Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Williamsport, PA (Future150) -- When talking about high school basketball in the state of Pennsylvania, the city of Philadelphia almost exclusively churns out the biggest hardwood stars.
However, one of the most successful high school basketball programs in the state is tucked away deep in the valleys of central Pennsylvania in the small town of Williamsport. The Millionaires basketball team is one of the most storied programs in Pennsylvania and play at the highly competitive AAAA level.
Their latest star is sophomore combo guard Isaiah Washington.The 6'4", 170 pound class of 2014 stud used this season as a showcase to rack up team as well as individual accolades. He led the Millionaries to an 18-9 record, taking his team to a District 2 title and the second round of state playoffs.
He averaged 12.3 points per game as a sophomore and played his best in state tournament play. He led his team in assists, 3-point shots made, as well as steals. In the Millionaires first round win over Souderton, he scored 20 points while handing out five assists, grabbing four rebounds, and racking up four steals.
It's easy to see why Penn State, which is located an hour from Williamsport, wanted Washington, who committed to the Nittany Lions last month.
"The entire program made me want to stay local. It was the best place athletically and academically for me. A big part of it was academics. I'm an honors student with a 4.0 grade point average. Academics mean a lot to me."
Despite receiving interest from big time programs such as Syracuse, Notre Dame, Indiana, and Villanova, he ended his recrutiing process by choosing the Nittany Lions, who have struggled mightily over the years.
He is head coach Pat Chambers only recruit for PSU's 2014 class, and he is ready to embark on a successful career in State College. "Coach Chambers wants me to score first and then facilitate. I'm a combo guard."
This AAU season, Isaiah Washington will be suiting up for ECE-NJABC-WeR1, where he will be showing the rest of the nation just how talented he is. With two more seasons left at Williamsport and his college commitment already taken care of, he is now focused on more individual and team goals.
"I want to win states. I want to make first-team all-state at least once, make top 100 nationally for my class, and become a McDonald's All-American."
Isaiah Washington has big dreams for his final two years of high school basketball, and with an academic reputation even more impressive than his hardwood resume, it wouldn't be smart to bet against the pride of Williamsport.
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