NW Big Stage – Top Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The NW Big Stage put on by Pure Focus Sports recently brought in some of the top teams in Oregon to the Hillsboro area and we had the privilege to watch and observe a number of games. A handful of guys stood out in the games we watched - here are our picks for top performers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2747514' first='Bryce' last='Lowenbach'] (2026 Crook County)</strong> - If there was an all-tournament team, Lowenbach would have certainly been on it - if not named the MVP. The now 6-foot-9 big man was absolutely dominant in a win over Woodburn, completely owning the paint and grabbing practically every available rebound in his area on both ends of the floor. The rising senior didn't just camp out down low either as he stepped outside and capably knocked down threes at the top of the key. When it was all said and done, he finished with 28 points and 22 rebounds to go along with a handful of blocks - and the previous day he notched a 31-point, 26-rebound performance against 6A power Southridge. We caught up with Lowenbach about his current recruitment and will have an update posted soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1787372' first='Ryder' last='Zanon'] (2026 Southridge) </strong>- In what head coach Phil Vesel called arguably his best performance in a Skyhawks uniform, Zanon excelled in a win over a talented Skyview squad. Effectively using his bulk and footwork, he converted a number of scores inside but also faced up and hit some jumpers. He was a presence on the boards and defensively as well. We caught up with Zanon after the game and will have an update posted soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lucas Labounty (2026 Thurston)</strong> - Known best for his scoring ability - Labounty averaged a team-high 16.5 points last season - the rising senior showed observers that he brings more to the table than just putting points on the board. Playing the point for the Colts, he created for teammates as much as he did score himself in a win over Mountain View, finding guys on the perimeter for open shots and making good decisions on the break. We caught up with Labounty and will have an update posted soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brayden Fleener (2026 South Salem) </strong>- [player_tooltip player_id='1687840' first='Teagan' last='Scott'] gets most of the press for South Salem - and deservedly so - but a fellow senior that deserves some attention is Fleener. The rising senior forward nicknamed "Pookie" is a tremendous athlete and he fully utilized these gifts in a win over Sunset. Offensively he got most of his 14 points either in transition or off crashing the offensive boards - he finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds - but where Fleener really excelled was on defense. At 6-foot-3 he uses a quick leap, length, and excellent timing to be an extremely effective shot-blocker and he finished with 5 rejections against the Apollos.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ryan Gutierrez (2026 Churchill) </strong>- The Lancers were missing a number of their top players at the NW Big Stage due to other sports, but it gave others the chance to step up - and that's exactly what Gutierrez did. In a win over Redmond, the rising senior 6-foot-1 wing absolutely caught fire from deep, hitting four threes in the first half and seven total to notch a team-high 23 points in what was the best shooting performance we saw out of anyone in the games we were able to catch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2026058' first='Elijah' last='Thompson'] (2027 Southridge) </strong>- If there's a guard in the 2027 class who has really continued to develop and really emerge as a floor leader, it's Thompson. Running the point for Southridge, the rising 6-foot-2 junior was always in control when the rock was in his hands, easily finding holes in the defense to penetrate and score or kick it out any one of the Skyhawks talented perimeter snipers. He shot the ball well himself from both distance and with pull-ups off the dribble. We wouldn't be surprised if his first scholarship offers come in soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2460163' first='Treyson' last='Hill'] (2028 Thurston) </strong>- With his long 6-foot-5 frame and athleticism, there's no question Hill oozes potential and he put those on display at the NW Big Stage. In a win over Mountain View, he started off draining catch-and-shoot threes from the corners and when the defense adjusted, he created off the dribble and used his length to finish around the rim. He finished with a team-high 21 points - including three from distance - and 5 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->