Finale in the Valley - 2028 Top Performers

The Finale in the Valley from Flight Club Tournaments took place this past weekend and we had the opportunity to drop by Clackamas High School to watch a number of games from the Varsity, 17U/16U, and 15U divisions. Pressure Elite captured the Varsity title, McCaffrey won 16U, and City Red took home the trophy in 15U. Here's a look at the top performers from the rising junior class of 2028.    Sanders was absolutely dominant in the games we watched him play with Pressure Elite in the Varsity and 17U/16U divisions at the Finale in the Valley, helping lead the team to the finals in both divisions and winning the title in Varsity. The Grant junior wing couldn't be stopped going hard to the basket, especially in transition where he constantly finished high above the rim with thunderous jams of all varieties. His lefty jumper was really clicking from three in a couple of the games we watched from both the wings and the corners and defensively, he was in attack mode as always. He posted back-to-back games of 28 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday, and this summer Sanders has proven he's not only one of the top players in the class of 2028 but in the entire state.     As always, Harper-Grant was getting buckets whenever he was on the floor and did so in a variety of ways. His jumper was fairly sharp, he was smooth on his mid-range pull-ups and fadeaways, and he got some tough finishes around the hoop through contact. What really caught our attention in Pressure Elite's win over North Sound was the way he hit the boards hard on both ends and was very active on the defensive end, ending up registering a total of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals.     You know that explosive reaction when you drop a Mentos into a bottle of soda? That's what Jackson was whenever he entered a game off the bench for Pressure Elite at the Finale in the Valley. There may be no one in the state who can score not only instantly but in waves like Jackson can and that was the case in the team's win over North Sound. The Jefferson junior first checked in after halftime and immediately responded with bucket after bucket in scoring 14 points - including a clutch three-pointer at the buzzer to propel the team to a 69-66 win. Jackson is super quick off the dribble and with his shot release and when he's on fire, he simply can't be stopped.     Great effort from Onishchenko as he continues to settle in with his future Centennial teammates. Playing with [program_tooltip program_id='2609033' first='Starts' last='With U'] in a tight matchup against Pressure Elite, the rising junior was the squad's main presence inside. He fought hard on the boards on both ends and off the offensive glass, he was able to convert some tough scores absorbing all sorts of contact. The emerging wing looked good hitting a handful of perimeter jumpers as well (including a three), and wound up leading the team with 14 points and 11 rebounds.     Solid all-around play from Niko all weekend long as the rising junior swingman had the goal of posting a triple-double each time out. The Benson standout did a great job of balancing out looking for his own shot and setting up teammates, flashing some next-level passing on a number of assists. He effectively used his body to help out on the boards. While he did not achieve a triple-double in any individual game, his presence certainly made a difference as Pressure Elite reached the finals of both the varsity and 17U/16U divisions.

The Finale in the Valley from Flight Club Tournaments took place this past weekend and we had the opportunity to drop by Clackamas High School to watch a number of games from the Varsity, 17U/16U, and 15U divisions. Pressure Elite captured the Varsity title, McCaffrey won 16U, and City Red took home the trophy in 15U. Here's a look at the top performers from the rising junior class of 2028.