2021 6A Preview: Pacific Conference

<p>The season is about to start and without a true state championship, much of the pride in 2021 will ride on who brings home the league titles. The Pacific Conference is attempting to play a full round-robin schedule. Here’s how we see things turning out this year in the Pacific Conference.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">League Predictions</span></strong></p> <p>1. Sherwood<br /> 2. Century<br /> 3. Forest Grove<br /> 4. Newberg<br /> 5. Liberty<br /> 6. Glencoe<br /> 7. McMinnville</p> <p><strong>Player of the Year</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id="855956" first="Asher" last="Krauel"], Sherwood</p> <p><strong>All-League Predictions</strong>: Krauel; [player_tooltip player_id="855944" first="Eddy" last="Essien"], Century; [player_tooltip player_id="1005094" first="Spencer" last="Lanier"], Newberg; [player_tooltip player_id="855932" first="Braden" last="Hudgins"], Forest Grove; [player_tooltip player_id="1174258" first="Zane" last="Bernhard"], Liberty</p> <p><strong>Top Sleeper/Newcomer</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id="861082" first="Axton" last="Wongsomadi"], Century</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Analysis</strong></span><br /> Sherwood has slowly become the power in the Pacific Conference and was just one win away from making their first-ever 6A state tournament. Head coach Rahim Tufts will no longer have All-State point guard [player_tooltip player_id="535840" first="Jamison" last="Guerra"] (12.7 ppg, 5.8 apg) to turn to but he’s got some quality guards returning starting with track star [player_tooltip player_id="855956" first="Asher" last="Krauel"] (12.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, .427 3pt%). The senior set a state record last year with 30 points in one quarter and can score from almost anywhere on the court. The Bowmen will shoot a lot of threes which means [player_tooltip player_id="606275" first="Caden" last="Davis"] (9.8 ppg, 2.8 tpg) will be a key guy to watch. [player_tooltip player_id="964541" first="Baydon" last="Kullowatz"] (4.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id="1174261" first="Owen" last="Caudle"] (3.0 ppg) are two juniors ready to step into bigger roles. Century will also be guard heavy and depending on their shooting, of which their top gun is senior Edy Essien (12.0 ppg, .352 3pt%). [player_tooltip player_id="964537" first="Kyle" last="Hamnes"] (9.0 ppg, 2.1 apg, .420 3pt%) and [player_tooltip player_id="1069458" first="Keallum" last="Colburn"] (7.1 ppg, .400 3pt%) are also back as offensive threats. Forest Grove will give a different look with their size. [player_tooltip player_id="855932" first="Braden" last="Hudgins"] (12.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg) will be extremely hard to stop inside and out and he’s become more of a threat on the boards and defensively over the summer. James Irvine (11.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .558 fg%) will also be a threat in the lane.</p> <p>Newberg head coach Marc Brown likes his returning team this season and senior [player_tooltip player_id="1005094" first="Spencer" last="Lanier"] (9.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .608 fg%) will anchor the attack. He’s good around the basket but has improved his perimeter shooting over the past year. Liberty lost a bit when freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="861083" first="Bogdan" last="Chobu"] (10.9 ppg) left but head coach Brian Martin will have a senior-laden group looking to give it a great effort in their last season. Guards [player_tooltip player_id="1174258" first="Zane" last="Bernhard"] (7.9 ppg, .372 3pt%) and Joey Abelsen (5.5 ppg) are the top returners. Glencoe continues to rebuild under head coach Kevin Bloodsaw and junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="964547" first="Ben" last="Thornbrue"] is a player whose development is definitely worth watching. McMinnville is currently in a down cycle but head coach Willie Graham will as always have a group of guys that are willing to compete.</p>