Mid-Season PIL Player of the Year Candidates

It's the middle of league play in the Portland Interscholastic League and a number of guys have already put together outstanding seasons and have established themselves as all-league - and player of the year honors. Making the hard decision and only choosing one representative from each of the nine schools in the conference, here's a look at the top POY candidates (listed in order of current team record):   [player_tooltip player_id='1052572' first='Terrence' last='Hill Jr'] (2024 Roosevelt) - The Roughriders will have several candidates for the all-league teams - [player_tooltip player_id='1110570' first='Chance' last='White'], [player_tooltip player_id='1368227' first='Owen' last='Nathan'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1110736' first='Utrillo' last='Morris'] will all get plenty of consideration - but there's no question Hill is the top dog on the team. The Utah State signee has come back home from his one-year stint in Arizona and has predictably been an unstoppable scorer, but has also been a dominant passer and has also been a big help on the boards too. Hill Jr is not only a candidate for First Team All-League honors but also a favorite for PIL Player of the Year.   Charlie Kapranos (2024 Grant) - There's no question that it's largely been a team effort with the Generals this year but if we had to pick the main candidate out of all of the guys, it's going to be a senior leader like Kapranos. The 6-foot-4 forward has gotten the job done both inside and out for Grant on both ends of the floor and is arguably the most dependable player night in and night out for head coach Sean Brownhill.   [player_tooltip player_id='1110573' first='Jackson' last='Owens'] (2024 Cleveland) - After years of playing a supporting role, 2023-24 has been Owens' turn to enter the spotlight and he's more than embraced the opportunity. The 6-foot-4 swingman has become one of 6A's top scorers using his old-school mid-range game and non-stop motor to punish opponents, despite often running into double teams. As the rest of the team has started to develop more offensively, it's helped take the pressure off of him which has given him more freedom to do his thing. He could be a First Team All-League lock.   [player_tooltip player_id='2055471' first='Tanner' last='Overby'] (2024 Lincoln) - One of the stories of the year has been Overby, who swung JV last season and was more focused on golf the previous year at Lincoln. The 6-foot-2 lefty has practically been unstoppable on the offensive end, using his power game to get to the hoop and score over, around, and through defenders. Paired with big man [player_tooltip player_id='1383114' first='Evan' last='Heisler'] in head coach Heather Seely-Roberts' high-low scheme, Overby is another guy who will get PIL Player of the Year consideration.   [player_tooltip player_id='2204989' first='Izrahiah' last='Flechtner'] (2024 Franklin) - The athletic 6-foot-2 guard has taken his game to another level his senior year and simply makes plays on both ends of the floor with his motor and all-around ability. He was carrying a very heavy load early on in the season but with the return of fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='1110584' first='Dominic' last='Papworth'] to the lineup, Flechtner has been able to thrive even better as he tries to help the Lightning secure a post-season berth.   [player_tooltip player_id='861086' first='Dylan' last='Douangphrachanh'] (2024 Benson) - Benson has struggled a bit this season but no doubt Douangphrachanh has done his best to keep the Techmen in contention for the post-season. The 6-foot-3 guard has taken his game to another level as he's no longer just a shooter but an all-around devastating scorer capable of getting buckets from anywhere on the floor and is now utilizing his athleticism to finish plays at the rim. Douangphrachanh will get strong First Team All-League consideration despite the Techmen's overall win-loss record.   [player_tooltip player_id='1197478' first='TJ' last='Latu'] (2024 Jefferson) - After a down season, Jefferson is back in playoff contention and a lot of it has to do with the play of Latu. The 6-foot-2 guard is as difficult as any player to match up with in the league with his physical strength, and if his lefty jumper is on target from deep it makes him him even more unguardable. A willing passer and defender, the senior has paired with teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1582927' first='Adrian' last='Montague'] to be one of the top backcourts in PDX.   [player_tooltip player_id='1232311' first='Jacey' last='Canalin'] (2024 Wells) - No question Canalin has had a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders, especially on the offensive end. But despite being one of the smallest regulars in the league, the point guard has largely delivered with not only scoring the ball but with his passing and also his presence on the defensive end creating turnovers. His production should garner him all-league consideration despite the team's relative lack of wins.   Artimus Hebbe (2024 McDaniel) - It's been a rebuilding year at McDaniel under new head coach Aaron Boone but if we had to choose one candidate from the Mountain Lions for all-league honors it would be Hebbe, one of the senior captains. The guard has provided leadership in the face of adversity all season long and has had some games where he's been able to get hot from the outside from deep.

It's the middle of league play in the Portland Interscholastic League and a number of guys have already put together outstanding seasons and have established themselves as all-league - and player of the year honors. Making the hard decision and only choosing one representative from each of the nine schools in the conference, here's a look at the top POY candidates (listed in order of current team record):