5A State Tournament: Players to Watch (1/2)

<p>The 5A state tournament begins today, and eight teams are fired up to have made the trip to Gill Coliseum. In preparation, we take a look at the key difference-makers for each squad, starting with the top half of the bracket, which features matchups between Redmond and Ashland, and Crescent Valley and Silverton:</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1229384" first="Garrett" last="Osborne"] </strong>(2022 Redmond)</p> <p>Osborne, the clear choice for IMC player of the year, is a versatile scorer at 6-foot-3. Entering the tournament, the senior guard is not only one of the field's best finishers, but a contender for 5A player of the year honors.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1382415" first="Evan" last="Otten"] </strong>(2023 Redmond)</p> <p>At 6-foot-8, Otten was a first-team All-IMC selection for the first-seeded Panthers. A daunting presence inside, the junior center should be one of the premier paint protectors at the tournament.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1229390" first="Hawthorn" last="Lapierre"] </strong>(2022 Ashland)</p> <p>Lapierre is one of the most dangerous players in 5A due to his combination of size and scoring. At 6-foot-7, he's a high-flying finisher with the ability to create off the dribble and shoot the three.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1310064" first="Egan" last="Shields"] </strong>(2022 Ashland)</p> <p>A powerful force underneath, Shields stands at a towering 6-foot-10 and completes Ashland's twin towers inside. The big man is a proven handful with notable strength, footwork, and touch in the painted area.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="964552" first="Noah" last="Dewey"]</strong> (2022 Crescent Valley)</p> <p>Dewey, a 6-foot-7 guard, may be the odds-on favorite to win 5A player of the year. Essentially playing point guard for the Raiders, the stud senior is unstoppable at times offensively, combining his standout size with a polished feel for the game.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1353318" first="Adam" last="Temesgen"] </strong>(2023 Crescent Valley)</p> <p>A junior, Temesgen is one of the best pure guards in the field. With a pure jump shot and a crafty handle, he can get hot in a hurry, and makes Crescent Valley particularly dangerous.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="857351" first="Jordan" last="McCarty"] </strong>(2022 Silverton)</p> <p>McCarty, a four-year varsity player for the Foxes, was a first-team All-MWC selection this season. The senior point guard stands out as both a floor general and a leader. For the title-contending Foxes, he's one of many guys that can take over.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1228363" first="Neil" last="Efimov"] </strong>(2022 Silverton)</p> <p>Another first-team All-MWC selection for the Foxes, Efimov is perhaps the <em>smoothest </em>all-around player in this tournament. At 6-foot-4, the senior does a little bit of everything on the offensive end for the MWC champs. </p>