2019-20 Team Preview: Eisenhower Boys Basketball

Key Players 

G Teddy Rodriguez - Three year starter and leader for the Cadets. Rodriguez is the only returning All League talent, so he will be heavily leaned on this year. This 5-foot-9 senior is a scoring threat and excellent passer. 

G Abram Fernandez - There’s high optimism that Fernandez can replace the production lost from last year’s guard John McDonald. He plays fast, and is a legitimate three point threat.   

F Isaac McDonald - Ike is in need of some productive big guys, and McDonald can be exactly that. He’s put in the work all off-season, and now this 6-foot-2 junior is hoping to burst onto the scene. 

Overview 

The Yakima-based Eisenhower Cadets have largely struggled this past decade. They are seeking their first winning season since 2010.

But every difficult year brings them closer to the comeback season. The motivation of this program has never been questioned, and they are once again determined to change the trend. 

This year’s Eisenhower team has a nice core of players, but they will need to find depth if they want to compete for the long term. They’ll also have to be focused every game, especially on defense and limiting turnovers. 

The head coach of the Cadets, Christian McDonald, is now entering his second season. He has expressed his desire to be a long-term fixture at the helm. This should help stabilize the culture and eventually find winning ways.

It’s worth mentioning this roster did lose a great contributor in Demario Morgan (now playing his senior year in California), but there are still plenty of intriguing pieces returning. 

Point guard Teddy Rodriguez has the potential to be a true star this year. If Ike is to compete every game, they’ll need him to become at least a Second Team player this year. He’ll be playing his college ball at Multnomah (Portland) next year. 

Rotating in at the point guard spot is 5-foot-9 senior D’Anthony Smith-Gary. He is extremely athletic, and is determined to have his best season yet. 

Expected to play a lot of minutes at shooting guard is 5-foot-9 senior Abram Fernandez. He has a great chance to be a top scorer on the team.

A newcomer to varsity is 5-foot-9 senior Malachi Spurrier. He was a superstar receiver in football, and is now eager to make a similar impact on the hardwood. 

Eisenhower doesn’t have a true center type, so they are really counting on 6-foot-2 junior Isaac McDonald, and 6-foot senior Dylan Yeager to play physical and disciplined.

Their biggest strengths lie in their conditioning, rebounding, and knowledge of the system. Yeager has been a varsity mainstay these last couple years, and McDonald is the coach’s kid.  

A big benefit to this years roster is having Jodeci Adams back. When he’s playing at his best, he’s a very productive low post player. 

Because this year’s Ike team is undersized, they intend on playing a high-octane pace, but also limiting turnovers as much as possible. It’s a strategy that can certainly give them their best chance to win.  

Projection

Eisenhower is off to a slow start to the season, but fortunately for them they are not yet in conference play. They’ll have to figure out their identity quick though, as they head to Eastmont next week. The goal for this program continues to be to get to .500. If this roster can play at their ceiling, it is well within the cards to reach that achievement. 

Key Games

@ Eastmont 12/14

Davis 1/17

Wenatchee 2/7

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