3A State Tournament – Top Players to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2004 3A state tournament kicks off in North Bend on Thursday and will finish with the title game on Saturday afternoon at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay. A stacked field of the classification's best teams and players is in town on the South Coast and here's a look at some of the top players to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1110567' first='Austin' last='Maurer'] (2024 Cascade Christian)</strong> - The future Grand Canyon big man is on track to be named 3A Player of the Year and is a candidate for the Gatorade Player of the Year and honestly, there's not much to say other than he's been flat out unstoppable his senior year. The 7-foot big man has dominated from everywhere on the court, on both ends of the floor, and the statistics he's posted from game to game have been comparable to some of the all-time greats. He more than proved he could play with the best with big-time performances at the Capitol City Classic and Les Schwab Invitational.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2026055' first='Avery' last='Huston'] (2027 Cascade Christian)</strong> - One of the more anticipated debuts in Southern Oregon in the years, the freshman guard lived up to billing. Settling into the starting lineup from the start, the 6-foot-1 point guard made an immediate impact with his athleticism and motor, with some of his dunks in transition making the highlight reel. He proved himself against big school competition early in the schedule and while he might be the second option on the Challengers this year, the future is limitless.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1565738' first='Dax' last='Hanzlik'] (2024 Westside Christian)</strong> - After being more of a secondary threat as a junior, Hanzlik had the baton handed over to him in 2023-24, and he more than delivered. The 6-foot-4 swingman dominated opponents using his high-level athleticism, explosiveness, and power to become a huge offensive weapon for the Eagles and he was a force on the boards and as a shot-blocker as well. A sleeper college recruit, he hopes to lead #1 ranked Western Christian past the final hump and a state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1910897' first='Jaylen' last='Hill'] (2025 De La Salle North)</strong> - Still just a junior, Hill has proven himself as one of the toughest matchups in the post in the entire state. The 6-foot-5 football defensive lineman is in essence an immovable mini-Shaq in the paint, yet he's light enough on his feet to utilize moves beyond simple brute force. Hill runs the floor well, can step out and hit some mid-range jumpers, and is a good interior passer. He'll be one of the best rebounders in the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1769241' first='Quincy' last='Aranda'] (2024 De La Salle North)</strong> - The engine that runs the Knights, Aranda could arguably be one of the quickest players in the state at any level. The senior point guard is not only fast but extremely shifty with a number of crossover moves with his handle, and is just as adept as firing off quick passes to teammates cutting to the basket as he is looking for his own offense. A bit of a streaky shooter, when Aranda gets hot from the outside he is very difficult to stop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1958223' first='Noah' last='Holub'] (2024 Valley Catholic) </strong>- Valley Catholic is incredibly balanced but the Knights had one all-league member and that was Holub. While his collegiate future is on the gridiron at Western Oregon, the senior has had a breakout season on the hardwood as well. The big man runs the floor and moves extremely well, really hits the glass, and has the power to finish strong at the rim. He will be a key component for Valley Catholic as they will have to battle other talented bigs in the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1910904' first='Clyde' last='Rosenberg'] (2025 Dayton) </strong>- One of 3A's top transfers, Rosenberg made the move from McMinnville for a number of reasons but it's definitely paid off for both him and the Pirates on the basketball floor. At 6-foot-6 with solid hands and footwork, he's hard to handle in the post but the junior also has a soft touch on his perimeter shot. A double-double machine, Rosenberg helped Dayton qualify for the trip to Coos Bay with a Herculean 37-point, 21-rebound effort against Douglas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->