The Portland Interscholastic League’s boys basketball program for the 2024–25 academic year was examined by The Oregonian/OregonLive last week.
It’s time to quickly review the league’s best players.
Junior Robert Acelar, Benson
Acelar will be on varsity for the third time this season. The all-league honorable mention wing, who excels as a shooter and defender, is expected to have a successful junior campaign. As a sophomore, Acelar scored 10.6 points per game on average.
Benson sophomore Richard Hudson
Hudson, a transfer from Grant, is expected to start as point guard for the Astros right away, according to assistant coach Page Mesher. He described the sophomore as a playmaker and dynamic athlete.
Benson, freshman Dreison Niko
Despite being one of the newest teams in the Portland Interscholastic League, the Astros have plenty of talented underclassmen. Mesher believes that Niko will be among the best freshmen in the state. He will start and is anticipated to score in the double digits on average this season.
Senior Finn Cooper of Cleveland
Cooper is the only starting player the Warriors have returned. According to coach Sam Glasgow, the honorable mention all-league player from the previous season took some time this offseason to think about his basketball future and is now back and ready for a fantastic senior campaign. Cooper is a forward with three different scoring tiers. At his size, his wiry athleticism makes him an excellent rebounder and defender.
Senior Brady Ryan of Cleveland
As a junior, Ryan was a mainstay in the Warriors rotation and delivered in key crucial games. According to Glasgow, he took over as the team’s captain, leading scorer, and defender this offseason. Glasgow added, “He will bring a hard-nosed defense and many wow moments on offense.”
Senior Shea McKenzie of Franklin
The 6-foot-4 forward McKenzie transferred from Central Catholic this offseason. He can score in transition and is a diverse offensive threat who can score at all three levels, according to coach Marc Grassman. You can anticipate that he will flood the Lighting offense with creativity in every way.
Senior Zach Smith, Franklin
Smith, a defensive-minded guard, worked on his half-court offense during the offseason, and the results so far are encouraging. According to Grassman, the 6-foot-2 senior creates high percentage shots for himself and his teammates and attacks the paint effectively.
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Emiliano Lazcano-Villanueva, Franklin sophomore
Lazcano-Villanueva’s 6-foot-4 stature allows him to play and guard a variety of positions. He opens things up on both sides of the floor for his team by using that length in addition to his exceptional speed, quickness, and court vision. “He usually finds a way to positively impact the game for our team, so it can be difficult to justify taking him off the court,” Grassman said.
Senior Quincy Scott, Grant
Scott is a 6-foot-6 winger for the Generals who can also handle the ball and provide assistance. He has improved offensively in the offseason, according to his coach Sean Brownhill, who referred to him as the team’s finest all-around defender. Last season, Scott was named to the All-League Honorable Mention team.
Senior Mekhi Muhammad, Grant
Muhammad, another member of last year’s team who received all-league honorable mention, will be looked to to assist replace the output that the graduated Vashon Hardges lost. The 6-foot-3 guard can score a lot of points, according to Brownhill. He is an excellent on-ball defender as well.
Senior Zhalei Van, Grant
Van’s success coincided with Grant’s impressive in-season comeback, and he picked up steam in the second half of last season. The point guard’s exceptional playmaking skills have allowed him to carve out a niche for himself, but Brownhill stated that he is more than capable of earning his own. In the lane, vans floaters are especially risky.
Grant and Keion James, junior
According to Brownhill, James takes part in every small action that helps him win. At six feet two, he can guard spots one through five and is an excellent on-ball defender. James will be a vital component of a possible league champion this season because to his big-game experience from the previous campaign.
Jefferson’s Jahiel Brown, senior
The Democrats’ roster now includes four new transfers, including Brown. Last season at Roosevelt, the senior wing/forward contributed minutes to the state runners-up. According to coach Robert Smaller, his versatility will make him a difficult player to tackle with this season.
Jefferson’s D Ryus Dent, senior
For the Democrats this season, Dent is another name to be aware of. “He will stand out due to his versatility and competitiveness,” Smaller remarked. Following a number of program transfers and graduations, Dent will be counted on to assist with production.
Lincoln’s Miles Novy, junior
Novy is back as the most seasoned post player for the Cardinals. According to coach Heather Seely-Roberts, he has become taller, stronger, and has improved his game during the offseason. Novy is one of the team’s primary scoring threats as Lincoln continues to prioritize offensive play through the post.
Lincoln’s Thomas Carney, junior
Last season, Carney, a returning varsity player, put in a lot of playing time. Seely-Roberts claims he is an exceptional three-point shooter and plays both point guard and wing for the Cardinals.
Senior Owen Nathan, Roosevelt
According to assistant coach Ben Teese, Nathan, the PIL Defensive Player of the Year from the previous season, does it everything. The senior was selected to the State Tournament all-tournament first team after averaging 12.5 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals per game the previous season.
Roosevelt, Adrian Montague, Jr.
Montague joins the Roughriders from the Democrats, a league foe. As a sophomore, the guard averaged 14 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, earning a spot on the second team of the league. According to Teese, he challenges teammates, is a fantastic playmaker, is very coachable, and has a high basketball IQ.
Roosevelt, Sirius Owens, Jr.
As a sophomore, Owens contributed significantly to the Roughriders’ play. With his long frame and ability to influence the game in multiple ways, he will now be the team’s go-to presence down low. He received an all-league honorable mention and finished the previous season averaging seven points and four rebounds.
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