A couple high-profile football recruits played basketball at Alaska Airlines Arena at UW on Monday when Lakes took on Garfield at the King Holiday Hoopfest.

Garfield wasn’t the only team putting a full-court press on Lakes. At least six University of Washington football coaches turned out to watch recruits Zach Banner and Cedric Dozier. During most of the first quarter, Huskies coaches were stationed at three of the four tunnels that lead onto the court.

After the game – Lakes won 73-68 in double-overtime – Dozier, a defensive back/receiver, confirmed that he remained committed to Cal. Earlier in the day Cal coach Tosh Lupoi accepted a position with the Huskies and there was speculation that might sway Dozier to take an official visit to Washington.

“I’m not going to take an official,” he said. “I don’t see it happening. It would have to come to me in a dream or something spiritual. I’m still committed to the University of California.”
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SEATTLE – Lakes High boys basketball coach JoJo Rodriguez likes to say that guard Andrew Holloway plays his best in the biggest games.

Holloway proved Rodriguez right on Monday against Garfield High at the King Holiday Hoopfest.

Holloway led the Lancers rally that turned a 28-point third-quarter deficit into a 73-68 double-overtime win at Alaska Airlines Arena.

“He drives me crazy in the mediocre games,” Rodriguez said of Holloway, “but in the big games, the big moments, the dude always does it.”

Holloway scored all 20 of his points after halftime. He converted a three-point play with 1 minute, 24 seconds left that pulled Lakes even with the fifth-ranked Bulldogs, 55-55, for the first time in the game.
Garfield regained the lead moments later, but Dequam Walls sent the contest into overtime when his floated tied the score at 57 with eight seconds left in regulation.
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Steve Lawson, a former standout football player at Lakes High and the University of Puget Sound, died Thursday evening. Lawson had been battling muscular dystrophy.

Lawson, who was a co-captain on Lakes’ league championship team in 1970, was going to be inducted into the Washington State Football Hall of Fame in April.

A memorial service is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 17 at Kilworth Memorial Chapel at UPS.

This story about a fundraiser for Lawson ran in October. More than $4,000 was raised and Lawson said he was touched by the outpouring of support.

We’re gearing up for our annual football recruiting packages — Northwest Nuggets and Western 100 — and I’ve been laying the groundwork for those pieces by talking to some local players and coaches the past couple days. I wanted to pass along some timely recruiting tidbits and other football-related information:

GARNETT LEAVES PLAN UP TO TWIN SISTER
As Washington fans no doubt know, the Puyallup High offensive tackle is considering three schools: Stanford, Michigan and Notre Dame. Garnett said he won’t make a decision until after his official visit to Stanford on Jan. 14.

Garnett will play in the Under Armour All-American Game next week in Florida. He had planned to take an official visit to Miami after the game, but recently nixed that.

Garnett said he’ll make his announcement at the end of January at Puyallup High School. He’ll leave how his school of choice is revealed up to his twin sister, Rachel.

“My sister will be my planner,” he said. “She’s good at those kind of things.”
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Lakes High’s Zach Banner has received many accolades for his play on the football field — he’s been honored as an all-league, all-state and all-America offensive tackle. Banner also does a lot in the community and the National Alliance of African American Athletes has taken notice.

The Alliance has named Banner as one of six finalists for its prestigious Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Award, which honors the country’s top male high school scholar athlete.

Here’s the press release:

Los Angeles, CA (December 22, 2011) – On Saturday, February 18, 2012, at 6:00pm, The National Alliance of African American Athletes (The Alliance) will recognize another stellar group of high school athletes from across the nation for the Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Award. The award is presented each year to the nation’s top African American male high school scholar athlete.

The six finalists, in alphabetical order, are:

* Zach Banner, Tacoma, WA – Washington State Academic Achiever, Distinguished Scholar Award, Volunteer for Tacoma Sports Association, Middle School Mentor for 4 middle Schools, Ignite Mentor, US Army All American,1st Team USA Today, All State Football while maintaining a 3.5 GPA at Lakes High School.
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Lakes High offensive lineman Zach Banner and defensive back/receiver/quarterback Cedric Dozier were named to Sports Illustrated’s High School Football All-America team.

Banner was a first-team selection and Dozier earned honorable mention as an all-purpose player. Other Washington players listed as honorable-mention picks were Skyline quarterback Max Browne and Bellevue quarterback/defensive back Tyler Hasty.

Here’s the team.

FIRST TEAM

Offense
QB Maty Mauk, Sr., Kenton (Ohio)
Missouri commit set the national prep record for career passing yards (18,520) and TDs (213).

RB Johnathan Gray, Sr., Aledo (Texas)
Prolific runner compiled 10,908 career rushing yards and 205 TDs, the latter a national record.

RB Trey Williams, Sr., Dekaney (Texas)
The lightning-quick tailback amassed 3,890 yards and 48 touchdowns en route to a state title.
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Editor’s note: We’re publishing our league-by-league basketball previews this week. We’ll run one or two previews each day this week.

SPSL 3A BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW CAPSULES

CRYSTAL BALL
1. Lakes (25-3)
2. Decatur (17-9)
3. Auburn Mountainview (9-13)
4. Enumclaw (7-13)
5. Bonney Lake (7-14)
6. Peninsula (3-18)
*2010-11 records

STARTING FIVE
F Nate Guy 6-6 Sr. Lakes
Has developed into one of the best players in the South Sound, if not state

C Zach Banner 6-9 Sr. Lakes
Biggest big man in the state can gobble up boards, pile up put-backs

W Marion Beauchamp 6-3 Sr. Auburn Mountainview
First-team all-league player averaged 14.3 points. 7 rebounds per game

G Dom Hunter 6-0 Sr. Decatur
Someone must pick up scoring slack for Gators, Hunter is talented enough

G Andrew Holloway 6-2 Sr. Lakes
Point guard is at his best in the biggest games, which Lakes will have many of

FASTBREAK
Defending state champion Lakes intends on keeping the state trophy on campus, and with three starters back, plus the return of capable role players and talented newcomers, the Lancers could do exactly that. Read more »

Update: Bellevue defeated Lakes 35-14. Here’s thegame story.

Join TNT sports reporter Todd Milles and myself for a live chat during the Bellevue-Lakes game. We’ll get started at 7 p.m. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. You can also watch a live webcast of the game. I’ve embedded the viewer here in the blog, so you should be able to watch live and chat along with us about the game.

Big thanks to WashingtonPreps.com …

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