Key Players

PG Steele Venters - Making the switch from wing to full time point guard. One of those rare players that could actually excel at all five positions. Is receiving heavy interest from several division II and division I programs.

SG/SF Davis Spencer - A 6-6 guard that will make for a 'big time' backcourt alongside 6-6 Venters. Prides himself on being a pass first type of guy. Should be counted on for great defense and a lot of minutes.

PF Ryan Franklin - Should pace the group in rebounding totals. A rare power forward that can also shoot the three ball. A breakout candidate for this year's team.

Overview

This year's Ellensburg Bulldogs have a very good chance to win the CWAC this season.

They have something that a lot of teams in the conference are hurting for, and that's size. Their back court averages 6-6 each, and their big men underneath are 6-5 and 6-4 each.

What could catapult them to the front is the abundance of experience that returns. This is a group that knows what it will take to make the playoffs.

Head coach Anthony Graham took over the program in 2016, and has steadily improved each season since.

It may seem unorthodox to have a 6-6 point guard, especially at the high school level. But if there's a team that can get away with it, it's Ellensburg. There's a ton of size to go around.

Acting as the floor general will allow Venters to control the flow of the game. He can do it all; whether it's ball handling, feeding his teammates, or scoring. He's very much an MVP candidate this year.

A bruiser type for this team is going to be 6-5 215 lb forward Ryan Ferguson. He's coming fresh off the football field and is a true tough guy. Expect him to do the hard work in the low post.

Hunter Gibson is a first year starting guard that will bring tremendous shooting to the group. Will be dependable as you'll find game in and game out.

A big time assist man is going to be Davis Spencer. He's a rangy shooter and can play defense, but his ability to feed his teammates makes hims even better.

There's a lot of depth on this group, and having guys like Jadon Bugni, Bryce Messner and Joe Davis will give them flexibility in any situation.

All those guys can find themselves in the starting lineup depending on the match-up the Bulldogs are in that night.

Even though they're a large group, this team likes to push the pace. With most of these guys having a couple years under their belt, they'll be able to do a lot more complex in their strategy.

It's worth noting this team won't have a couple of their key players eligible due to Ellensburg's football season.

The group had their season come to an end this Friday in the state quarterfinals. This means that the basketball players won't have a full ten days of practice before they host Zillah on November 29th.

Projection: There are a couple teams in the CWAC that have seen their stock dip this off-season. This is not the case for Ellensburg however. They're loaded and incredibly dangerous. Last year was frustrating as they felt they were better than their fourth place CWAC finish suggested. This team has the talent and depth to be a serious contender. No one would fight you too hard if you put them at the top of your CWAC rankings.

Key Games

Zillah 11/29

@ Selah 12/17

Ephrata 1/15

For more Eastside team previews, follow me on Twitter! @micah_chen

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