Capitol City Classic – 2026 Top Performers (6A)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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 more top performers we saw from the junior class of 2026 from the 6A level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2747493' first='Jacob' last='Sanderson'] (2026 West Salem)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sanderson kicked off the tournament in fine fashion, taking on the challenge of shadowing Wilsonville star [player_tooltip player_id='1368276' first='Cole' last='Hammack'] and helped shut him down early in the second half as West Salem took control of the lead. A solid all-around player, the 6-foot-2 simply made the right plays at the right time for the Titans, showing a good feel for the game. Tremendous leadership and a passionate competitor that was an extension on the floor of his father, head coach Dean Sanderson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1606063' first='Brody' last='Rygh'] (2026 Sherwood)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top run-and-jump athletes in the event, especially from in-state, Rygh was arguably Sherwood's most consistent performer at the Capitol City Classic, notching double figures in scoring in all four games. He effectively utilized his leaping ability and length to get to the hoop for scores and offensive boards, and played unselfishly as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1687840' first='Teagan' last='Scott'] (2026 South Salem)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The future Oregon State baseball standout proved to be a scoring threat on the basketball floor in Salem. Scott simply is a good shooter and scorer that effectively utilizes his strength and acumen to either find space to get off his shot or use the dribble to create and score over or through defenders. He ended up leading the Saxons in scoring during the week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2693425' first='Qai' last='Gresham'] (2026 Jefferson)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arguably the best run-and-jump athlete on the Democrats, Gresham showed flashes of his potential during the four days. He's got good length and hops at 6-foot-3 and has the natural timing to be an effective shot blocker. Offensively he's still a bit raw but was able to use his athleticism and strength to muscle his way to some tough finishes in the paint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1582973' first='Jemai' last='Lake'] (2026 Tualatin)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We didn't get a chance to see Lake play live but he most certainly deserves mention as one of Tualatin's top players leading them to the Capitol City Classic title. A shot maker, where the 6-foot-2 guard also excels is his ability to draw contact and get to the free throw line, where he easily shoots above the 80 percent mark.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->