These former Washington high school basketball stars are on men’s NCAA Tournament rosters
There are 16 players with ties to Washington who play for Division I men’s basketball programs that have qualified for the NCAA Tournament, which begins Thursday.
Here’s who they are:
COLORADO
Will Loughlin
Forward, 6-10, 250, soph.
High school: Seattle Prep
Averaging 1.5 minutes per game in two games played.
Loughlin walked on for the Buffalos last fall after spending two seasons training, including working out with Colorado’s women’s team as a practice player the past year. He has appeared in two games this season, averaging 1.5 minutes. Loughlin played on the Panthers team that advanced to the first round of the 3A state tournament his senior season in 2018.
DREXEL
Zach Walton
Guard, 6-6, 205, graduate student
High school: Morton-White Pass
Previous school: Edmonds CC
Averaging 27.9 minutes, 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game in 19 games played.
Walton was named to the All-CAA Tournament team after averaging 13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in Drexel’s three game run to the conference tournament title and helping the Dragons to their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1996. He averaged 12.2 points per game and 4.4 rebounds last season in 33 games, and 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in seven games the season prior before he was sidelined by a wrist injury. Before Drexel, Walton averaged 20.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game his final season at Edmonds CC. At Morton-White Pass, he averaged 20.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.2 as a senior and was named the 2B player of the year by both the AP and WIBCA. He paced the Timberwolves to three 2B state tournament appearances, including back-to-back undefeated state titles in 2014 and 2015. He still holds modern tournament records for points scored (78) average (26 points per game) and field goals made (26) set his senior season in 2015.
EASTERN WASHINGTON
Jacob Groves
Guard, 6-7, 185, soph.
High school: Shadle Park
Averaging 21.2 minutes, 8.7 points, 4 rebounds per game in 23 games played.
Groves was named to the All-Big Sky Tournament team after averaging 13 points and 3.3 rebounds — including 15 points in the title game and 21 in the semifinals — as the Eagles punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. This is his second season withe the Eagles. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per games as a freshman. At Shadle Park, Groves averaged 17.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game as a senior in 2019. The Highlanders advanced to the 3A state regionals twice during his career. He is the younger brother of EWU’s Tanner Groves.
Tanner Groves
Forward, 6-9, 235, R-jr.
High school: Shadle Park
Averaging 26.7 minutes, a team-high 16.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 block per game in 23 games played.
Groves was named the Big Sky Tournament MVP after averaging 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game in the Eagles’ run to the tournament title. He posted double-doubles in both the quarterfinals (15 points, 11 rebounds) and championship win over Montana State (14 points, 14 rebounds). Groves averaged 5.4 points and 3 rebounds per game last season and 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds his first season with the Eagles. He redshirted as a freshman in 2017-18. At Shadle Park, Groves averaged 18.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks per game as a senior in 2017 while shooting 62% from the field. Shadle Park advanced to the 3A state playoffs twice during his career, and played in the state quarterfinals when he was a freshman. He is the older brother of EWU’s Jacob Groves.
Casson Rouse
Guard, 6-2, 180, R-soph.
High school: Timberline
Averaging 13.3 minutes, 2.9 points, 1.1 rebounds per game in 18 games played.
Rouse appeared in Eastern’s Big Sky Tournament semifinals win over Montana. He averaged 6.5 points, 2 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the Eagles last season after redshirting his freshman year in 2018-19. At Timberline, he averaged 10 points, 3.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game as a senior in helping the Blazers to a program-best fourth-place finish at the 3A state tournament. Timberline also advanced to the state regionals his sophomore season. He played his junior year at Olympia.
Jordan Veening
Forward, 6-6, 205, R-soph.
High school: Nooksack Valley
Averaging 3 minutes per game in four games played.
Veening appeared in Eastern’s Big Sky Tournament semifinals win over Montana. He has played in eight games for the Eagles during his career and redshirted as a freshman in 2018-19. At Nooksack Valley, he averaged 15 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists as a senior in 2019.
Steele Venters
Guard, 6-7, 175, R-fr.
High school: Ellensburg
Averaging 10.1 minutes, 3.8 points, 1.4 rebounds per game in 16 games played.
Venters appeared in Eastern’s Big Sky Tournament semifinals win over Montana. This is his first season playing for the Eagles after redshirting as a freshman in 2019-20. At Ellensburg, he averaged 23 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game as a senior in 2019, and 26 points per game as a junior. He was named a first-team all-state selection by the AP both years. Venters scored more than 1,200 points in his high school career. The Bulldogs reached the 2A state quarterfinals his freshman season in 2016.
GONZAGA
Corey Kispert
Forward, 6-7, 220, sr.
High school: King’s
Averaging a team-high 31.1 minutes and 19.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists per game in 26 games played.
Kispert was named to the All-WCC Tournament team after averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2 assists in helping guide undefeated Gonzaga — which takes the top overall seed in to the NCAA Tournament — to its third conference tournament title in his four seasons. Kispert would be making his fourth March Madness appearance had the COVID-19 pandemic not wiped out the 2020 tournament. Gonzaga has also won WCC regular season titles each of Kispert’s four seasons. The All-American was named the conference’s Player of the Year this season and is on watch lists for multiple national awards. He has collected 1,490 points and 521 rebounds in his four-year career. He was also a first-team All-WCC pick as a junior after averaging 13.9 points, 4 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He averaged 8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1 assists as a sophomore and 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds as a true freshman. Kispert was a four-star recruit in high school and considered the No. 5 player in Washington in the 2017 class (behind Nathan Hale’s Michael and Jontay Porter and Garfield’s Daejon Davis and Jaylen Nowell). At King’s he averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game his final full season as a junior, and paced the Knights to back-to-back 1A state titles his sophomore and junior seasons. They took second his freshman year and third his senior year, though he did not play in the tournament following foot surgery. He was averaging 25 points per game before missing the state playoffs. He was a three-time all-state first-team pick by the AP, including being named the 1A player of the year his junior season.
Anton Watson
Forward, 6-8, 225, soph.
High school: Gonzaga Prep
Averaging 19.5 minutes. 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals in 26 games played.
Watson played in both of Gonzaga’s WCC Tournament games, helping the program — which takes the top overall seed in to the NCAA Tournament — to the second consecutive tournament win of his career. Watson would be making his second March Madness appearance had the COVID-19 pandemic not wiped out the 2020 tournament. Gonzaga has also won WCC regular season titles each of his two seasons. Watson averaged 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a true freshman last season before missing Gonzaga’s final 14 games with a shoulder injury. He was considered a four-star recruit in high school, the No. 2 player in Washington in the 2019 class behind Federal Way’s Jaden McDaniels and a top-50 player nationally. At Gonzaga Prep, he averaged 21.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a senior in 2019 on his way to earning state Player of the Year honors (across all classifications) by several outlets. He was twice named the 4A state tournament MVP after leading the Bullpups to back-to-back titles his junior and senior seasons. Gonzaga Prep took third in the tournament when he was a freshman and sophomore. Watson compiled 2,022 career points at Gonzaga Prep. The Bullpups went 102-6 during his four-year career.
GRAND CANYON
Liam Lloyd
Guard, 6-5, 190, fr.
High school: Gonzaga Prep
Averaging 9 minutes, 2.7 points, 1.3 assists per game in 12 games played.
Lloyd appeared twice in the WAC Tournament as the top-seeded Antelopes cruised to the title, and punched their first NCAA Tournament ticket since joining the Division I ranks in 2013. At Gonzaga Prep, Lloyd finished his career with more than 1,000 points and averaged 23 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game as a senior in 2020 on his way to first-team AP all-state honors. The Bullpups advanced to the 4A state tournament each of Lloyd’s three seasons, winning the title both his sophomore and junior seasons.
HOUSTON
Cameron Tyson
Guard, 6-2, 190, R-soph.
High school: Bothell
Previous school: Idaho
Averaging 10.5 minutes, 6.9 points, 1 rebound in 16 games played.
Tyson appeared twice in the AAC Tournament as Houston rolled to its first conference tournament championship since 2010. This is his first season playing for the Cougars after redshirting last season per NCAA transfer rules. Prior to Houston, Tyson played his freshman season at Idaho, and appeared in all 32 games, starting all but one. He broke the program’s freshman scoring record with 432 points and averaged 13.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. His 106 3-pointers also book a Big Sky freshman record. At Bothell, Tyson averaged 26.6 points, 5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game as a senior in 2018. He paced the Cougars to the 4A state regionals twice.
MISSOURI
Ed Chang
Forward, 6-8, 215, jr.
High school: Garfield
Previous schools: San Diego State, Salt Lake CC
Has not played in 2020-21 season.
Chang has not appeared in a game this season after transferring from Salt Lake CC, where he averaged 8.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He played his freshman season at San Diego State. Chang was on Garfield’s roster his senior season in high school in 2018 — the Bulldogs won the 3A title that year — but did not play. He was considered the top recruit in Nebraska before heading to Washington for his final season.
OKLAHOMA STATE
Ferron Flavors Jr.
Guard, 6-3, 190, graduate student
High school: Federal Way
Previous schools: South Mountain CC, Fairfield, Cal Baptist
Averaging 12.5 minutes, 3.6 points per game in 22 games played.
Flavors appeared twice in the Big 12 tournament for a Cowboys team that reached the championship game. This is his first season at Oklahoma State after playing at both Cal Baptist and Fairfield for one season apiece. At Cal Baptist in 2019-20, he led the WAC in made 3-pointers per game (2.93) and 3-point percentage (42.7) while averaging 13.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He did not play in 2018-19, but at Fairfield in 2017-18 led the Stags with 12.3 points per game. He played his first college season at South Mountain CC, averaging 17.6 points per game. At Federal Way, he averaged 12 points and 3 rebounds per game as a senior in 2016, and played for the Eagles’ back-to-back 4A state tournament champion teams as a junior and senior.
UC SANTA BARBARA
JaQuori McLaughlin
Guard, 6-4, 190, sr.
High school: Peninsula
Previous school: Oregon State
Averaging a team-high 32 minutes, 16.2 points and 5.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds per game in 25 games played.
McLaughlin was named the Big West Tournament MVP after averaging 20.3 points, 3.3 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal per game — including 22 points and three assists in the title game — in pacing the Gauchos to their first NCAA Tournament bid in a decade. McLaughlin was also named the Big West Player of the Year after leading UCSB to its first regular season title since 2010. The Gauchos have won 18 of their past 19 behind McLaughlin’s team-high scoring and assists averages. He has collected 1,133 points and 356 assists in three seasons at UCSB. His redshirt sophomore season, he averaged 10.3 points and 4.1 assists starting each of the program’s 32 games, and bumped those numbers up to 13.4 points and 4.1 assists as a junior. McLaughlin played his freshman season at Oregon State in 2016-17, started 30 of 32 games, averaged 10.5 points and 3.3 assists per game, and hit a freshman program record 58 3-pointers. Six games into the following season he opted to transfer and redshirted in 2017-18. McLaughlin was consensus four-star guard in high school, considered the No. 2 player in Washington in the 2016 class and a top-100 player nationally. He was named Mr. Basketball for the 2015-16 season by WIBCA after averaging 19.3 points, 9.1 assists and 5.5 steals his final high school season. He was also a two-time AP all-state selection and two-time TNT All-Area first-team pick. Peninsula won a school-record 21 games his senior season and advanced to the state playoffs for the first time since 2008.
UTAH STATE
Alphonso Anderson
Forward, 6-6, 220, sr.
High schools: Wilson, Garfield
Previous school: North Idaho College
Averaging 16.2 minutes, 6.8 points, 2.7 rebounds per game in 28 games played.
Anderson played in each of the Aggies’ Mountain West Tournament games, averaging 7 points and 2.7 rebounds in their runner-up finish. Anderson was also named the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year this season. This is his second season with the Aggies. He appeared in every game last season as a junior, averaging 8.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1 assist per game, and would have appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the conference tournament champion Aggies had the COVID-19 pandemic not canceled it. Before transferring to Utah State, Anderson played one season at North Idaho College, averaging 15.6 points per game. At Garfield, he averaged 13 points and 6.7 rebounds per game as a senior in 2016, helping the Bulldogs to a third-place finish in the 3A state tournament. Garfield won the 3A title his junior season, when Anderson averaged a double-double of 16.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Prior to Garfield, he played at Wilson.
WEST VIRGINIA
Emmitt Matthews Jr.
Forward, 6-7, 215, jr.
High school: Wilson
Averaging 25.4 minutes, 7.7 points, 4 rebounds, 1.1 assists per game in 27 games played.
Matthews logged eight points, seven rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block in West Virgina’s Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals loss, and would likely be headed to the Big Dance for the second time in his career had the COVID-19 pandemic not wiped out the 2020 tournament. Matthews started 30 of 31 games for the Mountaineers last season as a sophomore, averaging 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He averaged 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds as a freshman. He was the consensus No. 3 player in Washington in the 2018 class. At Wilson, Matthews averaged 22.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.4 blocks per game as a senior and tallied 1,614 points and 744 rebounds in his career. He was an all-state pick as a senior and named the 3A player of the year by WIBCA. He was also TNT’s All-Area player of the year as a senior, and two-time first-team pick. Wilson appeared in the 3A state playoffs each of Matthews’ four seasons with the program, twice reaching the state tournament quarterfinals.
This story was originally published March 14, 2021 at 4:00 PM.
