ST. CHARLES – Most newcomers find the transition to varsity basketball more difficult than they expected it to be. For St. Charles East junior forward A.J. Washington, the opposite has held true.

Washington, one of the area’s most impressive newcomers, acknowledges he thought it would be tougher to find his game at the varsity level than has turned out to be the case.

“It wasn’t what I expected,” Washington said. “I thought it’d be hard because all the older kids were telling me how hard it was. But I think it’s fun.”