Cougars secure first 2011 verbal commitment from in-state guard.
Davonte Lacy
Photo submitted to MaxPreps by Chris May
was seeing interest from major colleges increase after an impressive junior season at
Curtis (University Place, Wash.) and some big outings with the Northwest Panthers on the travel circuit.
But just as the offers were beginning to roll in, Lacy ended his recruitment by making a verbal commitment to Washington State on Monday.
"The atmosphere there was great and the opportunity to play in the Pac-10 and develop my game to try to get to the next level were big factors," Lacy said. "The Pac-10 is one of the best conferences in the country. Wazzu was more like a family and they treated me really well when I went to their elite camp."
Lacy, a 6-foot-3 guard, emerged as one of the top juniors in Washington last winter, leading Curtis to a 19-5 record and the South Puget Sound League South Division title.
According to Lacy, Eastern Washington, San Diego and Tulane also extended offers. He expected more to come after strong showings earlier this month at the Quaker Summer Slam in Seattle and Rose City Showcase in Portland, Ore.
"My family and I kind of looked at it like, 'What are we waiting for?'" Lacy said. "They offered me a chance to play, so why leave it? I had confidence and believed that I had the ability to play somewhere big."
Lacy is Washington State's first 2011 commitment and the second rising senior guard from the Puget Sound to verbal to a major program. Kentridge (Kent, Wash.) point man Gary Bell pledged to Gonzaga in April.
The future Cougar is also part of a growing list of accomplished guards from the Tacoma area.
University of Washington standout Isaiah Thomas led the state in scoring as a junior at Curtis before finishing his career at South Kent School (South Kent, Conn.). Abdul Gaddy, a teammate of Thomas' at UW, is currently playing with the United States U18 team and attended Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma, Wash.). Recent Boston Celtics first-round draft pick Avery Bradley combined with Gaddy for three years at Bellarmine before finishing his career at Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.).
