Washington’s 4A player of year headed to WSU

PULLMAN – Ernie Kent has landed his first Seattle-area basketball recruit at Washington State, securing a commitment from Viont’e Daniels from Federal Way.

As a senior at FWHS this past season, Daniels was named the Associated Press 4A Player of the Year, earning similar honors from the Tacoma News Tribune and Seattle Times as well.

Daniels averaged 24 points, six rebounds and four assists while leading the Eagles to a State 4A title.

His high school coach, Jerome Collins, says that Daniels is an efficient scorer who should fit well in Kent’s motion offense.

“He averaged right at that 22-23 points-a-game range but he didn’t have to go out and shoot 20 shots a game to get it,” Collins said. “His 3-point percentage was very high, he’s very unselfish and he’s going to give a lot to Ernie and his program.”

Daniels chose the Cougars over a scholarship offer from Saint Mary’s and is reportedly in good academic standing. The Cougars have filled five of six spots in the incoming recruiting class though Jeff Pollard may delay his enrollment to spend a year at prep school, which would leave Kent with two remaining scholarships to give.

Daniels is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound guard and hopes to gain weight before arriving in Pullman this summer.

“I would like to add strength and just learn more about the game between college and high school; it’s very different,” Daniels said. “Watch a lot of film and talk to the players that are there now and see what I can learn from them.”