Moses Lake's Morgan Yamane signs with Willamette
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Morgan Yamane (seated, center) of Moses Lake signed an NLI to play basketball for Willamette University on Wednesday.
MOSES LAKE — College basketball wasn’t on Morgan Yamane’s radar after she finished her senior season for Moses Lake High School in March.
However, Willamette University assistant coach Katie Gruys was in the stands at the Tacoma Dome to see Yamane help Moses Lake to a third-place finish at this year’s state tournament. Gruys, there with friend and former teammate Jordan Loera, saw Yamane open the tournament with 13 points against University, scrap with future national champion Central Valley in the semifinals and contribute to a blowout victory over Eastlake in the consolation round.
“She saw all three of our games at the state tournament and then she talked to my parents and (Moses Lake head coach Matt) Strophy afterward and so then it just kind of happened,” Yamane said. “I wasn’t really expecting it to and then they contacted me and then I was kind of unsure about it.
“I went down for a visit and met the head coach Peg (Swadener) and I met some of the girls. They were really awesome and I felt like I connected really well with them right off the bat.”
Surrounded by family, friends, teammates and coaches, Yamane made her decision to attend Willamette official Wednesday in the Moses Lake High School office.
On the court, Yamane played versatile defense next to forward Abby Rathbun. In addition to her defense, Yamane proved to be a reliable third scorer next to Rathbun and point guard Jamie Loera. More, Yamane was voted all-league honorable mention and all-defense first team her senior year.
Willamette finished the 2017-18 season 17-10 overall and 12-4 in the Northwest Conference. The Bearcats were also able to reach the NWC Tournament championship game.
With Willamette on the rise within its league, Strophy thinks Yamane is exactly the player the Bearcats could benefit from.
“They’re going to be pleasantly surprised with the type of kid that they get because she’s not a fan of losing and letting things slide and she’s a real team player and is willing to do anything and everything possible to make the team successful,” Strophy said. “They’re going to really love a kid like Morgan.”