On-Campus Report: Quaker Valley's Washington hopes to end time with Drexel on high note

Editor’s note: This article is a part of a weekly series that the Beaver County Times will publish every Tuesday titled the “On-Campus Report,” where sports reporter Parth Upadhyaya will catch up with former Beaver Valley high school stars who are now in the collegiate ranks.

As Coletrane Washington watched from courtside, he received the reminder he needed.

Nearly four years removed from his time as a star at Quaker Valley High School, Washington — now a 6-foot-4 senior guard at Drexel — was in attendance for a Quakers’ basketball game for one of the few times since graduating from the program in 2018. He cheered as Quaker Valley beat WPIAL Class 4A foe Lincoln Park 77-74 in a late-December matchup behind senior Markus Frank’s 39-point outburst — marking win No. 5 of its now-16-0 season. Washington also reminisced on his time in a Quakers jersey.

“I don’t remember the last time I came and watched a game (prior to that),” Washington said to the Beaver County Times. “So it was definitely a funny feeling sitting in the stands after I played countless games in that gym — had countless workouts, practices (in that gym).”

Washington had one of the best careers of any Quakers player ever. The Sewickley native finished No. 3 on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,663 career points and led his team to the WPIAL Class 4A title game and PIAA semifinals as a junior and senior. But he’s quick to admit that his time with the Dragons of the Colonial Athletic Association “hasn’t always been easy.” Injuries caused him to miss all of his junior campaign last year. Just 10 games into his return at the time in December, getting back into the swing of things was a challenge.

“But I think that’s an important thing that you have to do in life — overcome adversity,” said Washington, who couldn’t help but recall the unadulterated joy he felt playing high school basketball as he saw the Quakers knock off the Leopards. “If you’re in a situation that's uncomfortable or difficult, you don’t run away from it; you don’t shy away from it. You sort of take it head-on.”

Now, Washington — who’s averaging 5.6 points per game this season — has become a regular starter for an 11-10 Dragons squad that’s coming off of the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 25 years. So far, it’s safe to say he’s found staying the course to be rewarding.

The Times recently caught up with Washington in a conversation with topics ranging from his father Jesse’s influence, his favorite memories from his time as a Quakers player, his journey through Division I basketball and his advice for high school stars heading into the collegiate ranks next season.

Beaver County Times: With your father, Jesse Washington, having played basketball at Yale (in 1986-87), did you grow up wanting to follow in his footsteps or did you find your love for basketball in a different way? What was that process like as a child?

Coletrane Washington: I’d say (it was) definitely through my dad … Ever since I was a kid, a ball’s been in his hands.

He was never the type to force it on me, but I think it was just natural. He would always be playing pickup, and I’d go to the playground with him and watch him play. And, naturally, that’s your dad, so you want to be like your dad. So I sort of picked up basketball that way.

My dad’s never been the one, like I said, to force playing on me. He’s told me plenty of times, “You could quit basketball, and I’d still love you as a son. (I’d) still be proud of you.” But I think definitely, as a kid, I wanted to be like him.

BCT: What’s it like to have a famous father, with Jesse obviously working for ESPN’s “The Undefeated” and being one of the more accomplished sports writers in the country?

Washington: It’s definitely cool. A lot of people say that they saw my dad — like if he’s on TV, they’ll send me a video or text me like, “Oh, I just saw your dad on TV!”

It was funny, the year (Drexel) went to the (NCAA) Tournament, which was last year, as soon as we arrived (at the team hotel) … there were like 30 copies of his book (“I Came As a Shadow,” an autobiography of legendary Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson) along with other stuff. It was the NCAA’s gifts for all the players — all the women’s and men’s teams got the books.

BCT: What are some of your fondest memories from your four years at Quaker Valley (2014-18)?

Washington: Probably my senior year. Senior year was definitely a great year.

Going undefeated in the regular season (in the 2017-18 season) was probably one of my best memories — winning that last game in the regular season. And just that whole season in general. I think it was a great year, and the team that we had really came together.

BCT: How did playing for Quaker Valley’s Mike Mastroianni — a head coach who’s been in the game for so long and had the amount of success that he’s had — help prepare you for Division I college basketball?

Washington: It definitely helped me a lot. Coach Mas was a great guy for me in high school. He sort of put me on the right path to get to where I am today.

Obviously, we all know his resume. He’s definitely a great coach, and he helped me a lot. Not even in (just) basketball, but just (with) life in general, teaching me how to be a good leader, a good teammate and just a good person.

BCT: What’s your relationship like with the guys on this year’s Quaker Valley basketball team — particularly the senior duo of Adou Thiero and Markus Frank? Have you been able to offer them advice or mentorship throughout the years as they’ve come up?

Washington: I’ve known both of those guys since I was pretty young in high school and have known them coming up. So, I talk to them a good amount.

I’ve talked to them a couple times during the season. When I come home in the summers, I’ll work out with them — mainly with Adou (and) sometimes with Markus. We’ll play pickup, work out and stuff. I have a good relationship with a pretty good amount of the guys on the team.

BCT: You mentioned earlier that you think this year’s Quaker Valley team has the potential to accomplish even greater things than what the teams you were on achieved. What is it about this Quakers squad that you believe will allow it to have even more success than you and your teammates did in your time with the program?

Washington: I think it’s definitely the people who don’t really get mentioned. Adou and Markus are getting a lot of attention, and deservedly so — they’re the top two guys — but I think it’s (about) the other guys who embrace their roles, as well. The guys who aren’t going to be scoring 30 points (per) game or carrying the team in that way.

I think the other guys really play their roles well, whether it’s playing defense or making tough plays — I think that’s really important for a team to be successful. And, without those guys … you can win, but you can’t win every game; you can’t win a WPIAL championship; you can’t win a state championship. I think those guys definitely deserve a lot of credit.

BCT: When you first got to Drexel as a freshman in 2018, how’d you handle going from being a star in high school at Quaker Valley to being toward the bottom of the rotation and having to play a specific role?

Washington: It was definitely difficult coming from where I had the ball in my hands pretty much the whole game — (where) the offense ran through me. It was a completely different game, adjusting from Quaker Valley to the Division I level.

It was a mental and physical adjustment that I had to make. And it definitely wasn’t easy all the time — even just mentally going from being that guy to being someone who’s playing maybe five minutes a game. But I think I tried my best to embrace the role that I had on that team. And even now, the role that I play, I definitely try my best to adapt to that.

BCT: After suffering a series of injuries which sidelined you for all of last season as a junior, what was the comeback like to be able to return this season?

Washington: It definitely wasn’t easy at the beginning of the year, getting back into the flow (of things). Because I hadn’t played in a game in like over a year. So, it was a little bit difficult mentally to sort of get back used to playing real games and stuff. It was a grind for sure.

I was just trying to get my body back right. That was my first, I’d say, serious injury — I’ve never really had to miss time like that. So, I think it was definitely mentally and physically challenging.

BCT: What were those injuries you suffered last year that held you out for the season?

Washington: Just some knee stuff. I don’t really like to talk about it in general, but it was a pretty significant knee injury.

BCT: I’m glad you mentioned the mental side of things, because a lot of the time, that’s the part that the media or fans fail to discuss. What were those mental hurdles you had to overcome to play competitive basketball again?

Washington: I would say (a lack of) confidence, because you’re used to doing something and then you completely stop doing it. So, (I had to build back) the confidence to know that I’m going to go out there and do my job every night. It definitely takes a little while to get back. Personally, I think basketball is more mental than physical. It’s definitely a huge mental game behind the physical aspect of it — like the game inside the game — and that’s definitely difficult to sort of (manage) when you haven’t been in that environment for a while.

BCT: Of the past seven games, you’ve scored in double figures in three and scored eight points or more in five. After a slow start to the season (not hitting double digits in points in first 13 games played), what was the turning point for you?

Washington: I think just getting my confidence back and sort of getting out of my head about last year — (when) I hadn’t played and was sort of still getting into the swing of things. I think I just sort of got into the swing of things — I got my confidence back.

I think I’m a completely different player when I’m playing freely and confidently versus sort of (being stuck) in my head. And I’m trying to play just freely and not play to not make mistakes.

BCT: With you guys coming off of the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance last year since the 1995-96 season and currently sitting at just 11-10, what’s it going to take for the Dragons to finish strong and punch another ticket to the Big Dance?

Washington: I think we had a similar-ish year (last season) that we’re having this year.

We weren’t by any means at the top of our league, standings-wise, at this time (last year). I think we all sort of put it together when it mattered most, which is like the end of February and March. And I think we’re headed on that path right now. We’ve been in every single game — every single game that we’ve lost has been close. So, I think we know as a team that we can compete with anyone in this league. And I think we’re in a pretty good position heading into the crunch time of the season.

BCT: As you look ahead to the rest of this season and the end of your time at Drexel, what are your goals either with basketball or another career?

Washington: With basketball, I honestly just want to play as long as I can. I definitely love the game. I’ve made a lot of connections playing basketball that I wouldn’t have made otherwise — whether that’s from Quaker Valley or here at Drexel or, hopefully (one day), beyond Drexel.

I think that the game gives you an opportunity to make tons of lifelong connections — connections that can benefit you in a lot of ways, like professionally. There are people that I’ve met playing basketball that I’ll be friends with for the rest of my life for sure. And I definitely don’t take that for granted at all.

BCT: When you look at guys like Adou Thiero and Markus Frank — players who are probably going to be playing college basketball next year — what advice or wisdom would you impart on them from your own experiences?

Washington: I would say, “Just be willing to adapt to your situation and to your role. Not every single player is going to come out of high school and come to college and be the same exact player or play the same role that they played in high school. It’s going to be a completely different system, different team, different coaches.”

So, I think embracing change is definitely important. Even though, obviously, it’s not comfortable. As humans, we like to do sort of the same thing. I think we’re creatures of habit. And sort of breaking that is definitely important. (You have to embrace) change and keep that same headspace that, “I’m going to be successful, regardless of my environment or what’s going on.”

Contact Parth Upadhyaya at pupadhyaya@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @pupadhyaya_.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Quaker Valley's Coletrane Washington looks to finish strong at Drexel