2021-22 6A Preview: Metro League

After a non-traditional season in 2021, the 2021-22 campaign is highly anticipated as it will be back to “normal” for just about everyone across the state.  The Three Rivers League is year after year arguably top to bottom the most competitive conference in all of 6A and this year is no different. Here’s how we see it turning out.

League Predictions

1. Mountainside
2. Beaverton
3. Westview
4. Jesuit
5. Sunset
6. Southridge
7. Aloha

Player of the Year: Trevon Hamilton Trevon Hamilton 6'2" | PG Beaverton | 2022 State OR , Beaverton

All-League Predictions: Hamilton; Dimitri Cohen Dimitri Cohen 5'11" | CG Mountainside | 2022 State OR , Mountainside; Dezman Baker Dezman Baker 6'3" | SF Mountainside | 2022 State OR , Mountainside; Jalen Childs Jalen Childs 6'3" | PG Beaverton | 2023 State OR , Sunset; Amare Rolle Amare Rolle 6'4" | SF Westview | 2023 State OR , Westview

Top Sleeper/Newcomer: Brayden Boe Brayden Boe 6'3" | CG Mountainside | 2025 State OR , Mountainside

State Tournament Threats: Mountainside, Beaverton

Other Post-Season Teams: Westview, Jesuit, Sunset

Analysis

It appears that this may be the year that the ascension of Mountainside to the top of Metro League is complete. The Mavericks have just about everything on his roster to capture the title, namely speed, shooting, experience, and definitely depth. Seniors Dimitri Cohen Dimitri Cohen 5'11" | CG Mountainside | 2022 State OR (12.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.2 apg, .444 3pt%) and Dezman Baker Dezman Baker 6'3" | SF Mountainside | 2022 State OR (8.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg) have been a part of the program since they were freshmen and this will be Baker’s fourth year as a varsity starter. If Cohen isn’t leading the team in scoring then fellow senior Dylan Westlake Dylan Westlake 6'0" | PG Mountainside | 2022 State OR (9.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.7 apg) will be the man as the Alaska native is explosive getting to the hoop and finishing. Sophomore Quinn Haveman Quinn Haveman 6'3" | SG Mountainside | 2024 State OR (7.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and junior Blake Thune Blake Thune 6'3" | CG Mountainside | 2023 State OR are perimeter threats and 6-foot-5 junior Jaylin Ormond Jaylin Ormond 6'5" | SF Mountainside | 2023 State OR will man the paint. Add in freshman Brayden Boe Brayden Boe 6'3" | CG Mountainside | 2025 State OR who comes into high school with a Division I offer from Portland in hand and head coach Dustin Hewitt has a rotation that could go 9-to-10 deep every night.

Beaverton had the best record in the Metro League last season (there was no official title awarded) and the Beavers will once again contend for the top. The Beavers will miss big man Dane Erikstrup (19.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) but head coach Andrew Vancil notes that they will play differently. The reason why is Beaverton may have the best guards in the conference. It will all start with senior Trevon Hamilton Trevon Hamilton 6'2" | PG Beaverton | 2022 State OR (8.2 ppg, 6.0 apg). The pure point guard led all of 6A in assists but look for him to take on more scoring this season. He’ll be surrounded by shooters such as returning starters junior Brady Rice Brady Rice 6'1" | SG Beaverton | 2023 State OR (11.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and senior Jordan Mesa Jordan Mesa 5'10" | PG Beaverton | 2022 State OR (4.8 ppg, .378 3pt%), both of whom should see their individual numbers increase. It will be by committee inside but look for 6-foot-6 senior Phillip Rosenfeld (0.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg) and 6-foot-4 senior Keenan Apperson to be the main contributors.

Head coach Michael Wolf will have Westview in the hunt as usual. The Wildcats, who have the most size in the league, have plenty of talent and varsity experience on their roster but players will be moving into more prominent roles. The scoring and rebounding will be balanced but junior wing Amare Rolle Amare Rolle 6'4" | SF Westview | 2023 State OR (4.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) is the leading returnee in both. His stats will rise as those of fellow junior point guard Marchon Marshall Marchon Marshall 5'10" | PG Westview | 2023 State OR (4.5 ppg, .405 3pt%) and senior forward Keshav Anand Keshav Anand 6'4" | PF Westview | 2022 State OR (2.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, .421 3pt%), who is now on his fourth year on varsity. Look for 6-foot-8 big man Alex Clement (1.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg) to really increase his production in the paint and 6-foot-9 post Kohl Sinai Kohl Sinai 6'10" | C Westview | 2022 State OR (2.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg) is full of potential. Football quarterback Sam Levitt will add athleticism and scoring to the mix.

For the first time in several years, Jesuit may not have the big names on its roster that we are all used to but that very well may be how head coach Gene Potter likes it. It’s hard to think of the Crusaders as underdogs as long as Potter and “the system” are around though, and they will undoubtedly compete hard every night. Statistically, the top returnees from last year are standouts on the football team like Tyree Blake (4.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 apg) and Spencer McKelligon Spencer McKelligon 6'3" | SF Jesuit | 2022 State OR (2.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .682 fg%) and they will man the frontcourt along with 6-foot-7 senior Mack Wall Mack Wall 6'7" | PF Jesuit | 2022 State OR (1.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg) and 6-foot-4 senior Aidan McGuire Aidan McGuire 6'5" | SF Jesuit | 2022 State OR . Guards to watch out for include senior Johnny Miller (1.2 ppg, 1.0 apg) and junior Isaiah Crane Isaiah Crane 6'1" | CG Jesuit | 2023 State OR . Of note: the last time Jesuit failed to make the 6A state tournament when it was held was 2008.

When a team like Sunset isn’t projected to be in the top half of a conference race, that’s an indication of how competitive the Metro League will be this year. Head coach David Saultz has a squad that will give opponents fits this season with their ability to shoot and score. Point guard Jalen Childs Jalen Childs 6'3" | PG Beaverton | 2023 State OR (9.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.9 apg) heads up the point and his combination of speed, athleticism, and size at the position will be very hard to match up with. While he’ll score more this season, look for him to drive and kick to the bevy of Apollos shooters – namely Josh Jackson Josh Jackson 6'4" | SG Sunset | 2022 State OR (5.3 ppg, .548 3pt%) who is primed to have a huge season as the returning 6A leader in three-point percentage is a lights out shooter. Jackson Knight Jackson Knight 6'3" | SG Sunset | 2022 State OR (3.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and Will Holboke Will Holboke 5'10" | CG Sunset | 2023 State OR are two other perimeter threats and 6-foot-7 post Aidan Krause Aidan Krause 6'7" | PF Sunset | 2022 State OR will be the main big man underneath.

Southridge came back to respectability in 2021 with the return of head coach Phil Vesel to the helm but the loss of key seniors sets the Skyhawks back a bit this year. Layne Stricker Layne Stricker 6'6" | SF Southridge | 2022 State OR (8.1 ppg) and Carter Fortune Carter Fortune 6'3" | PG Southridge | 2024 OR (4.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.1 apg) are the main returnees that Vesel will be expecting to set the tone with their ability to score the basketball. Fortune in particular should see his numbers skyrocket. Seniors Ethan Jafri Ethan Jafri 6'3" | SG Southridge | 2022 State OR (5.4 ppg, .395 3pt%) and Kalil Irby Kalil Irby 5'10" | PG Southridge | 2022 State OR () will be perimeter threats. Randall Llamas (0.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and Kraig Westberg (0.4 ppg) are hustle guy contributors and 6-foot-4 senior Evan McKee and 6-foot-5 junior Vitomir Petcov bring some size to the table.

Aloha rounds out the list as head coach Brett Vernon continues to instill his culture and build his program, which is now in year two. Much of the load will be placed on senior forward Sidney Jones Sidney Jones 6'4" | PF Aloha | 2022 State OR (7.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg) who has the talent to be an all-league candidate. The rest of the roster will be senior-dominated; look for guys like Trey Dennis (3.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Dawson Cowlthorp (2.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Hunter Reeve, and Anthony Liggins to be among the top contributors.