Huskies push forward with 8-4 season
CALEB PEREZ | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months, 1 week AGO
Hannes Steinbach from the UW Huskies goes in for two during the team’s last matchup against San Diego where Steinbach led the team with 21 points and 14 rebounds. UW will be playing against Utah on Monday at 8 p.m.
COURTESY PHOTO/RED BOX PICTURES/UW ATHLETICS
SEATTLE — The University of Washington Huskies have gotten off to a strong start for their season as they head into this week 8-4. The Huskies will be getting into more tough matchups this week following a victory over the University of San Diego Toreros last week.
“Proud of our effort and our intent tonight,” said Huskies Head Coach Danny Sprinkle in a press conference after the San Diego game. “We challenged our guys to be consistent defensively for 40 minutes.”
During their previous matchup against San Diego, the Huskies outscored their opponent by 20 points in the first half to lead 46-26. While the opposition would come closer in the second half, the Huskies would once again lead in scoring to take the 86-56 victory.
Husky Hannes Steinbach led the team with 21 points and 14 rebounds, followed closely by Zoom Diallo with 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting and Desmond Claude added 13 points to the scoreboard.
Seven of UW’s eight victories this season have come from a double-digit point differential. The only game to be won within 10 points was in the Huskies’ 99-93 double overtime victory over Southern in November.
The Huskies’ next opponent will be Utah, which is also sitting at 8-4. Utah gained a significant victory of its own on Dec. 20, beating Eastern Washington 101-77.
“I know they have a couple of really good guards that can really score the basketball,” said Sparkle. “They’re starting to play better and better ... We’ve just got to continue to build onto (our) defensive effort and keep improving there.”
UW averages about 83.2 points per game while holding its opponents to 71.7 this season. Utah sits with very similar stats, averaging 82.4 points per game and holding opponents to 78.8.
This game will come down to who has the better defense, as Sprinkle said that defense has been something that the Huskies have struggled a bit with this season.
Washington averages about seven steals per game, while opponents steal about five times; Utah averages six steals, with opponents stealing about six times. Utah has a positive blocking differential with about four blocks per game to the opponents, three, while the Huskies earn about four blocks per game to five for the opposition.
Washington will host Utah on Monday with tipoff at 8 p.m.
BOX SCORE:
UW: 46-40: 86
USDT: 26-30: 56
ARTICLES BY CALEB PEREZ
Basin teams compete in round of 12 at state
MOSES LAKE — Five teams from the Columbia Basin are competing in the state tournament this week, with three of those teams competing in the Round of 12 across the 1A and 1B tournaments in Yakima and Spokane. See the results of Royal and Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School’s boys teams below.
BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: March 4-7, 2026
COLUMBIA BASIN — The high school basketball season is wrapping up this week as the final teams from the basin go on a run for a state championship. Check out how the bracket is churning out in the next few rounds of the state tournament.
Cougars wrap up season in state tourney
WARDEN — The Warden Cougars boys basketball team concluded their season Feb. 27 in the opening round of the 2B state tournament after falling to Adna in Tumwater. Despite the loss at state, Head Coach Brent Erdmann said the team had a very successful season. “Very proud because these boys worked so hard, and we’re not your typical group of basketball players,” said Erdmann. “We haven’t been a basketball town in Warden, and I think just getting into state, we might have some kids that are hungry and we can do something next year.”