Seattle Prep, 6-6, Jr.; F-C Conor Mullen, O'Dea, 6-5, So.

Notable - Seattle Prep, even without any seniors for the first time in Coach Chris Miller's 12 years, is the narrow choice to take the Mountain Division over O'Dea on the strength of a nice mix of shooters and talented wing player, Webster. "We won't be a shoo-in to get to state, but we have a chance," Miller said. "Next year (2003-04), we think we can be very, very good. What makes us tough is we have three kids who can potentially get 20 points, and at the high-school level, that's pretty rare. (Webster) has a nice feel for the game. He shoots it really well. He's got NBA-shooting ability. He's the best player I've coached and we have two in the Pac-10 right now (Cal's Erik Bond and UW's Jeffrey Day)." The Panthers, who won state in 2000 but missed state for the first time in four years, appear poised to make a run at Beach for the Metro championship. Prep was eliminated by the rival Irish in a Sea-King District game last season after two-thirds of its varsity roster was suspended for team violations. ... O'Dea is led by the versatile Johnson, son of former Sonic John Johnson, and the division's top big man in the hulking Will.