Auburn boys basketball preps for new season

Published 7:30 am Sunday, November 23, 2025

Excellence is the standard at Auburn High School inside the Bob Jones Gymnasium.

Over the last four years, Auburn has won four district titles, a state title and four league titles. Well actually it’s six straight league titles. It’s been a period of dominance on the court for the Trojans, and in 2025, they don’t have any signs of slowing down.

“We had a really good summer and the guys really did a good job of coming together. This group doesn’t want to be the group to kind of lose the streak, so to speak. A lot of the guys remember that feeling from last year from the tough loss against Gonzaga Prep. They want to take that next step forward and play on the last day of the state tournament,” Head Coach Ryan Hansen said.

This year’s Auburn team will look very similar to last year’s squad. Just three seniors graduated the program, and players like Miles Henry and Daniel Johnson are entering their senior seasons, primed and ready to carry the legacy of Auburn basketball.

“I am ready to play and ready to win,” Johnson said. “I have really been working on getting the team together.”

Johnson, a recent signee to Montana State University, really excelled on the court last season. This year, he is taking a step to lead the Trojans, filling the shoes of his back court partner in Carter Hansen, who is playing at Lewis and Clark State.

“He’s excited for that role and opportunity. He really needs to be that guy for us. He’s got the most experience. He’s a talented player, and so we are really going to look to him to step into that role, and I think he’s ready to embrace it,” Hansen said.

The first team all league player took massive strides forward, and in the state tournament, averaged 24.5 points per game over the first two games against Olympia and the eventual champion Gonzaga Prep Bulldogs. Johnson is now transitioning to running the point as well, which goes hand in hand with Johnson taking a leadership role.

“I feel like being the point guard and leading the team will ultimately get us to the Dome,” Johnson said.

Along with Johnson was the aforementioned Henry, who can be very impactful. The 6’4” wing transferred from O’Dea in 2024, and now in his second year at Auburn, the senior will be a focal point on the defensive side of the floor. “I know he (Miles) is ready to take that next step,” Hansen said.

“I think Miles Henry will take an even bigger step. He can really score the ball. He’s gotten confident this summer scoring the ball,” Johnson said.

Despite the scoring chops the past couple of seasons, Auburn’s defense has been one of the best in the state. Last year Auburn allowed one team to score 70 points all season, which was in an eight-point win over Tahoma. Only two teams over the last two seasons have scored over 70 points against the Trojans — that is 54 games over that two year span.

“We really preach it a lot. The foundation of our program is priding ourselves on the defensive side of the floor,” Hansen said. “I am a big believer that if you are really connected and tough defensively, you will give yourself a shot to win any game you are playing.”

Last season, opponents averaged just 53 points per game against Auburn, and in league play that number was 55 points. Only Kennedy Catholic allowed fewer points in the 4A NPSL. Federal Way, Auburn Mountainview and Todd Beamer all held opponents to fewer points per game, but they are 3A schools.

Any good basketball team has a starting five that creates problems for their opponents, but a great team has the supplemental pieces that can really drive the team to success. Auburn has multiple pieces that can be dangerous on the court. Isaiah Englund stands tall at 6’8” and took a big step last season to be a weapon from beyond the arc for Hansen’s squad.

“Isaiah had a really good summer for us, he was huge. He had a great year for us last year, but he was really a different player this summer. I am really excited to see what he is going to do for us,” Hansen said.

A small change in his shooting form has really upped the junior’s game.

“We got him shooting the ball above his head now,. That’s a little bit different. He’s just more aggressive getting to the basket and defensively he is so long and can change shots. He’s gonna have a really good year for us,” Hansen said.

As just a freshman, Matthew Fredrickson was sprinkled here and there for Hansen in just his first season. But getting two inches taller with a year under his belt has given Fredrickson an edge and an attitude to him. This summer, Fredrickson was one of the better players for the Trojans and turned himself into a starter and a player to circle on any scouting report.

An unsung hero of this team could be sophomore Rainier Denoso. In just 15 minutes of practice, his speed and ability to shoot was on full display. Denoso didn’t get many if any varsity minutes last season, but this year he is coming into his own.

“He didn’t get much playing time last year, but he had a couple 20-point games for us this summer. He can really shoot the basketball and we are trying to challenge him to be better defensively,” Hansen said. “He can really impact the game.”

Johnson has seen a lot from both Fredrickson and Denoso in just a year and a half in green and gold. “They can really shoot. They have grown and matured a lot from last year. Rainier, man, he’s going to be the shooter for us. Matt can score and play defense, he’s really aggressive,” Johnson said.

Auburn opens up with North Creek on Nov. 25 at home as the first basketball game of any team in the NPSL.