Players to watch at Oregon 5A girls basketball state tournament
The OSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament begins Thursday at Linfield University in McMinnville. Here's a look at some of the top players to watch at the event.
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QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
Addison Dippel (Crater) photo by Leon Neuschwander
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Avery Andrews, sr., Mountain View
Andrews had 25 points and 21 rebounds in Mountain View’s 58-54 round-of-16 win over Crescent Valley. The senior averages 17.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.4 blocks and received first-team all-Intermountain recognition.
Kasey Booster, sr., Mountain View
Booster, a Saint Martin’s signee, was voted Intermountain player of the year for the second consecutive season. The lead guard averages 21.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.9 steals and is shooting 42.2 percent from 3-point range.
Kyleigh Brown, sr., Silverton
Brown, a Portland State signee, has been an all-conference performer since her freshman season with Silverton. The left-handed guard is averaging 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Dylan Cheney, jr., Redmond
Cheney is a lights-out shooter who leads Redmond in 3-pointers made. She is averaging 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds and was a first-team all-Intermountain selection.
Kaylee Cordle, so., South Albany
South Albany is a sophomore-led group, and Cordle is one of the stars. She averages 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals from the forward position.
Audrey Counts, jr., Wilsonville
Counts is a two-way standout who averages 12.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and four steals. Her older brother, Kyle, is a key player for Wilsonville’s boys basketball team.
Addison Dippel, jr., Crater
One of four Comets voted first-team all-Midwestern, Dippel can play either guard position and is a tenacious defender. She averages 10.9 points, 2.3 assists and 3.1 steals.
Taylor Donaldson, so., South Albany
One of the most dominant interior players in the Mid-Willamette, Donaldson averages a double-double this season at 21 points and 10 rebounds. The senior also is dishing out four assists per game with two steals on the defensive end.
Marlee Hammer, sr., Corvallis
Hammer is a versatile senior who can play inside and outside for Corvallis. She netted 15 points in the Spartans’ round-of-16 victory over Canby.
Grace Hayashida, jr., Silverton
Hayashida plays a supporting role next to Kyleigh Brown and is a standout on the defensive end. She averages nine points, four rebounds and two steals.
Holland Jensen, sr., Corvallis
Jensen has been a key piece of Corvallis’ attack this season, including an 18-point effort against Canby. The senior is also a star softball pitcher.
Gabi Moultrie, so., Wilsonville
Moultrie, one of the top sophomores in Oregon, runs the point for Wilsonville. She leads the team in scoring (17.6 points per game) and assists (7.6).
Mylaena Norton, so., Redmond
Norton helped Redmond win its first Intermountain title since 2019 and was voted first-team all-conference. The 5-foot-4 sophomore guard averages 14.9 points, 3.1 steals and 2.6 assists.
Payton Ratcliffe, jr., Wilsonville
The 6-foot-3 Ratcliffe is another young star for the Wildcats. She is putting up 12.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Danaeja Romero-Ah Sam, sr., Springfield
A two-time 5A player of the year, Romero-Ah Sam does it all for Springfield. She put up 27 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in the Millers’ round-of-16 win over Central and is capable of impacting the game in a variety of ways with her athleticism and physicality.
Justina Semerikov, sr., Silverton
Another senior leader for Silverton, Semerikov is averaging eight points and four rebounds. She can score inside and knock down shots from 3-point range.
Lydia Traore, jr., Crater
The 6-foot-4 Traore, a first-team all-Midwestern pick, is the anchor of Crater’s half-court defense. She puts up 10 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
Azlynn Ure, jr., Redmond
Ure will be one of the smallest players in the tournament at 5-foot-2, but the junior point guard is a factor at both ends of the court. She was voted second-team all-Intermountain and averages 7.4 points, 3.4 assists and 3.1 steals.
Abigail Winslow, sr., Crater
Winslow is an inside/outside player who averages 10.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and three steals. The Pensacola Christian signee was voted first-team all-Midwestern.
Sage Winslow, jr., Crater
Abigail’s younger sister, Sage Winslow shared Midwestern player of the year honors with Danaeja Romero-Ah Sam and is an elite two-way guard for Crater. The junior averages 19 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and a staggering 6.4 steals at the top of the Comets’ press.
Diamond Wright, jr., Springfield
Wright was a first-team all-Southwest pick for Sheldon last season before transferring to Springfield during the offseason. The versatile guard/forward has fit in well with the Millers and received first-team all-Midwestern recognition this winter.
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