Tigard Tournament: Jesuit vs. Southridge

<p>Summer school league has started and on Friday night, we had the opportunity to drop by the Tigard Tournament were two Metro League foes squared off - Jesuit and Southridge. Both squads had heavy graduation losses so this summer will be an opportunity for some younger players to get some valuable experience.</p> <p>Jesuit, which was coming off a loss at Jefferson the previous night, put together an all-around solid to get past Southridge, 71-51. Here are some of the top players that we noticed.</p> <p><strong>Matthew Levis (2020 Jesuit)</strong> - Word was Levis didn't have the greatest game against Jefferson the previous night. Well the 6-foot-1 combo guard more than made up for it against Southridge. Levis knocked down threes, took it to the hole strong, and made some good decisions that led to easy buckets in transition. And as usual, he worked hard on defense and stayed in front of his man.</p> <p><strong>Roy Bunn (2020 Jesuit)</strong> - Bunn played some key minutes in the state tournament but will be relied upon much more next season. The 5-foot-10 point guard took good care of the basketball, and while he wasn't focused much on his own scoring, looked to set up his teammates for open shots. One thing Roy does really well is change speeds - he can lull the defender to sleep with the dribble and then explode past him to the basket.</p> <p><strong>Liam Ruttledge (2021 Jesuit)</strong> - There will be a lot of shots on the perimeter available with the graduation of Aiden Williams and Ruttledge may very well be one of the guys that steps up and takes them. The 6-foot-2 lefty has a nice touch from beyond the arc and can also put the ball on the floor a little. Shot selection and going all the way to the basket will be areas where he will focus on this summer.</p> <p><strong>Dapre Gaston (2021 Jesuit)</strong> - Gaston is long and lanky at about 6-foot-4 and is an emerging wing/forward. Early on in the game, he attacked the basket and converted a couple of acrobatic drives. Gaston has a nice lefty touch from the perimeter, but after he sank a three it seemed as if he settled for his jumpshot. There's no question he needs to physically develop and toughen up but the potential is there.</p> <p><strong>Joe Lairson (2021 Jesuit)</strong> - Lairson is another long 6-foot-3 wing/forward who should get some time for Jesuit. He's another guy who could benefit from the weight room but he's got a very nice looking touch from the perimeter and he sank a couple of catch-and-shoot threes.</p> <p><strong>Mike Brittingham (2021 Jesuit)</strong> - Brittingham swung JV last season and should get plenty of backcourt minutes this next year. He lacks size and strength but is very quick and against Southridge, made his impact mostly on defense with quick hands and anticipation of passing lanes, which led to a number of steals.</p> <p><strong>Jha-Barrie Portis (2021 Southridge)</strong> - Portis was a high-energy guy off the bench last year for Southridge but this next season he'll step into essentially the starring role. The 6-foot-1 combo guard still plays with a very high motor on both ends, but he's an underrated scorer who can score at all three levels. While his jumper is a bit streaky, he knocked down a couple of threes and converted some whirling-dervish type layins around the hoop.</p> <p><strong>Ams Juwara (2021 Southridge)</strong> - Juwara comes over to Southridge after playing last year at Beaverton. At 5-foot-9, he's built like a tank and has the ability to use that strength to penetrate into the lane and finish. The lefty was especially good in transition, converting a couple of floaters near the rim.</p> <p><strong>Brett Hanna (2021 Southridge)</strong> - Hanna got some brief time on varsity last year but will be counted on for much more in the fall. He's got a great touch from the outside and at 6-foot-3 has some size on the perimeter, but he showed that he's more than just a standstill shooter. Hanna was able to put the ball on the floor a little and also finish some tough layups inside.</p> <p><strong>Sean Pak (2021 Southridge)</strong> - Pak is long and lanky at 6-foot-4 and showed some flashes of potential. He was very active in the paint and on the boards, and the lefty also stepped out and hit a couple of jumpers. Southridge will need help along the frontline and Pak is definitely a candidate for major minutes - he's one to watch.</p>