Class of 2021: College Commitment Breakdown (D-III)
In this article:
Barring any last minute decisions, the college destinations of the Class of 2021 in Oregon have been determined and this month, many of those getting ready to start their college basketball careers will have enrolled in school. Division III can be a little hard to track as there are no official signees, but here’s our list of those who are heading to the Division III level. This list will be adjusted as we learn of new players added this winter.
Prospect | Height | Position | High School | College |
Trey Bryant Trey Bryant 6'0" | CG Springfield | 2021 State OR | 6’0 | CG | Springfield | Linfield |
Caden Davis Caden Davis 6'0" | CG Sherwood | 2021 State OR | 6’1 | SG | Sherwood | Pacific (Ore.) |
Cayden Lowenbach Cayden Lowenbach 6'6" | PF Crook County | 2021 State OR | 6’6 | SF | Crook County | Linfield |
Jake Owens Jake Owens 6'0" | CG La Salle | 2021 State OR | 6’0 | SG | La Salle | Pacific (Ore.) |
Liam Ruttledge Liam Ruttledge 6'2" | CG Jesuit | 2021 State OR | 6’2 | CG | Jesuit | Puget Sound |
Trent Templeton Trent Templeton 5'11" | CG David Douglas | 2021 State OR | 5’11 | CG | David Douglas | Hamline (Minn.) |
Luke Winkler Luke Winkler 5'10" | CG Grant | 2021 State OR | 5’10 | PG | Grant | Pacific (Ore.) |
Brandin Ziegler Brandin Ziegler 6'10" | C Grants Pass | 2021 State OR | 6’10 | C | Grants Pass | Southern Virginia |
Breakdown: The in-state members of the Northwest Conference successfully recruited most of the players that went the D-III route for college although the raw numbers were definitely fewer than years past, probably due to the pandemic. Pacific with their large roster added the most, all in the backcourt. Caden Davis Caden Davis 6'0" | CG Sherwood | 2021 State OR of Sherwood was the first to commit and he will undoubtedly find plenty of opportunities to contribute with his acumen from long range. Jake Owens Jake Owens 6'0" | CG La Salle | 2021 State OR of La Salle committed late in the year and is a do-it-all kind of guard that should fit in multiple areas. Luke Winkler Luke Winkler 5'10" | CG Grant | 2021 State OR was an early summer commit and the hard-nosed point guard will add depth for sure.
Linfield grabbed a couple of in-state kids, both of whom are versatile players. Cayden Lowenbach Cayden Lowenbach 6'6" | PF Crook County | 2021 State OR had an outstanding senior season at Crook County and the 6-foot-6 forward will bring his inside-outside game to McMinnville. Trey Bryant Trey Bryant 6'0" | CG Springfield | 2021 State OR from Springfield is an all-around guard who should be able to fill in at any of the backcourt positions. The one Northwest Conference commit heading to Washington is Liam Ruttledge Liam Ruttledge 6'2" | CG Jesuit | 2021 State OR to Puget Sound. The lefty can really stroke it from three but can also create well off of the dribble.
A couple of graduates will head East for college. Hard-working and tough-as-nails guard Trent Templeton Trent Templeton 5'11" | CG David Douglas | 2021 State OR found the right fit at Hamline in Minnesota, where his seemingly non-stop motor will most certainly be utilized. Finally, sleeper big man Brandin Ziegler Brandin Ziegler 6'10" | C Grants Pass | 2021 State OR found a spot to contribute at Southern Virginia. Big men are at a premium at the D-III level and that means the 6-foot-10 post could see immediate time.
Two former Oregon preps that will be playing college basketball at the D-III level are former Lakeridge point guard Ethan MacEachern at Trinity (Conn.) and former Life Christian big man Kobe Jenson at Minnesota-Morris.