Ahmaad Rorie and David Crisp know nothing about Clover Park’s 72-year basketball title drought. For them, it’s 1-for-1.
The cousins moved into the starting lineup as freshmen last season and helped lead the Warriors to the Class 2A state title. It was the first boys basketball state title in school history.
“When we were in seventh grade we always talked about how we would go to high school together and be real good and win state,” said Crisp.
Few could have predicted that it would happen in the cousins’ first year as preps, but it did. Providing stellar guard play to support star senior Tana Pritchard, Crisp and Rorie led the Warriors to a 27-3 record and a victory over two-time defending champion Squalicum in the title game last season.
Now the two want to go 2-for-2 in state title games.
“David and I put in so much work during the offseason, it’s crazy,” said Rorie. “We’re in the gym every day, doing our homework, and we’re prepared.”
Pritchard, who handled much of the inside scoring and rebounding load, is gone – to Washington State, on a football scholarship. However, Clover Park returns five players from an eight-man rotation, including Isom Brown, Dwayne Crawford and Xavier Means.
For longtime coach Mel Ninnis, returning five seasoned players from a state championship team is a rare luxury.
“When we had our first summer practice down at TCC, I had five guys who knew what to do when I said it,” said Ninnis. “That’s a huge bonus.”
And as long as Rorie and Crisp continue to work hard and try to improve, Clover Park will be the team to beat in the 2A ranks.
“We’re going to be more aggressive since Tana is gone, getting rebounds and stuff,” said Crisp. “We’ll get there, and win it again.”
The real challenge for Ninnis will be keeping his team focused. When your two stars win the state title as freshmen, what do you do for an encore?
“I’ve got to keep my guys in tune to respect the game, respect all of the opponents, and don’t overlook anybody,” says Ninnis.
The Warriors won their season opener against Spanaway Lake, 73-67. Crisp scored 25 points and Rorie had 18. On Saturday, Clover Park fell to district rival and defending 3A champion Lakes, 84-72.
When Clover Park begins league play in the SPSL 2A, the Warriors will face challenges from a few teams, particularly Sumner and White River.
“Sumner is big, strong, and physical,” Ninnis said. “They’ll be able to give us a game.”
Ninnis said that Crisp and Rorie are already attracting attention from college recruiters up and down the West Coast despite being just sophomores.
“Here, in person – I’m not talking about letters; anyone can send a letter – when coaches fly on planes to come here and talk to my kids, it’s been Gonzaga, Washington State, Washington, Santa Clara, California, Boise State, and Cal-Poly,” said Ninnis.
“These are all coaches in person, and they haven’t even played their sophomore year yet.”
Many of the schools are clearly stating that they are interested in recruiting the cousins together.
“We’ve been thinking about going together,” said Rorie. “A lot of the schools have been recruiting both of us.”
While both players are guards, Rorie and Crisp play different styles to complement each other. Rorie is more of a perimeter player, while Crisp prefers to drive.
“David is more of a high-risk player,” said Ninnis. “He’ll take the ball to the hole through groups and try to dunk it on them; he’ll try to create a shot. Ahmaad is more of a controlled player that’s an outside-in, while David is more of a take it to the basket first, settle for the jumper second. They’re just opposite that way.”
And there’s plenty of time for the two to refine their games. Crisp and Rorie have three more years of high school, a chilling thought for other 2A schools’ title hopes.
“They have to maintain the ability to be humble and hungry,” says Ninnis. “A lot of early success has wrecked other young kids, but it can’t wreck these guys. These guys are too solid. They are great students, and they just have to maintain that ability to be hungry.”
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