Barnes Starts Recruiting Class With Brian Washington

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A new addition to the CSU Bakersfield men's basketball team was confirmed as Head Coach Rod Barnes received Brian Washington's National Letter of Intent on National Signing Day. A 6-foot-8 sophomore forward who is currently competing for Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, Washington is set to join the Roadrunners in 2021-22.

"We are excited to announce the signing of Brian Washington," said Barnes of the newest `Runner. "He is an athletic forward who plays with a lot of toughness and grit. He is an elite-level rebounder and defensive player. Brian has a very high IQ and he impacts the game in so many ways." A highly-regarded student-athlete, Washington's talents drew strong interest from several Power 5 schools.

Barnes went on to describe the reputation that Washington brings to CSUB: "Everyone speaks highly of his character and how well he gets along with his teammates and coaches. Brian is getting excellent coaching from Grant McMillan and Cody Hopkins at Navarro College, which plays in one of the best Junior College conferences in the country. This is a great start to another successful recruiting class!"

Washington put together a standout freshman campaign for Navarro in 2019-20. The forward averaged eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, and one and a half blocks a game while converting on 68.5 percent of his shots from the field. Battling through one of the toughest conferences in the NJCAA, Washington's squad posted a 19-13 record on the way to a postseason appearance and the Region XIV Tournament Semifinals.

A physical player who pounds the glass, Washington posted 14 games with a double-digit rebounding total in 2019-20. His efforts led to five double-doubles on the year, including a 13-point, 16-rebound performance against Jacksonville College in January. Washington's offensive efficiency makes a big difference in the paint as the forward posted a field goal percentage of .500 or better in 29 of 32 games played.

A native of Kailua, Hawai'i, Washington and his family have been on the mainland for a few years. He lived in Nevada and attended Cimarron Memorial High School before spending a prep year with Nation Wide Academy in Oklahoma.

Washington will finish out his junior college career with Navarro in 2020-21 before coming to Bakersfield. The `Runners will eagerly await his arrival, but CSUB is preparing for the upcoming season as its first in the Big West Conference.

~GoRunners.com~

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