Dallas Washington makes history as the second freshman to ever make the Saint Francis High School Varsity Basketball Team

November 11, 2021

By Madisen Carter

Class of 2025 combo guard, Dallas Washington, has been playing basketball since he was two years old. The game runs in the family as his mother and father both coached and played basketball, and through the multiple years of playing and training hard, Washington has been able to craft his skills allowing him to be an extremely talented and skilled young athlete. Washington is now a freshman at Saint Francis High School and has recently become the second freshman in school history to make the Lancers’ Varsity Basketball Team. 

There were around 20 kids who were trying out for the Varsity team, with most of them being juniors, Washington explained. He said he went into the tryouts knowing that he needed to focus on what he can do, listen to the coaches’ feedback, and make sure he stood out during the tryouts. After the series of tryouts, he found out that he did stand out and that he had a spot on the varsity roster.

“I was happy and relieved [to make the team] because it was a stressful three days. It was just a lot of basketball and a lot of trying to make sure I'm doing everything I can do to make the team,” Washington said. 

Washington has been working hard to keep improving his skills. Through his AAU team, the Bay Area Ballers, he has been able to go to showcases and play against the top kids in his age group and in the country. He said playing against these top players motivates him to work harder every day and to be a good person and leader on and off the court. 

This is the first year Washington has been playing with the Bay Area Ballers. In this summer’s Ballislife EBC Jr. All-American Camp 2021 with the Bay Area Ballers, Washington won the Outstanding Performer Award. In the five games played, Washington averaged 14 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

“[The camp] was really good,” Washington said. “It felt good winning [the] Outstanding Performer [Award] because it showed that out of all the kids in my grade who were there, I performed well and did everything I needed to do to make the top five in the camp.”

Washington has also been preparing for high school ball by working out at the Unlimited Potential Basketball training facility. He works out with the player development coaches three to four times a week and has been for the past three months. He said they have been working on getting him to the basket and finishing with contact, as well as moves off the dribble and shooting. 

For his freshman year at Saint Francis, Washington has the goals of winning the Central Coast Section and making it to the State Championship. He said he is looking forward to growing as a player, getting to know the system, and learning as much as he can from the upperclassmen on the team. 

Last season, the Lancers finished the season with an overall record 7-8 and finished 6th in the West Catholic League. Washington is ready to do his part on the team and help the Lancers improve. 

“I think I can just bring an athletic body to the court and [be] somebody who will go out there and just do whatever they can to help out the team and hustle,” Washington said. 

Washington already has a great bond and connection with his coaches and his teammates. He said he has known the coach since he was younger and has known a lot of his teammates for a couple years, and they all get along well. 

The Lancers first scrimmage game is next week on the 18th. After the scrimmages there are preseason games, and then league play will start in January. Washington and the team will be preparing in hopes for a successful season, and Washington will continue to work hard and get better in the game that has been a part of his entire life. 

“[Basketball is] something that I enjoy doing,” Washington said. “It's just a great sport and I have put a lot of time into it and a lot of effort making it to where I can succeed and do things that make the game even better like play varsity, go to all these showcases, and play against top kids in my class and in the country.”