2025-26 5A Postseason Superlatives (Part One)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the final buzzer sounded on the Oregon 5A basketball season in early March, discussion surrounding the season's best moments, players and teams hasn't slowed, as both The Oregonian and OSAA unveiled their all-state teams just last week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With that in mind, we've decided to hand out some postseason superlatives of our own, highlighting some of the players, coaches and storylines that defined the 2025-26 season. Take a look:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Most Clutch:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1582927' first='Adrian' last='Montague'], Parkrose</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No player had more moments on the biggest stage than Montague, who provided the go-ahead layup in the championship game after providing timely buckets all postseason for the Broncos, who earned their first state title since 1982. In the rare instance Parkrose was put on its back foot, "Fuzzy" was seemingly always there to deliver a clutch bucket or otherwise handle the pressure as one of the most level-headed guards in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Defender: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2747514' first='Bryce' last='Lowenbach'], Crook County</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Averaging more than four blocks per game during the Cowboys' run to the championship game at the state tournament, Lowenbach was a game-changing presence on the defensive end not often seen at the 5A level. With his combination of keen instincts and sheer length at 6-foot-10, Lowenbach was arguably the top rim protector in Oregon at any classification last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Game of the Year: </strong>Parkrose 65, Crook County 57 (OT) - State Championship Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Canby's regular season upset win on the road over the Broncos deserves a mention, it would be a crime to give the nod to anything outside the state championship game for this honor. In a contest that was controlled by the Broncos for a full three quarters, Crook County entered desperation mode and delivered a clutch run in the fourth, outscoring Parkrose 21-11 in the final frame to force overtime. And while the Broncos eventually pulled out the win 65-57, the stars on both sides were shining while the lights were the brightest. [player_tooltip player_id='2747514' first='Bryce' last='Lowenbach'] provided perhaps the signature performance of his high school career, scoring 30 points to go alongside 16 rebounds and five blocks. Meanwhile, Adrian "Fuzzy" Montague recorded 22 points and four assists while delivering a handful of ice-cold buckets down the stretch. This year's 5A final certainly lived up to its billing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Most Surprising Team:</strong> Centennial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Centennial entered the 2025-26 season on the 5A radar as a potential contender in the NWOC and beyond, a brutal schedule had the Eagles struggling for a playoff spot in March. They finished the regular season 13-12 and limped into the postseason via the NWOC's final automatic bid as the No. 15 seed, and then came the surprise. The Eagles more than delivered on their preseason hype as they topped No. 2 West Albany on the road in the first round, and carried that momentum into the quarterfinals, where they beat No. 7 North Eugene and advanced to the semis. While those closely familiar with the Centennial program likely saw this type of run in their future, the rest of the 5A world was caught off guard and put on notice. The Eagles were very deep, very talented, and very deserving as a semifinal participant. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Shooter:</strong> Uriah Yustat, Crook County</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We couldn't come up with another player in the 5A classification that fits the "shooter" title better than Yustat, who primarily impacts the game with his outside scoring. In the Cowboys' semifinal win over IMC rival Summit, Yustat provided the signature three-point shooting performance of the 5A state tournament, draining five threes on his way to a loud, game-changing 17 points. As a result, the senior was face-guarded by Parkrose in the championship game, a treatment only given to the best of shooters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->