Oregon’s best high school boys basketball players: Meet the top stars in the 6A Metro League (Part 1)
By Bob Lundeberg
Over the next two weeks, we'll be taking a conference-by-conference look at some of the state's top high school basketball players. Here's Part 1 of the Metro boys list. Check back soon for Part 2.
Every league has numerous standout players, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Let us know which other players you think should be added to the list.
Isaiah Crane (Jesuit) photo by Leon Neuschwander
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Aloha
W/P Sidney Jones, sr., 6-5
Jones is a senior captain who averages 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and two assists per game. He is shooting a staggering 60 percent from inside the arc and 36 percent from deep. “Sidney mostly plays post for us but he does a good job on the wing as well,” head coach Brett Vernon said.
P Trey Dennis, sr., 6-5
Dennis, a first-year full-time varsity player, has been a major contributor on both ends of the court. The senior is putting up 11 points, seven rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. “Trey plays center for us and is very active on defense,” Vernon said. “He also has good touch around the hoop.”
W Hunter Gerard, sr., 6-1
Gerard missed last year’s spring season due to injury and is shining in his first full go with the varsity team. Also Aloha’s starting quarterback, Gerard is averaging 7.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and two assists per game. “He is a good overall player and we ask him to do a lot offensively and defensively,” Vernon said. “He is our on-court leader.”
Beaverton
G Brady Rice, jr., 6-1
Rice was one of the Les Schwab Invitational’s breakthrough stars, putting up 22 points in Beaverton’s opening win over Central Catholic and 31 more against Cleveland. A back injury limited Rice for the remainder of the tournament, but the Beavers still placed third. Rice is averaging 16.8 points per game as a junior. “Brady is a natural scorer,” said head coach Andrew Vancil. “He isn’t the biggest or the fastest but will get to his spots and can put the ball in the bucket.”
G Max Elmgren, so., 6-0
A sophomore sniper, Elmgren is shooting 45 percent from three-point range. He is putting up 11 points, one assist and 1.5 steals per game. “Max is a leader by example,” Vancil said. “He is an old-school kid who treats every rep in practice as life or death. He is skilled and tough, and he is one of the best sophomores we’ve had here.”
G Trevon Hamilton, sr., 6-2
Hamilton is a steady senior point guard who is filling up the stat sheet on a nightly basis with points (8.6), rebounds (3.4), assists (4.6) and steals (2.5). He led Class 6A in assists and steals last season and is a 92 percent free throw shooter. “Tre is a charismatic kid,” Vancil said. “A great athlete, and he is getting better each game. He has the ability to take over a game without scoring the ball.”
Jesuit
W Tyree Blake, sr., 6-3
A three-star football recruit with offers from Southern Oregon and Western Oregon, Blake is also a standout on the basketball court for Jesuit. The senior averaged 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game at the Les Schwab Invitational and as of mid-January was leading the team with 70 rebounds for the season, including 20 offensive.
W Cade Collins, jr., 6-3
Collins was Jesuit’s brightest star at the LSI, putting up averages of 15 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in four games. The junior was shooting 44 percent from three-point land and had a team-best 18 steals midway through the season.
G Isaiah Crane, jr., 6-1
Crane is an athletic junior guard who attacks the paint with purpose. He averaged 10.5 points at the LSI while recording seven steals in four games. He is shooting 47 percent from the field this season while also contributing with rebounds, assists and steals.
Mountainside
G Dimitri Cohen, sr., 5-11
Cohen is one of two returning first-team all-Metro players from the spring season (Beaverton’s Trevon Hamilton is the other). The point guard scored a career-high 38 points in an early-season win over Lake Oswego. “Dimitri is a quick player who can handle the ball and shoot from range,” head coach Dustin Hewitt said.
G Dylan Westlake, sr., 6-0
Westlake was voted second-team all-Metro as a junior and is another strong offensive player for the Mavericks. One of the league’s fastest players, Westlake can attack the basket and knock down jump shots. “Dylan is an explosive athlete who can score from all three levels,” Hewitt said.
W Dezman Baker, sr., 6-4
Baker would be a primary option for many teams in the state, but the talented senior is more of a role player for Mountainside. He is a multi-positional defender and excels at finishing through contact. “Dez is a long athlete who is a versatile defender,” Hewitt said. “He can also score from all three levels.”
G Quinn Haverman, so., 6-4
One of the state’s best sophomores, Haverman is an elite defensive player who is steadily improving on the offensive end. He has excellent size and projects to be a go-to scorer in the future. “Quinn is a good defender and scorer for us,” Hewitt said. “He is starting to create for others now.”
G Brayden Boe, fr., 6-3
Boe quickly worked his way into the varsity rotation and led the Mavericks in scoring in a loss to Tennessee’s Cane Ridge at the Capitol City Classic. The 6-foot-3 freshman already holds a Division I offer from Portland. “Brayden is a very skilled player who is an elite passer,” Hewitt said. “He is a consistent shooter as well.”
