COLUMBIA BASIN — After leading the Huskies to a fifth-place finish at the 2009 Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) 2A girls basketball tournament, Othello senior Allison Walker was named the 2A girls player of the year by the Seattle Times.

Walker was instrumental in leading the Huskies to the state tournament for only the second time in school history. Othello qualified for the state tournament in 2008 when the Huskies finished seventh.

Walker said she was proud of her player of the year selection.

“It is a good accomplishment,” she said. “I appreciate that they would think of me.”

Walker wasn’t the only basketball player in the Columbia Basin to bring home player of the year honors.

The Moses Lake Christian Academy (MLCA) swept the 1B honors when seniors Esther Timofeyev and Riggs Yarbro each were named player of the year. Timofeyev was the 1B girls player of the year and Yarbro was the 1B boys player of the year.

Yarbro said he is humbled by his player of the year selection from the Seattle Times.

“It feels great,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for more in a senior season. I am really excited to have all of these accolades and the opportunity to play basketball in college.”

Timofeyev and Yarbro each led their respective MLCA teams to the best finishes in school history. Yarbro, who will play next year at the University of Puget Sound, led the MLCA boys team to the 1B state championship game before the Lions fell to state champion Tri-Cities Prep.

Timofeyev led the MLCA Lady Lions girls basketball team to their first ever appearance at the WIAA state tournament and she said she is proud of the way her team finished her senior season.

“It’s really great and a memorable experience knowing what my team had done,” she said. “No other team (gone to state) in school history.” 

The Lady Lions recovered from an first-round loss to knock off Wishkah Valley in the consolation bracket before falling to Neah Bay.

The Lady Lions finished one win shy of claiming their first state girls basketball trophy in 2009.