Among the Husky Basketball Ranks, It's Capt. Peterson

In the University of Washington basketball season opener, freshman big man Hannes Steinbach was his typical productive self. Bryson Tucker felt appreciated again following a numbing season at Indiana. Wesley Yates III made his Husky debut two years after the fact.

Yet maybe the most amazing thing that took place on Monday night in the UW's 94-50 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff was Quimari Peterson pulled 18 minutes of duty -- the lowest among eight Huskies sent on the floor -- yet he hit 4 of 8 shots, all from 3-point range, while grabbing 5 rebounds, stealing the ball twice and handing out an assist.

Peterson, the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year and an East Tennessee State transfer, returned to active duty only a few days before after being sidelined for a month with a pulled hamstring, hence his lower game time.

You couldn't tell by watching him play, though he apparently was cramping up because of his long layoff.

"He's just a tough kid," UW coach Danny Sprinkle pointed out.

His UW teammates recognize this. Even with his lengthy absence and newness to Montlake, the players voted him as a team captain along with the Huskies' lone returnees Zoom Diallo and Franck Kepnang.

Sprinkle had the players rank each of their peers 1 to 15 in several categories, with unselfishness one of the criteria, to come up with the captains.

"For somebody like him, who just came in and he's been out for four weeks, that's pretty impressive," the coach said.

Peterson, who's originally from rough and tumble Gary, Indiana, is the whole package. He led his former league in scoring at 19.9 points per game, is a 3-point shooter better than most who have come through Montlake in recent seasons and he plays defense.

"You can tell he has a great feel for the game," Sprinkle said.

Quimari Peterson spent two seasons at East Tennessee State. | ETSU

Peterson is one of the roster upgrades for a team that appears to play aggressively counter to the UW coach's first team that leaned to passive side.

Most of all, Sprinkle has a lot of accomplished players on his current roster, such as Peterson, who have no problem assuming roles.

Peterson first played for Indiana State, Larry Bird's school, went to two-year John A. Logan College in Illinois and won a JC national championship, and was twice named first-team All-Southern Conference.

The 6-foot-1 senior guard, in fulfilling his captain responsibilities, should be a real difference-maker for these rebuilt Huskies once he gets his legs under him.

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