Top 250 Expo: Event Recap
The PrepHoops Top 250 Expo for Oregon took place on Saturday at Parkrose High School, and 40 of the top players in the state gathered for some high level competition in front of numerous observers in attendance including a number of college coaches.
Here’s a quick look at the top performers (we will expand on more players in each category in the upcoming week):
Top Class of 2019 Standout
Keylin Vance, Jefferson
Vance has proven himself to be one of the top scorers at any class in the state and it was well on display at the Expo. From the jump, the 6-foot-1 senior poured in buckets from all over the court, hitting long range bombs or finishing athletically at the basket including some fast break jams. One way Vance scores that makes his game unique is on many drives, he is able to hang in the air and adjust to the defense by changing his release on the way down to still get his shot off. College coaches in attendance were unanimous in their thinking that Vance was one of the top performers at the Expo.
Top Class of 2020 Standout
Jesse White, Barlow
After a bit of a self-described struggle on the AAU circuit, White came to ball out – and he did just that. From start to finish, the 5-foot-11 junior put on a shooting show, at times draining deep jumpers from NBA three-point range. He was a threat to dribble and pop as soon as he crossed half-court on occasion. But White didn’t just bomb away from the outside, he also scored on a number of pull-ups and also layups at the basket. At some point in games, teams were starting to double-team him on the perimeter – he had become that lethal. As the case with Vance, college coaches in attendance were unanimous in naming White as one of the top performers.
Top Class of 2021 Standout
Damontae Burns, Parkrose
It wasn’t a long drive for Burns to get to the Expo – after all the 6-foot sophomore plays for the Broncos. He no doubt felt right at home as he looked outright dominant on both ends of the floor. A natural scorer, Burns scored at all three levels – including some acrobatic finishes at the basket with both hands – but also did quite a bit of creating with others with some crisp passes to teammates that led to easy buckets. Since he was a late registrant, Burns wasn’t listed on the original roster and after his spectacular play, it had some college coaches scrambling to find out exactly who he was.
Top Big Man
Jonah Zeller, Catlin Cabel (2021)
We briefly saw Zeller early this summer at a practice with his AAU team but didn’t get enough of a glimpse of him to form an opinion. Here at the expo, we got a good look of the 6-foot-9 sophomore’s immense potential. Zeller confidently posted up and took it to his defenders, and in addition to finishing baskets down low, he also spotted up and hit some mid-range jumpers. Defensively, he was a shot blocking threat and he appears to be growing as a rebounder. Zeller’s play had college coaches in attendance intrigued, especially when they learned he still has three years of varsity basketball to play.
Top Sleeper
Tyler Newsom, Pendelton (2019)
We had seen Newsom’s name previously from old rankings lists but hadn’t gotten a chance to get a close look yet at the talented 6-foot-4 senior from eastern Oregon. He only played part of the spring AAU season which has played a part of him being off the radar. But Newsom made an impact immediately as his above-average athleticism and ability to shoot and create off the dribble were evident from the start of the Expo.
Other Notes
Jake Sullivan served as Event Director and kicked off the expo with an inspirational talk about how basketball can be used as a goal to get an education at any level, whether it be Division I, II, III, NAIA, or junior college. Also emphasized was how playing hard and giving all-out effort all the time could be critical to getting future opportunities… Players certainly gave it their all as by the end of the event, you could tell many of the young men were out of gas… One tough event – in literally the first minute of action, Silverton junior point guard David Gonzales fell on the floor awkwardly and injured his ankle. It turns out it is broken and he will be out for four months but should be back by mid-season… Several college coaches were in attendance including Concordia (Brad Barbarick), Lewis & Clark (Tim McCrory), George Fox (Jamal McKenzie), Jay Mayernick (Northwest Christian), Jason Patterson (Multnomah), Tony Broadous (Portland CC), and Joe White (Lane CC). As usual, White was working it hard and was the last one to leave the building.