The Washington Men’s Basketball team will be competing for a Pac-12 Championship this season and the talent at the forward position looks promising. There is a good mix of experience and youth that head coach Mike Hopkins will look upon to bolster the front court this season. Having athleticism and length at this position group will pave the way for a successful season for the Huskies.
THE PLAYERS
NAHZIAH CARTER (Sophomore, 6 feet 6 inches, 205 pounds)
NOAH DICKERSON (Senior, 6 feet 8 inches, 245 pounds)
DOMINIC GREEN (Senior, 6 feet 6 inches, 200 pounds)
REAGAN LUNDEEN (Freshman, 6 feet 6 inches, 225 pounds)
NATE ROBERTS (Freshman, 6 feet 10 inches, 240 pounds)
SAM TIMMINS (Junior, 6 feet 11 inches, 265 pounds)
HAMEIR WRIGHT (Sophomore, 6 feet 9 inches, 215 pounds)
THE OUTLOOK
The Huskies coaching staff received a big boost in the offseason when senior forward Noah Dickerson decided to forego the NBA Draft and return for his senior season. With his return, the Huskies are getting an All-Pac-12 First Team talent from a season ago. Dickerson is a proven scorer in the paint and a go-to-guy when the game is on the line. Last season, Dickerson averaged 15.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game and made his presence known on a nightly basis.
Another player that really came into his own last year was swingman Dominic Green. In the past, Green had struggled with consistency but is now shooting the basketball with supreme confidence. Coach Hopkins said that Green is one of the hardest workers he has ever been around, and also one of the best shooters he has coached. Last season, Green finished with the highest three-point field goal percentage at .432.
Having a big body and presence in the paint is important for Hopkins 2-3 defense, and this season Sam Timmins returns to the lineup. Timmins is a “garbage player” who will dunk the ball and get put back layups while being underneath the hoop. He can take up space in the middle of the 2-3 zone and pound the defensive glass. Hopkins wants productive minutes from Timmins and being active is essential to his productivity.
Husky fans saw flashes of his potential last season when Nahziah Carter would unleash NBA dunk reels as a true freshman. The high-flying sophomore came in at certain times last season and provided a nice spark off the bench. His athleticism is off the charts and with a year under his belt at the college level, the sky is the limit for Carter. During this past summer, word got out that Carter excelled in various summer leagues and dazzled, as his game is expected to take the next step.
Hameir Wright is the prototypical player that Hopkins is looking for in his system. With a 6 foot 9 frame, he is a rangy player underneath in the 2-3 zone and can attack the glass. Last season, Wright started out the year slow while adjusting to the learning curve of college basketball. Once the light bulb turned on, Wright started giving Hopkins productive minutes and showed that he will be a valuable player this season and take the next step.
The Huskies added two newcomers into the mix this season with Nate Roberts and Reagan Lundeen. Roberts played his high school ball at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. He will provide some offensive scoring for how big his frame is. The great thing is that he has a good handle and can shoot. Lundeen played his high school ball at famous Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. Lundeen will look to improve his outside shooting prowess to compliment his inside skills.
THE VERDICT
Heading into the season, the Huskies are in great shape at forward, as they bring back three players who started at some point during the season last year. With Dickerson, Green and Timmins headlining the group, look for that veteran leadership to provide high productivity for Hopkins. Dickerson will have another All-Pac-12 First Team type of season this year and increase his draft stock for the NBA in year two under Hopkins.
Look for Timmins to improve from last season and play much faster as he said last week, it’s about just reacting more now and playing faster! His teammates love him and feeling important is a big piece to your improvement and confidence level. Timmins will not provide a scoring threat but it’s not his role on this team. They need him to be active and give them solid minutes on the defensive end of the floor.
Dominic Green will be the best shooter on the team but one thing that goes unnoticed is his ability to defend in the 2-3 zone with his length. This is the year that Green rounds out into a complete player and will make a huge impact every night for Hopkins.
The exciting part for Husky fans will be seeing how much better Carter and Wright are a year later after working on their games all summer. Last season they were a bit of a wildcard, but look for them to break out this season and take the next step in their maturation. Carter is a guy that will really shock some people on how much he has improved since last season.
The newcomers will have to work hard to crack the rotation and gain valuable minutes but you can never go wrong with a 6 foot 10 wing player who can play on the perimeter. Roberts may be a nice valuable piece to the puzzle by the end of the season. Hopkins is starting to get his type of players on the team in terms of size, length and body frame.
The forward position group will play championship level basketball throughout the season and prove to be one of the biggest strengths of the team. Hopkins vision for this position is starting to take shape and this is the year that it all blends together for him!
