Washington Huskies basketball: A new team rises in 2020-21 from last year’s disappointment
Herb Nightengale
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Last year anything that could go wrong did for the Washington Huskies basketball team. In 2020-21 UW looks to reverse their course.
Although delayed by a few days, the Washington Huskies 2020-21 basketball season is set to begin. UW comes off a disappointing 15-17 season without three of their top four players from that team. Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels left after their freshman seasons for the NBA, while Nahziah Carter was suspended from the team for unspecified reasons in early October. It’s on head coach Mike Hopkins to rebuild his team from the ashes.
Without Stewart, McDaniels, and Carter, what does UW have left? That sounds like a grim beginning, doesn’t it? Take out the word grim from that statement, and what’s left is “a beginning.” Even better than a fresh start, the young Washington Huskies have a veteran on the court to lead them. Junior point guard Quade Green returns after becoming academically ineligible two games into the PAC-12 season.
Guards
Green was averaging 11.6 points per game (ppg), third behind Stewart and McDaniels. Aside from points, Green’s leadership and ability make everyone else on the court better. He was vital to the team’s success and maybe even the glue that held them together. Last year UW was 11-4 when Green played and 4-13 without him.
Marcus Tsohonis took over Green’s role for the rest of the season. After the first three non-conference games, the Huskies planned to redshirt him. Instead, Tsohonis was pressed into action. The young man responded with a season average of 7.3 points per game, including a team-high 19 against Arizona State on February 1.
Junior Jamal Bey is expected to start on the wing. Last year as Carter’s understudy, the 6-6 swingman from Portland, Oregon averaged 3.1 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. Additionally, Wichita State transfer Erik Stevenson should also see quite a bit of playing time. The Lacey, Washington native put up 11.1 ppg on a very good Shockers team (23-8).
Sophomore Raequan Battle from nearby Marysville will likely be the first backcourt player off the bench. In limited play last season, he averaged 4.9 ppg. The Huskies will look to the sophomore for some instant offense. He shot 26.5 percent behind the three-point line in 2019-20. Battle, however, should improve his numbers with more playing time. Transfer Nate Pryor, from North Idaho College, will also see time in Hopkins rotation.
Forwards
Expect the Huskies frontcourt to be very different this year as they play without Stewart, McDaniels, and Bryan Penn-Johnson, who transferred to LSU. Last season, 6-9 senior Hameir Wright started 29 games, averaging 26.1 minutes, 5.6 points, and 4.2 rebounds per night. He’ll be joined up front by 6-11, 265-pound redshirt-sophomore Nate Roberts. He played very sparingly last season, but the Huskies will need all of Roberts’ size to pound the boards.
J’Raan Brooks will be the third key member of the front line, most likely coming off the bench. The Garfield High School alum returns home to Seattle after one year at USC. He transferred to Washington last year and had to sit out the season. At Southern Cal in 2018-19, he averaged 2.0 points in 8.2 minutes a game. Washington does have a true center on their roster, redshirt sophomore Riley Sorn, out of Richland, Washington. The 7-4 big man is a walk-on and a project, so he probably won’t see much playing time this season.
Because the Huskies aren’t deep up front, Hopkins may play small ball with four guards on the court at once. Outside of Wright and Green, Washington is short on experience; but they do have good young talent. This team will not repeat their Pac-12 last-place finish from 2019-20.
How do you feel about the Washington Huskies basketball team in 2020-21? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.