The Prep Hoops Washington Fan Vote Player of the Year is …
If there is a shot that Kamiak sharpshooter Carson Tuttle can’t make, Knights coach Cory West has yet to see it.
The 5-foot-11 Tuttle, who can hit from all over the floor but is especially lethal from beyond the 3-point arc, was a first-team 4A all-state selection and had a knack for big time shots. Twice this season, Tuttle forced overtime with buzzer-beating 3-pointers from half court.
The Kamiak junior averaged 22.5 points, 5.9 assists and four rebounds for a Knights team that made it to the regional round of the state tournament. Earlier this season, Tuttle became the first player in program history to reach 1,000 points and still has one more season to add to his Kamiak scoring record. He also broke his own single-season assists record from a season ago.
The fans have spoken and, with 32.24 percent of the vote, they’ve selected Tuttle as the Prep Hoops Washington Fan Vote Player of the Year.
“Even if I did think there was a shot that he ‘can’t make’ he will get to the gym once he reads this and start practicing it to prove any doubters wrong. That is the type of student/player he is,” West said in an e-mail. “… He has continued to work on all aspects of his game including hitting the weights to be able to compete with bigger and stronger players.”
Tuttle has garnered interest from Eastern Washington, Seattle Pacific, Cal Poly, Northwest Nazarene and Idaho, according to West. The Kamiak coach expects Tuttle to continue to open eyes this summer and as a senior next year as he tries to lead the Knights back to the Tacoma Dome for the first time since 2005 and for just the second time ever in the program’s history.
“Carson has been instrumental for our program for the past three (years) because he has done things the right way,” West said. “… He came in with a goal of changing the culture of the program and having basketball be a sport that attracts big crowds and gets the community involved. I believe, based on our past 3-4 years, he has accomplished that goal.
“He is always striving to get better. That mentality brings out the best in all his teammates.”