Best of the Best – Game 1 Preview (TRL vs. CVC)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 3rdd annual Best of the Best Tournament takes place at Reynolds High School this weekend, May 30 and May 31, as many of the state's top seniors will don the uniforms of their respective conferences and battle for league pride. Six of the seven 6A conferences will be represented and a 5A all-star team will round out the field in what should be a very competitive two days of games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the first contest that will take place at noon on Saturday, May 30, the Three Rivers League takes on the Central Valley Conference. Here's a look at that matchup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The TRL, coached this year by Lakeridge head coach Jimmy Watts, will bring a talented roster to the tournament as they hope to make a run to the title game for the first time. Lake Oswego senior Liam Rigney, headed to Holy Cross as a walk-on freshman, leads the way with his high-scoring abilities and he'll have some familiar guards helping him get the ball in Laker teammates Robbie Durbin (Linfield) and Jackson Freeman (undecided). A trio from league champs Oregon City will be key contributors with guard Alijah Scott (Clackamas), swingman Madden Sendek, and 6-foot-6 big man Connor Lemmon (Clackamas baseball). Adding depth in the backcourt will be Lakeridge guard Micah Leake and Tualatin's Elijah Casey (Redwoods). 6-foot-8 athletic post Markuss Kagis from West Linn rounds out the roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Central Valley Conference, headed by once again by North Salem head coach Hemmingway Huynh, is looking to sneak up on people again with four of the five schools in the league represented. South Salem point guard Tko Westbrook (Columbia Basin) will lead the attack offensively and Saxons teammate Brayden "Pookie" Fleener will help anchor the defense with his athletic shot-blocking ability. 6-foot-6 Diggs Sladek from West Salem and 6-foot-6 Aydn Dallum from McNary give the CVC some size down low and long athletes such as Cole Ricketts from McNary and Rafael Ochoa from North Salem will make an impact on both ends. Guards Jack Lapray from West Salem, Anthony Fuentes from McNary, and Antonio Alvarez and Isaiah Vargas from North Salem give Huynh a lot of flexibility and depth int he backcourt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DXw5lzyEVAm/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DXw5lzyEVAm/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX0POMdCYW_/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DX0POMdCYW_/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->