Lake Washington Stars Leading State Charge

The fourth-seeded Tacoma Dome bound Kangaroos have been heating up at the right time and have gotten stronger as the season has gone on. Fresh off a 17-point second half comeback win in the regional round against No. 5 Snohomish, the Kangs (19-4) secured a slot in the state quarterfinals, where they will play the winner of Hermiston/Kelso at the Dome on Thursday. Star power and depth have been substantial for Lake Washington’s deep run through the postseason, here’s some of the key contributors who have paved the way: [player_tooltip player_id="27948" first="Rosa" last="Smith"], 5’7, Guard, C/O 2022 Smith’s sharpshooting capabilities have been something the Kangs have relied on throughout the year to steady their offense, the Idaho Vandal commit has shown why she received a Division 1 offer. The 3A KingCo MVP racked up season averages of 16.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.1 apg, and 2.6 spg, she is deadly and consistent from anywhere around the 3-point line with a compact release on her jumper. In addition to being a special scorer, she is sneaky on the defensive end, poking away loose balls and advancing the ball up the floor in transition with ease. [player_tooltip player_id="27933" first="Elise" last="Hani"], 6’4, Forward/Post, C/O 2022 Standing 6-foot-4, [player_tooltip player_id="27933" first="Elise" last="Hani"] has played a pivotal role in Lake Washington’s success as a defensive anchor. The KingCo Defensive Player of the Year has been there every time the Kangs have needed her to challenge a shot in the paint. With a monster outing in their 68-62 regional thriller win over Snohomish, she posted 27 points, 12 boards and six blocks; advocating for her 11.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg, and 3.9 bpg per-game numbers. With a long standing reach and readiness to swat away shots, it’s easy to see why she’ll be playing volleyball in a University of Washington uniform next season. Rae Butler Wu, 5’9, Guard, C/O 2023 Butler Wu seems to be able to fill any role that’s asked of her, whether its dishing out passes to her teammates or getting on the board in double digits. That’s part of the reason why she’s fit so nicely with this group. An attacking guard, Rae is speedy and can slice to the basket in a hurry. She can draw fouls and attention on her drives and is able to send home shots from the perimeter as well, nailing 38-percent of her 3s this year and tallying 6.6 points a game to go with 4 boards. Jolie Sim, 5’9, Forward, C/O 2023 A fundamentally sound forward, Jolie Sim adds a nice wrinkle to what the Kangaroos can do. Finishing second on the team in made 3s (39-percent), and being the only player available for every contest this year, she’s given head coach Jeff Wilson something to rely on every night. She slips under the radar with all the talent Lake Washington offers, but her ability to make shots, run the floor, and pick good spots within the offense to be effective have helped boost her squad’s play as the season has gone.