Weisner brings many skills to Blair game

Jamie Weisner is often told she plays basketball like a guy. There’s good reason for that. The Clarkston senior grew up playing against three older brothers. “I get that a lot,” Weisner said. “Then I tell people I have three older brothers and they say it makes sense. My brothers never let me off easy. We always played in the backyard. Sometimes I couldn’t get a shot off, but I guess it made me be tougher and better.” Weisner, who is headed to Oregon State University, will play in her final high school game Monday in the 19th annual Jack Blair Memorial Classic at University HS. The tipoff between the Region and Metro all-stars is 7:30 p.m. Spokane Stars director Ron Adams, coordinator of the all-star game, has watched his teams play Weisner’s teams about 10 times in summer AAU games. “I’ve seen her play countless times the last three years,” Adams said. “She plays like a guy. She can do things like college men. That’s the kind of game she has. I’ve seen her play against the highest level of players in the country. I know what she’s capable of doing. She’s the best player on the West Coast.” Weisner is the daughter of former Shadle Park boys coach Darcy Weisner. Although she’s been coached by others, there’s one person she credits the most for her development. “My dad,” she said. “He’s been my coach from Day One. After every game he tells me I did well. Then he always has a list of things I need to work on.” The 5-foot-11 guard is quite polished for her age. “She has a great inside-outside game,” Adams said. “She finishes like nobody I’ve been around in years. She attacks the basket, she can break people down off the dribble, she jumps out of the gym, she’s athletic and she can hit the outside jumper and 3-pointer.” Talk to Weisner, though, and you might get the idea she’s just picking up the game. “I definitely need to improve my ballhandling,” she said. “And my lateral movement. I kind of go one speed all the time. In college that won’t work. I need to get better at creating my own shots. I need to improve pretty much everywhere.” Weisner picked OSU over Gonzaga, Washington, Arizona State and Washington State. The decision left some wondering why she would go to a rebuilding project over an established program like Gonzaga. “First, I loved the coaches,” she said. “That’s probably the main reason. I felt like they cared for me not only as a basketball player, but as a student. I felt like I could grow the most as a person and as a basketball player there.” Weisner was a four-year starter in high school – the first two years at Walla Walla where her father was the principal and the last two at Clarkston where dad is the district superintendent. She was an all-Columbia Basin Big Nine first-team pick twice at Walla Walla and was the most valuable player of the Great Northern League the last two years at Clarkston. She averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds leading the Bantams to the State 2A championship last winter. Weisner caught the attention last year of area fans who may not have known much about her when she scored a game-high 28 points in the Blair game. “It’s crazy to think that it’s my last high school game,” Weisner said. “But I’m also excited to go to college and continue playing.” Weisner figures to challenge for a starting position right away at OSU. “I like the fact that it’s a program that hasn’t done very good in the past,” Weisner said. “I’m excited to be part of helping turn it around. It’s my goal to start right away, but I’ll definitely have to work for that. I love challenges. That’s what pushes me to get better.” It’ll be easy to pick Weisner out of the all-star crowd Monday. She’ll be the one playing like a guy.