Saskatoon’s Zach Hawley continues to climb high school basketball ranks

Saskatoon’s Zach Hawley is continuing his climb in North America’s basketball prospect rankings.

The six-foot, 17-year-old point guard out of Walter Murray Collegiate is having yet another special season as a member of the Marauders.

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After helping lead the team to championship wins at the Bedford Road Invitational Tournament (BRIT), cities and provincials last year, the highly sought after prospect hasn’t missed a beat this season.

Hawley is averaging 34.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, seven assists and almost four steals per game this year on a much younger Marauders team.

Listen to Hawley on this week’s Sask. Spotlight:

“Every year, personally, I focus on just trying to improve and show people something I couldn’t do last year,” Hawley said when asked about his stellar start in the 2024-25 high school basketball season.

Hawley said his focus this season is making sure he is developing new aspects of his game so he can become a player who can do it all.

“This season it goes further than numbers for me. I’m not really worried about how many points I’m scoring, or assists,” Hawley said.

“Roles change every year, so this year (I’m) sort of improving in all of those categories – rebounding, moving the ball and scoring. All these things sort of help me improve and just push myself.”

Hawley’s talents landed him a spot on a travel team last summer in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), which plays games in the United States against some of the top future collegiate recruits in the country.

The EYBL has helped develop several current NBA stars like Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox and Jason Tatum.

Hawley said his team did well at tournaments in Las Vegas and California, and said playing in the United States let him know that he could compete with a very high level of talent.

“The baseline of basketball there is just so much higher than here and everywhere in Canada,” he said.

“It’s actually funny, because sometimes you go in not even knowing you’re about to play a five-star recruit.”

He said the experience was huge for his own confidence.

“I learned that these guys are very good,” Hawley said, “but when you when you get toe to toe and with them and just trust yourself and play your game, the difference is not as big as it seems.”

Going forward, Hawley said he doesn’t yet know where his career in basketball will take him, but he’s hoping it will lead him back to the United States.

“I’d love to get a scholarship and pursue my education being paid for by basketball,” he said.

“That’s my main goal, and then obviously wherever that takes me, like down a professional path, but I would just love to go Division 1 (NCAA), preferably.”

The young star said loves having a big goal to strive for.

“Having that superior goal I’d say helps me sort of stay focused and move on to the next thing,” Hawley stated. “Having a goal that isn’t just so centered here and in the province helps me stay focused and continue to be in the gym the next day.”