Sammamish Totems
Coach: Wes Newton, 5th season
League: KingCo 3A/2A
Last year: 16-11, lost in Sea-King District Tournament
Key losses: PG Daniel Wruble (Everett CC), G Anthony Do, F Brady Anderson, F Duncan Dickerson
Key returners: SG John Steinberg, Jr.; G George Valle, Jr.; G Sami Jarjour, Jr.; F Jacob West, Jr.
Impact new players: F Taylor Berg, Sr.; G Dakota Olsen, Soph.; G Steve Perkins, Jr.
Player to watch: SG John Steinberg, Jr. Bursting with passion for the game, Steinberg leapt onto the KingCo scene last season. With the graduation of guards Wruble and Do, more will be asked of the junior this season.
Outlook: Totems lost a lot with graduation of big group of seniors, but return a strong quartet of juniors with big-time experience. Steinberg, Valle, Jarjour and West all played big minutes last season.
Bellevue Wolverines
Coach: Chris O’Connor, 5th season
League: KingCo 3A/2A
Last year: 24-5, finished seventh at Class 3A state tournament
Key losses: PG Aaron Bright (Stanford)
Key returners: F Nate Sikma, Sr.; G Will Locke, Sr.; G John Ahrens, Sr.; G Kendrick Van Ackeren, Sr.; F Evian Richard, Sr.
Impact new players: F Cole Walton, Jr.
Player to watch: F Nate Sikma, Sr. The son of former Supersonic Jack Sikma put together an outstanding junior season and should be even better this season with more experience under his belt.
Outlook: Wolverines lose one of the state’s top players in Bright, but O’Connor thinks this years squad should be a more versatile defensive team with the ability to score in transition or in half-court sets.
Interlake Saints
Coach: Dan Peterson, 9th season
League: KingCo 3A/2A
Last year: 7-14, lost in district playoff
Key losses: G Zac Johnston, Jeffrey Kimmell
Key returners: G Eric Ritter, F Colton Faber
Impact new players: G Nick Roth, G Austin Strother
Player to watch: G Eric Ritter. Can Ritter help ease the pain of losing Johnston and Kimmell? He’ll need to help a young team come together.
Outlook: Interlake is a young team, and it will take some time to learn to play with each other. Coach Dan Peterson says the team should be able to score, but will need to learn to defend and rebound.
Newport Knights
Coach: Steve Haizlip, 1st season
League: KingCo 4A, Crest Division
Last year: 5-15, 5th in KingCo Crest Division
Key losses: Bobby Gutierrez; F Victor King; G Trace Tam Sing; ; G Jake Hillyer
Key returners: G Cole Wiper, Sr.; F Isaac Dotson, Soph.; F Miles Fowler, Soph.; Kyle Brown, Sr.; F John McKinnon, Sr.
Impact new players: Jake Fink; Drew Caraway
Player to watch: G Cole Wiper, Sr. Wiper, a University of Oregon baseball recruit, is off to a strong start this season, netting 22 points in a Dec. 3 win over West Seattle.
Outlook: Knights should be improved under first-year coach Steve Haizlip, a Newport alum. Emergence of young big man Miles Fowler will be a big boost.
Bellevue Christian Vikings
Coach: Mike Downs, 30th season
League: Emerald City Leaguet
Last year: 20-7, finished 4th in Class 1A
Key losses: G David Downs (Seattle Pacific University); F Max Pressey; W Harrison Glassey; P Luke VandenBrink;
Key returners: P Bryce Oldham, Soph.; P Jake Vandenbrink
Player to watch: P Jake VandenBrink. The 6-foot-8, 260-pound big man scored 9.9 points per game and had 5.8 rebounds per game while blocking nearly two shots a contest last year for the Vikings as a freshman.
Outlook: Loss of David Downs will hurt as he led the team in scoring the past three seasons. Jake VandenBrink should bring a tough inside presence and Bryce Oldham will provide steady scoring. Guided by Mike Downs in his 30th season, team should contend for another Emerald City League title, something they are accustomed to winning.
