2024-25 5A Preview: All-State Teams & POY

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024-25 season has just kicked off and quite a few of last year's top players are back. There's a solid group of experienced seniors but there are some talented underclassmen ready to challenge for honors as well. It's time to unveil our pre-season all-state teams and here are our picks for the 5A classification.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} --> <p class="has-text-align-center">(Players listed alphabetically within each team)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} --> <p class="has-text-align-center"><strong>First Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2429770,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/bittle-e1733770848109.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/bittle-e1733770848109.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2429770" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1910899' first='Kyle' last='Bittle'], Sr, Crater</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2687270,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/hammack-e1733771369616.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/hammack-e1733771369616.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2687270" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1368276' first='Cole' last='Hammack'], Sr, Wilsonville</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2687280,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/pearson-e1733771418642.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/pearson-e1733771418642.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2687280" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1726569' first='Ian' last='Pearson'], Sr, Redmond</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2515016,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/stiffler-e1733771019542.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/stiffler-e1733771019542.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2515016" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1503810' first='Nate' last='Stiffler'], Sr, Thurston</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2426192,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/veliz_cbabce-e1733771066820.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/veliz_cbabce-e1733771066820.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2426192" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1368274' first='Cruz' last='Veliz'], Sr, Woodburn</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} --> <p class="has-text-align-center"><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2380523,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/bents-e1710813225959.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/bents-e1710813225959.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2380523" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1426709' first='Jack' last='Bents'], Sr, Caldera</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2352538,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/cordle-e1733771145396.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/cordle-e1733771145396.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2352538" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='2575663' first='Colin' last='Cordle'], Sr, South Albany</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2687331,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/hopkins-e1733771628314.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/hopkins-e1733771628314.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2687331" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='2045350' first='Owen' last='Hopkins'], Sr, West Albany</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2369951,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/lawson-e1709684661569.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/lawson-e1709684661569.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2369951" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1951856' first='Jaxon' last='Lawson'], Jr, Canby</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2433145,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/spafford-e1733771283524.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/spafford-e1733771283524.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2433145" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='2204993' first='Jaxson' last='Spafford'], Sr, Putnam</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} --> <p class="has-text-align-center"><strong>Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2687369,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"center"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/hammack2-e1733771742375.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/hammack2-e1733771742375.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2687369" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1368276' first='Cole' last='Hammack'], Sr, Wilsonville</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Analysis: On the surface it looks a little odd to pick someone who's not only new to a program but coming up from a lower level, but Hammack has quickly proven he not only belongs at Wilsonville but is going to be their leader and top player. With the Wildcats being potentially the title favorites, that gives him the edge over the other candidates on the First Team, all of whom will be strongly considered for their own league's player of the year honors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The choices on the second team include two guys from the Mid-Willamette Conference in Cordle and Hopkins and two from the Northwest Oregon Conference in Spafford and the only junior on the two teams in Lawson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->