Mid-Season 6A League MVPs
We are halfway through for most of the leagues in 6A and the title races in each are clearly going to be hotly contested. There have been plenty of individual standouts so far this year, but who has stood out the most? Here’s a look at who our picks for the league MVPs are at the mid-way point of the season.
PIL: Nate Rawlins-Kibonge (2021 Jefferson)
Rawlins-Kibonge may only be the fourth leading scorer for the Demos at just over 11 ppg, but the value of the 6-foot-7 junior comes on the defensive end. He’s averaging almost 12 rpg and has been a shot eraser in the paint at almost 4.0 bpg, creating fear in the paint simply with his athletic presence. The Wazzu commit can break out offensively as well, having recently tallied a 30-point and 19-rebound performance against Madison. On a team full of individual stars in a league with plenty of talented players, Rawlins-Kibonge has shone the most so far.
Metro League: Dane Erikstrup (2021 Beaverton)
Big men are always at a premium but Erikstrup has been something else so far this season for Beaverton. The 6-foot-9 senior has been a near unstoppable force down low in the post but has also been able to flash some of his perimeter shooting skills from time to time. He’s leading the Metro League in scoring and has been a huge reason why the Beavers are currently a Top 10 team and a legit challenger for the conference title.
Mountain Valley Conference: Nate Meithof (2021 McNary)
There are plenty of big-time offensive players in the MVC this season but out of all of them, Meithof is carrying the baton in front. The 6-foot-3 junior is leading the state in scoring at almost 25 ppg so far this year and he’s getting the job done on the boards as well averaging double digits. For old school hoops enthusiasts it’s been a Glenn Robinson-like run for Meithof and McNary as he’s carried the Celtics to an undefeated record in league play as a face-off against South Salem looms.
Pacific League: Jamison Guerra (2020 Sherwood)
Sherwood took some lumps with a very challenging non-league schedule but the Bowmen have started to his their stride in league play with an undefeated record so far and a lot of it has to do with their point guard, Guerra. The OIT signee is arguably the top floor leader in the state and has the numbers so far to show for it, averaging 13.2 points, 6.4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.7. Guerra was the league MVP last season and is looking the same this year.
Mt. Hood Conference: Ben Gregg (2021 Clackamas) & Jesse White (2020 Barlow)
Last year there were co-Players of the Year, so why not this year as well? It certainly seems to be too close to call so far this year as both Gregg and White have been spectacular in a league that’s full of individual stars. Gregg has shown that classification is just a number as he’s been just as dominant in 6A both inside and outside. White had some struggles in non-league play but the Western Oregon commit has really hit his stride at the turn of the calendar year, averaging almost 30 ppg. Most importantly, Clackamas and Barlow both share first place in the league at the midway point.
Southwest Conference: Sam Harris and Josh Paul (2020 South Eugene)
South Eugene has been looking like the strong frontrunner in the Southwest Conference so far and it’s largely been thanks to the one-two punch of Harris and Paul. Harris has been doing the damage from the outside and leading the charge at the point while Paul has been able to utilize his ability to score both down low and on the perimeter. Their scoring averages are almost dead-even so far – Harris at 17.9 ppg and Paul at 17.8 ppg – so it only makes sense that the both of them would be sharing MVP honors at this point.
Three Rivers League: Micah Garrett (2020 West Linn)
At this point it appears that two guys are in the running for TRL player of the year – Garrett and Tigard’s Drew Carter – and as awesome as Carter has been, our pick for right now is the senior from West Linn. He’s been extremely consistent so far this season, has put up some great stats of his own (19.6 ppg), and maybe most importantly has led the Lions to a spot in first place at 5-0.