Who is the Huskies' number one priority recruit from the class of 2014? Without a doubt, it has to be forward Zylan Cheatham from Phoenix, Ariz. Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar was front and center at the prestigious Peach Jam in North Augusta, South Carolina.
"Peach Jam is great. It's a whole different experience for me. Basketball games everywhere. Coaches lined up. Highlight plays happening everywhere. It's a crazy experience," Cheatham said.
The 6-foot-7 point forward is one of most highly-touted recruits on the West Coast. Washington, Arizona St., Georgetown, Oregon St. and several other schools are battling to land Cheatham.
Cheatham's AAU team, Cali Supreme knocked off top-seeded Team Takeover in the morning session and then beat BABC to take a 2-0 record heading into Friday.
"We're just playing hard, getting better and having fun," Cheatham said.
Though he is being recruited as a small forward, Cheatham has been playing at the power forward for his team – and adjusting by grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds in his first game.
"It's a tough adjustment, but I'm moving forward. I'm just trying to help my team get wins," Cheatham said.
As for his recruitment, Cheatham has yet to narrow his list, but may narrow it after Peach Jam or the subsequent viewing period. He listed style of play, a school that can showcase his versatility, a school's fan base, and the coaching staff as his main factors in choosing a school.
Cheatham recently made an unofficial visit to Washington at the school's inaugural alumni basketball game.
"UW is a great program. Coach [Lorenzo] Romar is a great coach and Coach T.J. [Otzelberger] is doing a good job recruiting me. There's a lot of history with NBA players – Washington is top-of-the-line school."
Cheatham also mentioned Romar's recruiting efforts at Peach Jam,
"Romar was at the front row at my first game. He was even at the gym before our team got there – little things like that don't go unnoticed," Cheatham said.
California Supreme and Cheatham continue pool play on Friday with their first game All Ohio Red at 7:30 AM ET.
You can follow Cheatham on twitter at @1KingZ4 and for updates on Washington recruiting you can follow @KevinCacabelos