5A Preview: Way Too Early Top 10 (#10-#6)

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the summer steadily fleets, we draw closer to the beginning of yet another season in Oregon high school basketball. As the time counts down, anticipation builds for what should be another exciting season in class 5A. Will Wilsonville defend their title and continue their reign of dominance? Will Churchill take the final step and capture that lately elusive state championship? Which teams will fill in for depleted rosters across the state? The answers to all of these questions will flesh out in due time, but what do we think now?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For the first segment of our 5A top ten predictions we have selected the five teams that we believe are most definitely contenders, but still have not been proven as elite:</span></p> <p><b>10) West Albany</b></p> <p><b>Key Players: Luke Killinger, T.J. Zimmerman</b></p> <p><b>Key Departures: N/A</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">West Albany will be in the mix for the Mid Willamette conference as usual, but shouldn’t challenge the likes of Silverton at the top. Returning all-league selections </span><b>Luke Killinger</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><b>T.J. Zimmerman</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will contribute well offensively for the Bulldogs, who could make the breakthrough to Gill Coliseum if the cards fall correctly.</span></p> <p><b>9) Pendleton</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><b>Key Players: Dakota Sams, Kason Broncheau</b></p> <p><b>Key Departures: Tyler Newsom</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Buckaroos should enter the 2019 season as the Intermountain Conference favorites, which is certainly enough for them to get a nod into the top ten. First-team all-state selection Tyler Newsom led the Bucks to Gill Coliseum for the elite eight in 2018, and his departure will certainly hurt moving forward. On the bright side, the Bucks return what should be one of 5A’s most dangerous backcourts in shifty ball-handler </span><b>Kason Broncheau</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and skilled shooter </span><b>Dakota Sams</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. These two could run up the numbers in one of 5A’s weakest conferences.</span></p> <p><b>8) Thurston</b></p> <p><b>Key Players: Trey Bryant, Cade Crist</b></p> <p><b>Key Departures: Isaac Lange, Mason Miller</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Colts lost a lot this offseason in lethal pick-and-roll duo Isaac Lange and Mason Miller. Nonetheless, the 2018 state champs should still contend in the Midwestern conference with a deep program led by crafty outside scorer </span><b>Trey Bryant</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><b>Cade Crist</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a multi-sport athlete for Thurston, should provide leadership, hustle, and defense, but the Colt’s talent pool lacks in comparison to the other legitimate contenders of the conference.</span></p> <p><b>7) Corvallis</b></p> <p><b>Key Players: Jasper Reinalda, Isaac Gabriel, Calvin Cahill</b></p> <p><b>Key Departures: Maxwell Johnson</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Spartans should contend for the Mid Willamette Conference with the return of every-night double-double threat </span><b>Jasper Reinalda</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, who stands at an astounding 7-foot-3 and should be one of the state’s premier big men. Expect Corvallis to be pretty solid on the defensive end simply because of Reinalda’s presence underneath the basket. </span><b>Isaac Gabriel</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><b>Calvin Cahill</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> add shooting on the perimeter to a pretty solid roster that could compete in some pretty great matchups with league foe and perennial powerhouse Silverton.</span></p> <p><b>6) North Eugene</b></p> <p><b>Key Players: Cameron Parks, Brennan DeGarmo, Iry Rankin, Seth Cross</b></p> <p><b>Key Departures: N/A</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The biggest sleeper team in the 5A classification has to be the Highlanders, who return virtually every important piece from a young team that went just 5-11 in league play last season. </span><b>Cameron Parks</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, an athletic swingman that can flat out score the basketball inside and out, should be one of the best players in the entire Midwestern Conference. Backed by a solid bunch of crafty guards, Parks could take the Highlanders as far as a top three finish in the toughest conference in 5A.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>