2020 Rankings Update: New Names
There are a number of guys who made their debut in the Class of 2020 rankings. Granted, the last time we had the rankings updated it was in the middle of the 2018-19 season so a lot has happened since then. But there’s no question a number of new players made their mark this spring and summer enough to make an entrance in the updated list.
Here’s a look at the notable newcomers:
George Sadi George Sadi 5'9" | CG De La Salle North | 2020 State OR (2020 De La Salle North) – #18
The highest ranked newcomer is Sadi, who burst onto the scene last season as a junior – just ask Westview head coach Michael Wolf when Sadi rang up 44 points on the Wildcats in the LSI The Eight. An explosive athlete who can not only drop threes but drive to the hoop and dunk in traffic – at all of 5-foot-8 – Sadi can be dominant at the high school level, especially at the 3A classification. He’s yet to develop point guard skills so it remains to be seen how he projects collegiately.
Tai Warner Tai Warner 6'0" | CG Grant | 2020 State OR (2020 Grant) – #36
While Warner is a newcomer to our Class of 2020 rankings, he’s hardly a newcomer to the Oregon high school basketball scene as he played varsity as a freshman on Jefferson’s 2017 6A title team. He’s back in town in Portland after a journey that led him thru California and Thailand and is now suiting up at Grant. A dynamic scorer and defender, the key for the 5-foot-11 senior is playing as a true point guard. There also may be some lingering questions about his college eligibility but Warner indicates that should all be settled.
Ethan Abrahamson Ethan Abrahamson 6'4" | SG Gresham | 2020 State OR (2020 Gresham) – #40
To be brutally honest, there’s no excuse why Abrahamson wasn’t previously ranked. Maybe it was because Gresham had a dismal season his sophomore year but the 6-foot-4 wing was still one of the top scorers in the state. His numbers were actually down this past season but he’s a long, hard-working perimeter player with a smooth stroke on his shot. A big senior season should result in some college recruitment and a rise in the rankings.
Colby King Colby King 6'4" | SF Sunset | 2020 State OR (2020 Sunset) – #44
King emerged last season as Sunset, becoming the Apollo’s second-leading scorer behind fellow junior Braeden Sato Braeden Sato 5'9" | CG Sunset | 2020 State OR . The 6-foot-4 forward/wing was very tough in the post but also showed an ability to both shoot and create from the perimeter, which made him a touch matchup on many nights. King suffered a rotator cuff injury during the off-season which kept him out of club basketball but a good senior year could lead to some potential college options.
Pierce Roeder Pierce Roeder 6'0" | CG Sandy | 2020 State OR (2020 Sandy) – #59
It was Roeder and not others that led Sandy in scoring last season at almost 20 points per game and the 6-foot guard did the damage from the outside beyond the arc, shooting 40 percent from distance. Injuries and other factors prevented him from doing much with club basketball this spring and summer, but a big senior year with the Pioneers will no doubt increase his college recruitment.
Josh Paul Josh Paul 6'4" | SF South Eugene | 2020 State OR (2020 South Eugene) – #60
Paul had a solid junior year at South Eugene but we got our first real look at him in June at Oregon Team Camp, where he shined. In one game the 6-foot-4 wing/forward went toe-to-toe with star Crater post Nathan Bittle Nathan Bittle 6'11" | C Prolific Prep | 2021 State #20 Nation CA-N and run up a double-double while never backing down from the future high-major Division I talent. Paul has a nice inside-outside game and it will be interesting to see what level of college basketball he ends up at.
Steven Long Steven Long 6'3" | CG Tigard | 2020 State OR (2020 Tigard) – #62
Of all the guys on this list, Long has the least varsity experience having played JV last year. To that end, it was difficult exactly where to place him in this updating rankings other than knowing the fact he deserved to be on the list. The 6-foot-3 senior is long, athletic, and has a lot of potential for growth and as a high-academic performer, he’s already got D-III schools starting to look and evaluate. We’re expecting a big year out of Long and a rise up the rankings will undoubtedly come as a result.