If you thought he was good as a freshman, he only kept getting better and better
It seems like a lifetime ago since Damek Mitchell wasn’t in the starting lineup for the Squalicum boys basketball team, but it was only four seasons ago that Whatcom County was first introduced to his sweet outside shot, ability to drive the lane and his winning smile.
“There aren’t words to describe what Damek meant to the program on and off the court, “ Storm coach Dave Dickson said after Mitchell played his final game in Squalicum blue and gray in the regional round of the Class 3A State Tournament. “He got better every year with hard work and attention to detail.”
And Mitchell was pretty darned good to begin with, averaging 11.2 points and earning second-team All-Northwest Conference honors as a freshman starter.
By the time he was senior, Mitchell was more than doubling that average, as he led Whatcom County with 24.6 points per game this season.
For his outstanding season, Mitchell has been selected The Bellingham Herald’s All-Whatcom County Boys Basketball player of the Year.
“It’s neat to see guys that are good players that want to become better, “ Dickson said before the season. “And he’s an example of that. Not satisfied with where he’s at; always working to get better.”
There aren’t words to describe what Damek meant to the program on and off the court. He got better every year with hard work and attention to detail.
Squalicum coach Dave Dickson
Mitchell was extremely productive as a senior, scoring in double figures in all 23 games for Squalicum this year. In fact, there were only four games he failed to reach 20 points.
His lowest point output of the season came in a 70-54 win over Marysville-Pilchuck on Dec. 6, and all the senior did in that game was grab 12 rebounds and dish out 11 assists to go with his 10 points, marking the first triple-double Dickson, a WIBCA Hall of Fame inductee, had ever coached.
“It was just hustle, getting my players open shots and scoring the ball,” Mitchell said of the game. “It was a fun time.”
Mitchell scored 30 or more points five times, including a season-high 38 in a Jan. 3 win over Lynden Christian.
But all the while, he displayed a team-first attitude.
He guided the Storm to a 18-5 record overall, a tie for second-place in the Northwest Conference standings and spot in the state regionals in Squalicum’s first year at the Class 3A level.
For his efforts, Mitchell was selected the Northwest Conference MVP and picked to play in the WIBCA All-State Games.
Now, hard as it seems, Whatcom County must bid adieu to Mitchell, as he goes on to the next step in his basketball career and his life – playing for Lewis-Clark State, which he signed with before the start of his senior season.
All-Whatcom County Boys Basketball Players of the Year
2005-06: Kyle Coston, Lynden Christian
2006-07: Chris Bolt, Lynden
2007-08: Nick Stackhouse, Squalicum
2008-09: Keith Stackhouse, Squalicum
2009-10: Derek Dickerson, Squalicum
2010-11: Kyle Impero, Nooksack Valley
2011-12: Isaac Reimer, Lynden Christian
2012-13: Isaac Reimer, Lynden Christian
2013-14: Scott Hastings, Lynden
2014-15: Cody Fransen, Lynden Christian
2015-16: Sterling Somers, Lynden
2016:17: Damek Mitchell, Squalicum
All-Whatcom County Boys Basketball first team
Player | Position | School | Yr. |
Cole Bajema | G | Lynden Christian | So. |
Finished third in Whatcom County with 18.1 points per game ... Helped Lynden Christian go 21-7, win 1A Northwest District and bi-district titles and place fifth at the 1A State Tournament ... Selected first-team All-NWC, first-team all-state tournament and honorable mention all-state in 1A. | |||
Grant Balvanz | G | Mount Baker | Sr. |
Averaged a team-high 15.3 points per game ... Helped Mount Baker go 18-6, tie for fourth in the Northwest Conference and get within one game of the 1A State Tournament ... Selected first-team All-NWC. | |||
TJ Bass | F | Mount Baker | Sr. |
Averaged 12.8 points per game ... Helped Mount Baker go 18-6, tie for fourth in the Northwest Conference and get within one game of the 1A State Tournament ... Selected first-team All-NWC. | |||
Casey Bauman | F | Nooksack Valley | Jr. |
Averaged a team-high 14.3 points per game ... Helped Nooksack Vallley go 7-13 ... Selected second-team All-NWC. | |||
Andrew Kivlighn | G | Lynden | Sr. |
Averaged 13.4 points per game ... Helped Lynden go 20-8, finish second in the Northwest Conference and place third at the 2A State Tournament ... Selected first-team All-NWC. | |||
Trazil Lane | G | Lummi | Sr. |
Averaged a team-high 20.7 points per game ... Helped Lummi go 21-5, finish second in the Northwest 1B League, win a 1B Northwest District title and advance to the 1B state title game for the second time in three years ... Selected the 1B All-State Player of the Year. | |||
Jonny Larson | G | Bellingham | Sr. |
Averaged a team-high 14.6 points per game ... Helped Bellingham go 15-9, tie for sixth in the Northwest Conference and get within one win of advancing to the 2A State Tournament ... Selected first-team All-NWC. | |||
Simran Parmar | G | Meridian | Jr. |
Despite missing eight games, finished second in Whatcom County with 18.4 points per game ... Helped Meridian go 9-13, tie for eighth in the Northwest Conference and advance to the 1A Northwest District Tournament ... Selected second-team All-NWC. | |||
Grant Rubbert | G | Lynden Christian | Sr. |
Averaged 12.5 points per game ... Helped Lynden Christian go 21-7, win 1A Northwest District and bi-district titles and place fifth at the 1A State Tournament ... Selected first-team All-NWC and second-team all-state tournament in 1A. | |||
Clayton Whitman | F | Lynden | So. |
Averaged 13.5 points per game ... Helped Lynden go 20-8, finish second in the Northwest Conference and place third at the 2A State Tournament ... Selected second-team All-NWC and second-team all-state tournament in 2A. | |||
Christian Zamora | F | Lynden | So. |
Finished fifth in Whatcom County with 15.4 points per game ... Helped Lynden go 20-8, finish second in the Northwest Conference and place third at the 2A State Tournament ... Selected second-team All-NWC and first-team all-state tournament in 2A. | |||
This story was originally published April 23, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "If you thought he was good as a freshman, he only kept getting better and better."