2022 3A Tournament: Top Performers

<p>The 3A Tournament concluded in Coos Bay last weekend and at the end, it was Cascade Christian hoisting up the championship trophy after the Challengers defeated De La Salle North Catholic in the final, 52-45. There were a lot of great players in the gym during the three days at Marshfield High School - here’s a look at the top performers.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1110567" first="Austin" last="Maurer"] (2024 Cascade Christian)</strong></p> <p>There isn’t an award given to the Most Outstanding Player but if there had been one, Maurer would have been the obvious choice. The 6-foot-11 sophomore was dominant in all phases of the game and his statistics of 24.3 ppg, 13.3 rpg, and 3.3 bpg were some of the best in tournament history. In the final alone, he tallied 26 points, 16 rebounds, and six blocks. He certainly did damage down in the paint but what makes him special is his ability to hit from long range - he shot 6-for-12 from distance which led the entire event. With still two years left to play, the possibilities are limitless.</p> <p><strong>Mathias Billings (2022 De La Salle North)</strong></p> <p>Billings, along with Maurer, was a unanimous selection for First Team All-Tournament. The 6-foot-6 senior played with passion all tournament long, using his athleticism and aggressive nature to attack the hoop. The lefty showed off some touch from the outside hitting some open threes as well. He averaged 14.3 ppg in three games and was the second-highest rebounder at 9.0 rpg.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1228362" first="Jaymeson" last="Ye"] (2022 Westside Christian)</strong></p> <p>Ye and Westside Christian weren’t quite able to get that elusive state title, but the Eagles still finished in third and the senior had a lot to do with that. The 6-foot-4 senior wing averaged 19.0 points and 5.7 rebounds and plenty of times showed off his ability to create off the dribble, attack, and finish at the rim.  Ye earned First Team All-Tournament honors.</p> <p><strong>Cody Reece (2022 Cascade Christian)</strong></p> <p>Reece may be a big undersized but often you cannot measure heart and grittiness and how much it contributes to winning. The 5-foot-10 was in total control of the offense for Cascade Christian, setting the table and getting the ball to the open man to the tune of a tournament-leading 6.7 assists per game. He also managed to average 14.3 ppg, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 steals.  Reese was named to the All-Tournament First Team.</p> <p><strong>Tyler Spink (2022 Dayton)</strong></p> <p>As he did all year long, Spink brought his hard-nosed, no nonsense style of play to the 3A tournament. He was key in Dayton’s first two games scoring 20 points in each, hitting from both mid and long range with success. In the end, the 6-foot-1 combo guard finished as one of the tournament’s leading scorers at 17 ppg which helped him nab a spot on the First Team All-Tournament squad.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1197478" first="TJ" last="Latu"] (2024 De La Salle North)</strong></p> <p>Another sophomore who made a splash in his first-ever 3A tournament appearance was Latu. The tough 6-foot-1 lefty averaged 17.3 points and was a sniper from the outside, nailing just under 44 percent of his three-point tries. Although they ultimately fell short, Latu’s accuracy from beyond the arc was critical for De La Salle in the second half of the championship game.  Latu ended up Second Team All-Tournament.</p>