Army West Point Athletics
An Unlikely Point: Milton Washington
February 26, 2015 | Men's Basketball
When the 2014-15 Army men's basketball team stepped on the court for its season-opening game against Air Force, there was a buzz around about the potential the program had for success. That night, Army did not disappoint, as it led by as many as 24 points in a victory that paved the way for the Black Knights to take home the All-Military Classic title with a win over VMI the following evening.
A name that did not appear in the box score that weekend, or in any of Army's first nine games, was Milton Washington's.
The son of a Marine and one of 11 children, including six brothers, Washington came to West Point and attended the U.S. Military Academy Prep School during the 2010-11 season. His decision came after head coach Zach Spiker was tipped off that Washington was a potential candidate to fit into the program Spiker was constructing at West Point.
"Our athletic trainer, Tim Kelly, has a brother who is a high school coach in Houston," Spiker said. "We were given the lead on Milton, followed up on him and realized he was a young man who really wanted to go to West Point. He went to the prep school for a year and the rest is history."
Washington admitted not knowing too much about West Point prior to his recruitment. His oldest brother, Paul, was enlisted in the Army, and is currently stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, and he didn't believe he wanted to take the same path.
Washington planned to attend college and continue playing basketball as he excelled on the court as a two-time all-district selection at Waltrip (Texas) High School. Since the third grade, Washington and his close friend Denzel Livingston played basketball together and both ended up continuing their careers after graduating from Waltrip.
Livingston is one of the nation's most prolific scorers and is a senior at Incarnate Word, which is transitioning to Division I and scored one of this college basketball season's most surprising upsets with a one-point win over Nebraska.
When Livingston decided to attend Incarnate Word, Washington was solidifying his decision to call West Point home for the next five years.
"Once I learned more about West Point, everything came together for me and I was able to see all of the opportunities that West Point can provide." Washington said.
In his freshman season, Washington played a pivotal role for Spiker. He played in 20 games and was penciled in the starting lineup as Army's point guard 15 times as the Black Knights began to take the first steps toward a run of success not seen since Mike Krzyzewski's time as Army's head coach. Washington also earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week accolades after his first two starts and scored in double figures in his first four games as a starter.
His first season can be described as a success, but over his next two years, Washington only saw the floor in six games. In his sophomore year, another point guard, Dylan Cox, entered the program and has started every game since, while classmate Maxwell Lenox also was ahead of Washington at that spot on Spiker's depth chart.
"The best thing about Coach Spiker is that he is up front and honest with you," Washington stated. "Every year, whether I was playing or not playing, he would tell me what I needed to do to improve, what I was doing well and what I needed to do to play. He is always honest in letting you know what exactly to do in order to help the team be successful and is positive in the way he motivates you."
Washington's attitude never wavered. Whether he was playing games or just playing in practice, he was a positive influence on the program.
"I think it is a combination of loving playing basketball and having great teammates around who keep you positive and on the right path." Washington said. "The guys who have come into the program are just great teammates and being on a team that is this close and supportive of each other is nothing like I've ever been a part of. We really encourage each other to try our best in everything we do, compete and hold each other to a high standard. Because of that it has allowed me to stick with it and continue to play basketball and it is a lot of fun."
A week after Livingston helped Incarnate Word to the biggest win in program history, it was Washington's turn for success. A season-ending injury to Lenox and inconsistent play from others gave Washington another opportunity for minutes. The crafty left-hander took advantage by scoring nine points in 18 minutes to help Army overcome Maine in overtime.
The performance did not come as a surprise to his coaches or teammates, especially his closest friend Sean Billerman.
"It was great. It was incredible seeing Milt get his chance and seeing him play well," Billerman said. "Some of the younger players were asking me if Milt was ready to play. I told them yes, just wait, once he gets his chance he will play well. In practice he has always played well, other guys were just playing better."
Washington's strong play continued with seven points in Army's road win over Loyola, and has been consistent behind Cox by shooting better than 50 percent from the field in 13 minutes per game.
Billerman agrees that the two point guards can be described as a thunder and lightning attack, with Washington's strength in finishing in tight spaces in the paint and Cox's eagerness to run the floor and push the pace.
"That is a great comparison," Billerman said. "Dylan will push the ball up the floor to get to the basket and make plays, while Milt uses his strength to get inside. He is one of the best guard post players I've played against."
Billerman and Mo Williams went to USMAPS with Washington and have been close friends ever since.
"We were always together," Billerman said. "Going to the mall or the gym, or whenever we went to get food, it was always Milt, Mo and I."
The trio makes up Army's senior class and will graduate in May as 2nd Lieutenants in the U.S. Army, an even larger team. Being part of a team is what led Washington to become a Systems Management major.
"I always wanted to do something involved with business and Systems Management incorporates working with people and trying to find a better way to do things more efficiently," Washington said. "Being able to think creatively and work together with people to solve problems has always been interesting to me."
Washington, who will branch Quartermaster, recently found out he would be stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, three hours northwest of Houston. Before that trip, however, Washington would love to be part of Army's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
"We all know each other's capabilities," Washington added. "We've been playing together for three or four years now and we talk about our goals and what we want to accomplish as a team. One of them is winning a championship and we really believe that we are capable of accomplishing it. In a game, in practice, we really push each other and hold each other to that standard because we know what the end goal is."
