The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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58 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2023 BY CHRIS BALAS F reshmen are hit and miss in terms of how much they can help a basket- ball program, and it sometimes depends on how physically ready they are for the next level. Michigan head coach Juwan Howard will find out soon enough if his incom- ing pair of freshmen — Dayton (Ohio) Chaminade Julienne shooting guard George Washington III and South Kent (Conn.) School forward Papa Kante — are ready to contribute immediately, but there are plenty of signs they'll be play- ers at some point. Washington was named Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of the Year for 2023, becoming the first from his school to earn the honor. The award rec- ognizes both "athletic excellence" and "high standards of academic achieve- ment and exemplary character demon- strated on and off the court." Washington led his team to a 25-3 re- cord and the Division II, Region 8 state semifinal game against Rocky River Lu- theran West. He averaged 24.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 47.3 percent from three-point range. His three-point shot at the buzzer bounced off the rim in the semifinal game in a 56-54 loss, one of the few things that didn't go the Southwest District Division II Player of the Year's way. "George's stats are incredible, espe- cially for the schedule his team played," head coach Donnie Tate of Bellbrook (Ohio) High, whose team lost to Wash- ington's, 74-32, said Dec. 13. " Eve r y ga m e , h e 's b e i n g fa c e - guarded, guarded by the other team's best defender and double-teamed. To shoot over 47 percent from the three- point line and score over 24 points per game against those defenses on their schedule is incredible. He's also stepped up in big moments of their biggest games." Washington scored 16 of his game- high 32 points in the fourth quarter of a win over rival Alter during Julienne's impressive run, overcoming an 8-point deficit with 3.5 minutes remaining. "We just had to dig down to who we are and be us to the end," Washington told the Dayton Daily News. With Julienne trailing by 6 points, Washington scored on a tough drive and finish and hit 2 free throws to cut the margin to 2. He then nailed a triple after an Alter bucket to cut it to 1 and set up his brother, B.B. Washington, for a key three-pointer down the stretch. "Washington III played at a differ- ent level, as usual," the Daily News re- ported. "The Michigan signee made 4 three-pointers and 14 of 15 free-throw attempts, and when he couldn't get off a good shot, he often found the open man. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the best thing in the world to have a guy like that as a coach," Chaminade Julienne coach Charlie Szabo said. "He's hit big shots all year. He's hit big shots his whole ca- reer. He wants the ball in that moment." Washington also scored 14 points in a 65-35 district title win over Cincinnati Wyoming and 30 points in a 65-57 vic- tory over Ponitz Feb. 24. The 6-foot-2, 165-pounder is the No. 112 player na- tionally in the On3 Industry Ranking. Connecticut big man Kante (6-foot- 10, 225 pounds and the No. 73 player nationally in the On3 Industry ranking) finished his year on a high note, too. He scored 19 points in an 88-64 win over Spire Academy March 8 at the National Prep Championships. South Kent cap- tured the AAA title at the event March 5 with help from Kante's 14 points. Howard took a chance on a small guard last year, offering class of 2024 point guard Christian Anderson Jr. be- fore just about anyone else. Anderson has since grown 3 inches — he is now 5-foot-11 — and put up big numbers for his Atlanta Lovett School team this year. Anderson was honored as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,572 points Jan. 9. He then scored 40 points (of his team's 48) in a 68-48 loss to Pace, mak- ing 14 of 23 field goals. A month later, Anderson made 16 of 21 field goals, in- cluding 8 triples, and notched 46 points and 5 assists in a win over Stockbridge. The point guard then averaged 39.3 points per game in the playoffs where he showed out. He scored 20 in a 49- ❱ BASKETBALL RECRUITING Help Is On The Way For Juwan Howard Class of 2023 signee George Washington III was named the Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard averaged 24.1 points per game and connected on 47.3 percent of his three-pointers. PHOTO COURTESY GEORGE WASHINGTON III