College Commitment – Kasen Lariz (2026 Forest Grove)

After putting together a solid senior season helping lead Forest Grove to the playoffs, it was time for Kasen Lariz Kasen Lariz 6'5" | SF/SG Forest Grove | 2026 State OR to lock down on his college commitment. There were options to stay close to home or go a little further away, and in the end it was the latter that caught his attention. The 6-foot-4 wing recently announced that he's going to be continuing his basketball playing career at Whitworth, and it's a decision he's truly excited about.

"I really like the players and coaches there, and they are a very successful program," Lariz said. "I also like the location and campus. It overall felt like a great fit for me."

Whitworth came into the picture early on in the season when they came to the Portland Metro area and saw him play. From there the two sides got in contact and once the season ended, Lariz scheduled a visit where he got a chance to get to know head coach Damion Jablonski and his staff better. "I met Coach J and liked him right away!" exclaimed Lariz. "I felt very welcomed and valued there."

Lariz went more into how he feels he'll fit into the basketball system at Whitworth. "Coach J is very dynamic with how he runs his offense," Lariz said. "He is able to do a lot of different things to get his players in position to do what they do best. I know I'll be able to get a lot of open looks. I have put a lot of work into other areas of my game recently and I am continuing that this offseason. In order to compete at the next level I know I'll need to spend a lot of time in the weight room to get stronger as well as getting my feet quicker. I am also extremely confident in the strength and conditioning program in place at Whitworth and I can't wait to get there and take my game to the next level!!"

With his decision in the books, Lariz is definitely ready to go to work but at the same time can look back on his senior season at Forest Grove with a lot of pride. On the year, the sweet-shooting wing was a First Team All-Pacific Conference selection after averaging 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting just over 38 percent from three-point range.

"It was a fun season," Lariz said. "I had to battle being face guarded and box and oned all season, which was a good challenge that helped me improve on getting me and my teammates open. I think our team got a lot better and started playing more together as the season went on. It didn't end the way I wanted to, but I'm still proud of the season we had!"

Our congratulations go out to Lariz and his family on his decision.