Nov. 10, 2000

SEATTLE - The Husky men's basketball team completed its five-man recruiting class as a pair of 6-foot-9 forwards from Seattle high schools, Jeffrey Day and Anthony Washington, signed letters of intent to attend the University of Washington eighth-year Coach Bob Bender announced on Friday.

Day averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game last season for state champion Seattle Prep. He was the West's No. 17 ranked power forward in the Pac-West Hoops listings.

"Jeffrey Day, as many people witnessed last year, is a player who is constantly improving. His improvement has no limits," Bender remarked. "With his size, athleticism and that continued improvement, we will see Jeffrey's best years when he gets to Washington."

Washington emerged on the recruiting scene with stellar performances during the spring and summer camp sessions. He played as a reserve on a senior-laden Garfield High School squad last season, averaging five rebounds per game. Washington was the ninth-rated power forward in the West by Pac-West Hoops and rated the No. 100 player nationally by The Sporting News.

"Anthony Washington's potential is incredible," said Bender. "He runs the floor as well as anybody his size or even three inches smaller. Anthony is a very natural shot blocker who is extremely explosive around the basket."

Day and Washington join three other players who previously signed Washington letters of intent during the early signing period. Those three are 6-8 forward Mike Jensen, 6-6 guard Erroll Knight and 6-6 junior college guard Josh Barnard.

Jensen was rated the top power forward in the West by Pac-West Hoops. He averaged 14.4 points and 10.5 rebounds last year, leading Kentwood High School to a 21-9 record and seventh-place finish at the Washington state Class 4A tournament. Selected among the nation's top 100 players by nearly every recruiting service, Jensen was ranked No. 66 by The Sporting News.

Barnard averaged 15.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last year at Tacoma Community College. He converted a school-record 49-percent of his shots from 3-point range, helping the Titans to a 30-4 record and fourth-place finish at the Northwest Community College tournament. Barnard played his prep basketball at Bethel High School in Tacoma.

Knight averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists as a junior last season at Seattle's Chief Sealth High School. He was the second-rated shooting guard in the West by Pac-West Hoops, ranking No. 16 nationally. Knight was listed No. 71 overall among national prospects by The Sporting News, No. 85 by Basketball Weekly and No. 86 by Hoop Scoop.

The Huskies do not have any remaining scholarships to offer during the spring letter of intent period that runs from April 11 through May 15.

2000 Washington Men's Basketball Letter of Intent Signee Profiles

JEFFREY DAY
Forward, 6-9, 215 Seattle, Wash. (Seattle Prep HS)

* Averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game as a junior at Seattle Prep.
* Helped lead the Panthers to the 2000 Washington state Class AAA state championship.
* Seattle Prep finished the 2000 regular season with a 19-1 record.
* Rated the No. 17 prep power forward in the West by Pac-West Hoops.
* An honorable mention prep All-America selection by Street & Smith's magazine.

UW Coach Bob Bender on Jeffrey Day
"Jeffrey Day, as many people witnessed last year, is a player who is constantly improving. His improvement has no limits. He benefited from playing on a very successful high school team. For Jeffery, his confidence is much higher now going into his senior year than it would have been as a junior. He has a much more aggressive attitude toward the game. With his size, athleticism and that continued improvement, we will see Jeffrey's best years when he gets to Washington."

ANTHONY WASHINGTON
Forward, 6-9, 220, Seattle, Wash. (Garfield HS)

* Rated the No. 9 prep power forward in the West by Pac-West Hoops.
* Listed No. 52 nationally by Game Plan Sports Scouting Service.
* Ranked No. 100 nationally in The Sporting News Top 100 Recruits.
* An honorable mention prep All-American selection by Street & Smith's magazine.
* Averaged three points and five rebounds in limited minutes as a junior at Garfield High School.
* Emerged as a major recruit during the spring and summer, averaging 14 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots during that period.
* Selected Washington after receiving recruiting interest from USC, UCLA, Oregon and UTEP.

UW Coach Bob Bender on Anthony Washington
"Anthony Washington's potential is incredible. He's a young man who didn't play a lot of minutes on a very good Garfield team and now becomes a huge factor in their hopes for a state championship. He runs the floor as well as anybody his size or even three inches smaller. Anthony is a very natural shot blocker who is extremely explosive around the basket."