Coach Eric King, DeAndre King, and Hattie King posed for a photo at senior night at Washington High School. (Photo by Brandi Stout)
Washington High School has been taking the Kansas City-Atchison League by storm during the 2012-2013 season. With an undefeated district record of 9-0 and an overall record of 15-6, the Wildcats have proved who owns the court in that league.
The Wildcats beat Shawnee Heights 78-54 Thursday, Feb. 28, in Class 5A substate action at Lansing, Kan., before falling 55-50 to Mill Valley in the substate championship game on Saturday, March 2.
De’Andre King, senior forward for Washington, is a leader for the Wildcats, averaging 13.9 points per game.
“I’ve always loved basketball ever since my dad introduced me to it when I was really young. I started playing when I was about 4 or 5 years old,” King said.
Born in Omaha, Neb., and raised in Kansas City, Kan., King has high hopes for himself and the Wildcat season.
“I feel real good about having an undefeated record in league. That was my goal for this season along with winning the state championship,” King said.
With the attention the team is grasping, King set a goal to always challenge himself to stay humble and continue to work to get better every day. King tells himself to never “get big headed.”
Eric King, Washington men’s basketball coach and father of De’Andre, is proud to see not only his team, but his son, succeed this season.
“Ever since the day he was born he has worked hard and has been a wonderful kid ever since,” Eric King said.
King is fond of his son’s achievements on the court as well as in the classroom. With a 3.3 GPA and as an honor roll student, De’Andre has shown his eagerness to better himself in every aspect.
This season, the Wildcats have reached many goals, such as gaining the title of league champions, but the journey for De’Andre King is not over.
“I have hopes of playing college ball next year at a Division I school,” De’Andre King said. “I still have my dreams of making it to the NBA later in life.”
Eric King says that his son is a great student athlete and is “well prepared” for the next step with five to six college looks for next year. De’Andre is looking to play in the 2013 All Star Game on Aug. 7 and make the first team all league.
The Washington Wildcats finished in ninth place in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association (KBCA) 5A District rankings.
“We had a great season and just making history would put the icing on the cake,” King said.