6A Semifinals Surprise Impact Players

As we approach the 6A state semifinal match ups today, it's easy to look at the big names player & expect for them to have a big role in deciding the outcome of the game. We decided to take a little bit deeper dive & try to identify a guy on each team, whose unexpected play today might make the difference between winning & losing. It won't necessarily be plays that show up in the points column, but rather the hustle plays, loose balls secured, & lock down defense that coaches know make the difference between playing for 1st or 3rd on Saturday.    It's easy for a big man to get lost in the shuffle with all of the tremendous guard play ath Tualatin possesses. Olvera's play protecting the paint & controlling the glass will be crucial if the Timberwolves are to get past a young & scrappy Benson squad.     The class of 2027 in Oregon is one of the deepest groups that we can remember in a long long time. Just a bunch of kids that can really play. Mckelvey is a guy who sometimes gets over looked playing with uber talented teammates like [player_tooltip player_id='2910099' first='Kendall' last='Hopkins-McGlothen'] & [player_tooltip player_id='2132803' first='Richad' last='Hudson'], but we came away impressed with his play & impact in the Elite 8 on Wednesday. Several key rebounds, defensive stops, & timely baskets were huge in the Astros upset of Clackamas.     The talent level at Central Catholic is undeniable, by my guess, all 6 of their regular rotation guys will play D2 or higher at the college level. With that being said, it's hard to identify a "sleeper" for today's game, but we are going with Weatherspoon, an explosive scoring wing to bounce back from a rough outing vs Grant & have an impact today vs Jesuit.     When you look at the Jesuit box score, Harrison's numbers typically don't jump out at you. However, his perimeter defense & ball pressure are huge factors in Jesuit's attempts to disrupt opposing offenses & slow the pace of the game. Look for Harrison to draw the assignment of guarding Bam Paschal in today's semifinal Holy War. His ability to keep Paschal out of the paint, will be a huge factor in Jesuit's ability to pull off the upset.

As we approach the 6A state semifinal match ups today, it's easy to look at the big names player & expect for them to have a big role in deciding the outcome of the game. We decided to take a little bit deeper dive & try to identify a guy on each team, whose unexpected play today might make the difference between winning & losing. It won't necessarily be plays that show up in the points column, but rather the hustle plays, loose balls secured, & lock down defense that coaches know make the difference between playing for 1st or 3rd on Saturday.