NWAC Commitment Catchup

May 1 is known as College Decision Day as that’s the date when most high school seniors have determined where they will be going to school. While they aren’t necessarily bound by that, some senior hoop standouts have recently decided on where they’ll be playing their college ball and several of these are headed to the NWAC. Here’s a breakdown of some of those players and their decisions.

Steven Adams Steven Adams 6'0" | CG McNary | 2025 State OR , McNary – Lane

The quick point guard – one who McNary head coach Ryan Kirch has said was the best point guard he’s ever coached – will stay in-state and play for Lane and head coach CJ Edwards after considering a number of other possibilities.

“I had some interest from D2’s, D3’s and NAIA’s but Coach CJ and recruited me and I love what he’s doing over there and want to play for him,” Adams said. “I love the way his current players talk about being there, they have fun playing there. Also Coach CJ is a great coach I can’t wait to play for. Lastly Coach CJ is gonna make me work and get better and that’s my goal.”

As a senior, Adams averaged a team-high 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.5 steals – the last of which ranked 7th in all of 6A. Over his career, he surpassed 1000 career points and he’s looking forward to contributing on both sides of the floor for the Titans.

“I see myself being a defensive pest and providing a good scoring option at the guard position,” Adams said. “I want to keep getting stronger to compete with those bigger bodies. I’ll be working all summer on every aspect to be ready to compete.”

Ahshua Neal Ahshua Neal 6'5" | SF Nelson | 2025 State OR , Nelson – Linn-Benton

Neal transferred to Nelson for his senior season and the 6-foot-5 forward had an immediate impact, averaging 11.5 points and 4.4 rebounds, hitting just under 39 percent from three-point range. He had a number of options at different levels, but found the biggest match with the Roadrunners where he’ll be joining a large and talented incoming freshman recruiting class.

“I really got along with the coaching staff and I think Coach Z is building something special and after visiting I decided I really want to be a part of what they are building,” Neal said. “We have a special group. We have a lot of guys who can score the ball at a high clip and smart point guards like Kai, Brady, and Jojo with lots of experience that I think will translate right away.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DIw-nVmTmwt

Austin Palmer Austin Palmer 6'6" | SF Seaside | 2025 State OR , Seaside – SWOCC

Despite having the past couple of seasons affected by injury, the 6-foot-7 Seagull and former two-time Cowapa Player of the Year remained an intriguing college recruit due to his combination of size and ball skills. He garnered a number of JC and D-III roster spot offers but when it came down to decision time, he felt the most at home down in Coos Bay and Southwestern Oregon.

“I really enjoyed how I felt being there and I was able to connect with everyone very well,” Palmer said. “They made it feel like home even though it was my first time on campus. The school also has a great engineering program which helped me sway my choice as well. Their play style seems like a great fit for me – even just watching the open gym I can tell they try and find the best shot. The biggest thing for me is to just get healthy. During my high school season I was playing at like 70%.

Aidan Kelly Aidan Kelly 6'5" | PF La Salle | 2025 State OR , La Salle – Spokane

The son of La Salle head coach Sean Kelly will head up to eastern Washington and start his college career at Spokane, where he’ll be reunited with old friend Grant Olsen. The 6-foot-5 forward was a huge part of the Falcons’ run to the 5A state title, averaging 9.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocked shots while providing the big man presence the team needed. He had a number of programs interested in adding him to their roster, but in the end Spokane matched all Kelly was looking for.

“The decision was definitely not easy, but it really came down to the success that coach Groth has with moving kids on,” Kelly said. “The first time I was on campus was last August and he took me into his office and all around the room was pictures of all the athletes that moved on from Spokane to play at 4 year schools. What also sold me was how close and friendly the guys were. All coaches will tell you they have a really close team, but coach Groth and his guys really showed it. I also feel that the way his team plays will really help me thrive because it is a lot like how my team played this year.”

“A huge perk about going to Spokane is their facilities,” Kelly continued. “The Men’s basketball team pretty much has there on gym and weight room set up at their old facility, so that will be very nice for me to get locked in and work. With that they also just built a beautiful brand new facility that I will also have access too. Coach Groth at Spokane has also made it one of the most successful programs in the NWAC, so that is also a major draw. The success that he has had really shows how dedicated he is to his players and his program and I can really appreciate that. Especially since I grew up around programs that valued the same thing.”

Andrew Imhoff Andrew Imhoff 6'4" | SF Trinity Lutheran | 2025 State OR , Trinity Lutheran – Chemeketa

Chemeketa landed their first couple of commitments from the Class of 2025 and they reached over the pass to nab Imhoff out of Trinity Lutheran. The 6-foot-5 swingman – a grandson of NCAA and NBA great Darall Imhoff – was one of 2A’s best players and with his length, athleticism, and skills, will contribute right away with the potential to do even better things after his time in junior college.

“I knew Chemeketa was right for me because I wanted to stay closer to home and it was a great option, I don’t have to pay really any money other than rent and I plan on transferring out to go play somewhere big afterwards,” Imhoff said. “I talked to Coach Williams and he’s set on getting me bigger and better which should set me up for some bigger opportunities. And I like the campus a lot, it’s compact and not having to walk to far, and the program is awesome and so are my teammates, I got to take a visit there and play with them and I had a great time.”

Owen Hopkins Owen Hopkins 6'3" | SG West Albany | 2025 State OR , West Albany – Chemeketa

Also heading to Salem is Hopkins, to comes up from West Albany after a stellar career with the Bulldogs. In 2024-25 he averaged 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2. assists in helping lead West Albany to its second-straight 5A state tournament appearance. He kept it simple when choosing Chemeketa as his college choice.

“I think mainly the coaching staff – they are super cool – and I like the schools size and I love my new teammates,” Hopkins said. “I see myself fitting really well and (I want to work on) my defense and athleticism.”

Our congratulations go out to all these athletes and their families on their decisions.