2025-26 5A Preview: Northwest Oregon Conference

The 2024-25 season is upon us and PrepHoops Oregon has you covered. We're doing pre-season previews for all of the 5A leagues across the state, giving you some insight into the teams and players you should be watching this year, courtesy of Jared Gensman of Oregon 5A Boys Basketball. The Northwest Oregon Conference (NWOC) has traditionally always had some of the top teams in the classification and this season is no different - in fact it could be argued this year you could even see all of their playoff teams make the state tournament. Here's how we see it turning out.   League Predictions   <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li>Parkrose</li>   <li>Centennial</li>   <li>Wilsonville</li>   <li>Canby</li>   <li>La Salle</li>   <li>Milwaukie</li>   <li>Hood River Valley</li>   <li>Hillsboro</li>   <li>Putnam</li> </ol>   Player of the Year Candidates: Adrian “Fuzzy” Montague, Parkrose; [player_tooltip player_id='2026871' first='Darius' last='Andrews'], Centennial; [player_tooltip player_id='2240507' first='Sincere' last='Powe'], Centennial; Aazzee Beaux, Wilsonville; [player_tooltip player_id='1951856' first='Jaxon' last='Lawson'], Canby; [player_tooltip player_id='2211742' first='Riggy' last='Khyungra'], La Salle Prep   All-League Predictions: Adrian “Fuzzy” Montague, Parkrose; [player_tooltip player_id='2026486' first='Keone' last='Gates'], Parkrose; [player_tooltip player_id='2026871' first='Darius' last='Andrews'], Centennial; [player_tooltip player_id='2240507' first='Sincere' last='Powe'], Centennial; Aazzee Beaux, Wilsonville; [player_tooltip player_id='1951856' first='Jaxon' last='Lawson'], Canby; [player_tooltip player_id='2211742' first='Riggy' last='Khyungra'], La Salle Prep   Top Sleeper/Newcomer: [player_tooltip player_id='2698661' first='Jett' last='Bruce'], Wilsonville; [player_tooltip player_id='2910086' first='Sebastian' last='Larsen'], Centennial   State Tournament Threats: Parkrose, Centennial, Wilsonville, Canby   Other Post-Season Teams: La Salle   Analysis   The student athlete transfer landscape is continuing to evolve. We always see a few scattered in the 5A classification every year, with few being impactful. But this… I don't think we've experienced this influx of talent to one team in any classification, maybe ever. Parkrose has been the benefactor of four former PIL students with incredible ability to join their team. The biggest names with PIL all-league recognition are standouts senior Adrian “Fuzzy” Montague (15.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.2 spg at Roosevelt), and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2026486' first='Keone' last='Gates'] (13.3 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.9 apg) & [player_tooltip player_id='2026056' first='Varryk' last='Hardges'] (10.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.1 apg) who last played with Grant. Adding to an already staggering roster, also from Grant is senior Keion James (7.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.5 apg). Returners from last year's squad from The Rose is senior Corinthain Littleton and freshman Victor Norris will definitely be one to watch. New Broncos coach Kendrick Williams, formerly with Rosemary Andersen Prep has had an early impact with personnel, we'll have to wait and see how it all translates on the hardwood.   The Eagles' have been rapidly improving over the last three years, and their window of opportunity has never been higher. Centennial does lose a key returning all-league contributor from last season, but one thing this team never lacked was depth. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2026871' first='Darius' last='Andrews'] (9.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.9 apg) struggled with injury last season, expect him to be explosive as ever and get back to form, which for him is among the NWOC's best. In his absence last season, it provided senior [player_tooltip player_id='2240507' first='Sincere' last='Powe'] (13.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.5 apg) an opportunity to showcase his skillset, and he didn't disappoint, as both were rewarded with league recognition last season. The most underrated player in all of Oregon may very well be [player_tooltip player_id='1662765' first='Quentin' last='Neal'] (9.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg). He's another senior on this team that will be a problem to overcome on both ends of the floor. Other returners with varsity experience and talent that will continue to elevate this team is senior [player_tooltip player_id='2442280' first='Harold' last='Turner'] (2.6 ppg), and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2053517' first='Zaire' last='Williams'] (4.8 ppg). Centennial has also benefited from numerous transfers: Senior JeMel Baker (4.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg at Roosevelt) will be a huge asset and prove to be one of the best in state, [player_tooltip player_id='2882203' first='Dakari' last='Mitchell'], a 6'11” sophomore formerly from Putnam, 6'10” junior [player_tooltip player_id='2910086' first='Sebastian' last='Larsen'] from Denmark, and most recently sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2699125' first='Drake' last='Walsh'] (10.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg) from Sunset. This team has an abundance of talent, experience and unmatched depth, it's time for Coach Demetrius McQuarn to push them to their limits, which very well may be a state title.   You can't count out Wilsonville and Coach Chris Roche. Even though they've got a key transfer, some up-and-coming big guys, and a solid group of about six returning juniors and seniors, finishing 3rd in the league feels a bit off. The Wildcats will likely show everyone that they still belong in the discussion of the 5A elite. For that to happen, junior transfer [player_tooltip player_id='2539884' first='Aazzee' last='Breaux'] (14.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg at Centennial) needs to keep building on his great performance from last year where he earned NWOC first team recognition. Sophomore big Michael Radcliffe (8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.6 bpg) is also looking to step it up after a solid freshman campaign. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2698661' first='Jett' last='Bruce'] is our sleeper pick and should have a breakout season. With all the attention that Breaux and Radcliffe will demand, Bruce running point will take advantage of opportunities and quickly be respected. 6'6"; sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2539783' first='Jonah' last='Mason'] has been putting in work in the off-season and should get rewarded with more earned minutes. Returning impact mainstays like senior [player_tooltip player_id='1662764' first='Brett' last='Lyons'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2132806' first='William' last='Maina'] will also help keep these Wildcats among the best.   Last season's Cinderella team is looking to build upon their recent postseason success. Coach Matt Taylor's Cougars were a team that could have been dangerous throughout, but key injuries prevented them from being a consistent threat and top 10 team. When at full strength late, Canby demonstrated that they are a legitimate contender and could beat just about anyone. The good news for Canby is that most of their key guys are returning. NWOC player of the year [player_tooltip player_id='1951856' first='Jaxon' last='Lawson'] (19.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.8 spg) is back to lead in his senior season. He's able to provide a spark of offensive in a variety of ways as a passer or three level scoring threat. Also in the backcourt is the all-league energetic junior, [player_tooltip player_id='2737286' first='Cooper' last='Cousin'] (7.4 ppg). Canby's talented senior frontcourt foundation is led by high flying [player_tooltip player_id='2757024' first='Ben' last='Twitchell'] (4.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg), [player_tooltip player_id='2949701' first='Dane' last='Edwards'] (5.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, .556 fg%) & [player_tooltip player_id='2844695' first='Cohen' last='Vandecoevering'] (7.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.3 apg), who's impact will be significant to their continued success. Much like Centennial, this squad is in their prime to make another deep run and be one of the favorites all season long.   Your defending champion Falcons will look considerably different after losing most of their core producers to graduation. Thankfully, coming back is dynamic all-league first team junior [player_tooltip player_id='2211742' first='Riggy' last='Khyungra'] (23.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.9 spg). After a breakout sophomore year, capped off with a brilliant post-season performance, his ceiling keeps getting higher. He will once again lead the Falcons, but this season he'll be surrounded by Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2539901' first='Matthew' last='Tesfa'] & [player_tooltip player_id='2779319' first='Diesel' last='Renner'], and seniors Sam Johnson (2.2 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='2205007' first='Tate' last='Kullberg'] (2.4 ppg), & Vince Faris (3.4 ppg), who all look to be the early favorites to seize the, “next man up” opportunities and provide some relief for the point guard. Expect a few growing pains with the new-look Falcons as they traverse the ever-evolving NWOC scene, but as long as Coach Sean Kelly is on the sideline, and #2 is running the floor they'll be a competitive team you can't look past.   The Mustangs were one of the youngest teams in all 5A last season, so challenges were anticipated. What we didn't expect was witnessing the emergence of several young talented individuals that should get them a few wins this season and give hope for the future development of the program. Starting with senior guard Hayden Aldridge (5.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg), he established himself as a capable floor leader and primary scoring threat several times last season. Aldridge should see increased production on both ends of the floor. Their core trio of juniors is where we should see the greatest improvements: CJ LaPlante (7.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg) became one of the Mustangs most prolific scorers, and the second half of the season is where we really saw that jump in productivity. Combo guard [player_tooltip player_id='2132780' first='Alex' last='Lugo'] (9.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.9 apg) got better as the season progressed and played well enough to earn all-league honors. In the post, [player_tooltip player_id='2534844' first='Enzo' last='Yamashita'] (8.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg) created headaches for opponents. At 6'6” with solid footwork, he was difficult to contain down low and had a soft touch in the paint. Head coach Joseph Jackson's team has the potential to be one of the most improved teams in the classification, with a limit that will get even higher the following year.    With a puzzling season behind them, where they picked up huge wins against 5A's elite including state semifinalists Summit, La Salle Prep, and Wilsonville, Hood Rivery Valley is now looking to redefine their narrative. Although they were the only team to defeat all three of these top contenders in the same season, their inconsistency throughout kept them in the middle of a crowded NWOC pack. To avoid a similar scenario this year, the Eagles will need additional players to rise to the occasion. The team's prospects hinge on all-league junior [player_tooltip player_id='2570750' first='JJ' last='Poole'] (9.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, .355 3pt%, .825 ft%) who continues to build on a breakout sophomore season with increasing confidence and productivity. Seniors Talon Britt (7.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2853644' first='Deacon' last='Ybarra'] (3.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.4 apg), juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2375085' first='Juan' last='Gomez'] and 6'5” Grant Dunn are also targeted to be significant producers for head coach Chris Dirks as the Eagles try and separate themselves from the loaded NWOC.   The Spartans showed flashes of brilliance early in non-conference play earning four wins, including two against 6A teams but often found themselves in some lopsided contests as the season progressed. This season looks to have similar challenges ahead of them, as they will struggle to keep pace with other team's depth. Hilhi does have all-league [player_tooltip player_id='2844561' first='AJ' last='Garcia'] (15.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg) coming back for his senior season. AJ is a physical player with a good touch around the rim that will be relied on heavily this season. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2371507' first='Zack' last='Walters'] will have a much bigger role on this team and will be expected to produce right away, as he'll be the likely beneficiary from the attention AJ draws, along with senior transfers [player_tooltip player_id='2205008' first='Terrence' last='Townsend'] from Glencoe, Bruno Lopez Prado from Aloha, and [player_tooltip player_id='2394184' first='Luke' last='Eischen'] from Hillsboro. The Spartans have several developing juniors, Coach Sam Kem will need a few of them to emerge quickly if they hope to stay competitive further than non-conference play.   This upcoming season presents significant challenges for the Kingsmen, where success may not solely be reflected in the win-loss column. Putnam is already competing in one of the state's premiere leagues across all classifications as well as facing a rigorous non-league schedule against top 6A and 5A teams. They'll be tested as the underdogs almost all season long. Coach Ali Mihub's squad will have to rely on a strong senior core. Led by Carter Mitchell-Dyer, Joel Lombard, Riley Carey, and Nemo Pittman, these seniors are composed to build on last year's progress and embrace greater leadership, while simultaneously encouraging the growth of emerging younger talent.

The 2024-25 season is upon us and PrepHoops Oregon has you covered. We're doing pre-season previews for all of the 5A leagues across the state, giving you some insight into the teams and players you should be watching this year, courtesy of Jared Gensman of Oregon 5A Boys Basketball. The Northwest Oregon Conference (NWOC) has traditionally always had some of the top teams in the classification and this season is no different - in fact it could be argued this year you could even see all of their playoff teams make the state tournament. Here's how we see it turning out.