Capitol City Classic - 2025 Top Performers (6A)

The 2024 Capitol City Classic took place this past week and while much of the pre-tournament focus was on the national teams with top-ranked players that were in attendance, it was the in-state squads that stole the show as three of the four teams in the semifinals were from Oregon - specifically the Three Rivers League - and in the end, it was Tualatin hoisting the trophy in a win over Oregon City.   We had the opportunity to drop by the event on multiple days to take in the action and while we missed out on seeing the eventual champs Tualatin in action, we saw every other team from Oregon at least once. Here's a look at some of the top performers we saw from the senior class of 2025 that play for schools in the 6A classification.   [player_tooltip player_id='1450157' first='Gylan' last='Payne'] (2025 Oregon City)   Payne started off the tournament with a bang, posting an 18-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple double in the opening round win over West Albany. The 6-foot-5 guard was doing it all on the court, from the jump where he coasted in for a power two-handed slam in transition, to later in the game when he was firing pinpoint passes to cutters to the basket for easy scores. His play easily caught the eyes of college coaches in attendance, who all agreed he was one of the top in-state guys in attendance that will play at the college level. Western Oregon head coach Wes Pifer was in the building to watch on day one and during the tournament, Payne picked up his second D-II offer so far, from Seattle Pacific.   [player_tooltip player_id='1611687' first='Jalen' last='Snook'] (2025 West Linn)   Snook had his outside shot locked down in the tournament from the very start. He was arguably the top three-point shooter in the entire tournament hitting 20 threes over the course of four games, culminating in nailing seven from beyond the arc in the third place game win over Northern Nash. It's not as if the senior guard was firing away a ton of attempts either as he shot a high percentage, easily over 50 percent. Snook nailed shots off the catch-and-shoot, but also used the dribble to create space for himself to get it off with his quick release.   [player_tooltip player_id='1450156' first='Gavin' last='Gross'] (2025 West Linn)   Gross had a solid tournament overall, but really shined in the win against Inglewood. The 6-foot-5 swingman broke out offensively with 29 points, hitting perimeter shots but also finishing at the hoop including a couple of impressive two-handed slams. But where the senior really made an impact was with his defensive prowess as he shadowed and frustrated Inglewood star Jason Crowe, Jr. all game long forcing him to take some very tough shots. In the other games, the Carroll College commit played good team basketball and in the games where he didn't score as much, was active on the boands and solid on defense.   Kevin Benson (2025 West Linn)   For those who weren't already with West Linn's roster, there was no question Benson caught eyes and brought out the phrase "who is that kid?" The 6-foot-6 senior forward was extremely active the entire week, particularly on the boards where his combination of length, athleticism, and all-out motor made him a terror rebounding the basketball on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he was aggressive attacking the basket as well and by running the floor in transition, he was rewarded with a number of passes for easy hoops.   [player_tooltip player_id='2722615' first='Tyler' last='Hawkins'] (2025 West Salem)   It's become a little cliche to call someone's performance solid but that's the word that truly comes to mind when we talk about Hawkins, because he was simply consistent for West Salem throughout the Capitol City Challenge. The 6-foot-5 senior may not play with a ton of flair, but he simply gets the job done with his all-around shooting and scoring, and his contributions on the boards and on the defensive end with his physicality. What we particuarly like about Hawkins offensively is his ability to create space and not only shoot, but make contested shots in the mid-range and he did plenty of that over four games.   [player_tooltip player_id='1531536' first='Jarod' last='Stanley'] (2025 Sprague)   Strong athletic forays to the basket are common for Stanley and that's what he capably did at the Capitol City Classic in the games we watched him play. The senior guard was especially dangerous in transition as he's one of the best finishers in the state at and above the rim. While he certainly got downhill on the break, Stanley also was able to create off the dribble in the halfcourt setting and hit enough perimeter shots to keep the defense honest. He finished the tournament with a game-high 19 points and a win over Western Christian.   [player_tooltip player_id='1368253' first='Anthony' last='Best'] (2025 Sprague)   The Capitol City Classic represented the debut of Best, not only in a Sprague uniform but it was also his first action of the season after sitting out with a shoulder injury. The 6-foot-6 senior shook off the rust fast with 15 points and 7 rebounds in the opener against Woodburn and while it was clear his perimeter shot wasn't quite clicking, there was no lack of effort fighting for offensive rebounds and putbacks around the hoop. He posted a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in Sprague's final game but also impressed with his interior passing with five assists.   [player_tooltip player_id='2722533' first='Braxton' last='Long'] (2025 Sprague)   Of all the guys in the tournament who weren't necessarily highly ranked household names, Long may have been the biggest stock riser. Coaches in attendance were impressed with his combination of length, motor, and versatility playing the point guard spot and his production on the floor in multiple areas was prodigious. Long got to the basket and converted a number of lefty floaters, but also got the ball to his teammates like a true point guard should. He helped out on the boards, played hard on D, and was even a shot-blocking threat at times. There aren't many triple-double threats on a nightly basis across the state but Long is one.

The 2024 Capitol City Classic took place this past week and while much of the pre-tournament focus was on the national teams with top-ranked players that were in attendance, it was the in-state squads that stole the show as three of the four teams in the semifinals were from Oregon - specifically the Three Rivers League - and in the end, it was Tualatin hoisting the trophy in a win over Oregon City.