Washington defeats Gary Lew Wallace 65-62 in OT to win 3A title

Led by Cody Zeller's 20 points and 26 rebounds Washington High School won the Class 3A State Championship in overtime. Zeller tied a state championship record by pulling down 26. Cody Zeller is now the 3rd Zeller family member to lead Washington to a 3A State Championship. This is Washington's 3rd title in six years.

Senior Guard Latroy Taylor hit a 3 pointer near the end of the 4th quarter to tie the game at 56. Washington failed to connect on a jump shot to win the game in regulation, and the game went to overtime. Washington led throughout overtime, and two 3 pointers by Branden Dawson did not connect in the final 10 seconds of overtime. Branden Dawson led Gary Wallace with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Scouting:

(2011) Cody Zeller, Forward/Center- Zeller absolutely dominated the glass throughout this game. He had 15 rebounds at halftime and used his size, positioning, and athleticism to pull down a state record 26 rebounds in the game. Zeller scored 20 points in this game, able to get many opportunities off second chance points. He also showed nice shooting touch knocking down a 3 pointer to close out the second quarter. Zeller did a nice job getting to the foul line, but had an off shooting day from the charity stripe. Zeller struggled to finish plays after contact, missing shots on potential "And 1's". Adding strength to his frame could definitely help Zeller finish more plays down low. Defensively he was solid, not allowing buckets and challenging many shots in the paint. All in all Zeller played a great game and showed his skills that make him a sought after prospect. This performance surely impressed the handful of college coaches at the game. As he moves forward, Zeller must add strength to his frame to help his game in the paint both offensively and defensively.

(2011) Branden Dawson, Wing Forward- Dawson showed off his high level athleticism and motor today, fighting for loose balls and finishing in the paint. Dawson is streaky shooting the ball but was able to score in the paint off offensive rebounds and fast breaks. Dawson had two rim rocking dunks in the open court, displaying good handles with the ball. Branden also used his leaping ability to pull down high arching rebounds and contest shots. Defensively Dawson's length bothered opponents, as he was able to disrupt plays and challenge shots with his wing span. Overall Dawson played well, putting on a show for the many college coaches in attendance. The key for Dawson is too improve the consistency of his jump shot so he can become a total offensive threat.