Week Two Top Performers
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Week Two of the 2021-22 basketball season saw us expand out our coverage a bit as in addition to 6A contests we took in some games at the 3A and 4A levels. Here’s a look at some of the top…
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Continue ReadingWeek Two of the 2021-22 basketball season saw us expand out our coverage a bit as in addition to 6A contests we took in some games at the 3A and 4A levels. Here’s a look at some of the top performers we saw from four games – Stayton over Banks, North Medford over Lake Oswego, Oregon City over McDaniel, and De La Salle North over Dayton.
Jacob Axmaker Jacob Axmaker 6'0" | CG Stayton | 2022 State OR (2022 Stayton)
We are used to Axmaker bombing away from well beyond three-point range but top-level opponents like Banks know this and they did a good job of denying him those opportunities as much as possible. So what the senior guard did was work on driving into the lane and drawing contact on his attempts. He still hit three threes on his way to a team-high 18 points in the win. We caught up with Axmaker about the latest with his recruitment and will have a story posted soon.
Garrett Callsen Garrett Callsen 6'6" | PF Stayton | 2023 State OR (2023 Stayton)
We first caught wind of Callsen during the shortened 2021 campaign and continue to be impressed with the young big man. Now listed at 6-foot-7, he was solid in getting position down on the blocks and was always ready for the catch whenever a teammate drove to the basket. Callsen finished around the hoop with both hands efficiently and dominated the backboards, grabbing an even dozen.
Bryce Dyer Bryce Dyer 6'5" | PF North Medford | 2022 State OR (2022 North Medford)
One thing you can always count on is Dyer is going to come and give it his all. That’s what the 6-foot-5 senior did against Lake Oswego, using positioning and outright hustle to dominate the glass with 16 boards. Operating from the wing, he earned some tough buckets in the lane and also drove and dished his way to five dimes. We caught up with Dyer about the latest with his recruitment and will have a story posted soon.
Max Archambo Max Archambo 6'3" | SG Lake Oswego | 2023 State OR (2023 Lake Oswego)
Coming off of the bench, Archambo had an instant impact for Lake Oswego against North Medford, especially on the offensive end. The 6-foot-3 wing fearlessly attacked the basket and glided his way to some nice finishes around the rim. The junior was active on both ends rebounding the ball and also found the time to hand out three assists that we counted. You had to like the energy he brought to the table all game long, especially in the second half.
Dylan Westermeyer Dylan Westermeyer 6'6" | SF Oregon City | 2024 State OR (2024 Oregon City)
Westermeyer has been one of the top finds so far this season. At 6-foot-5, the sophomore is long and lanky and has a very sweet looking stroke from three-point range. He was excellent in catch-and-shoot situations against McDaniel and knocked down six threes – including five in the first half. Westermeyer didn’t force the action at all and showed some decent ball-handling skills against the Mountain Lion press. Definitely a guy to watch out for.
Deon Best Deon Best 6'0" | PG Oregon City | 2024 State OR (2024 Oregon City)
It wasn’t a big scoring day for Best although a rough day at the free throw line would have led to more points. But more importantly, his floor leadership and ball control was key as Oregon City was able to handle McDaniel’s defensive pressure after a shaky start. Best piled on 11 assists with many of them coming off of some nice in-bounds plays. He was strong getting to the hole and got a couple of tough baskets at key moments in the game, and defensively he was tough with his on-the-ball D.
TJ Latu TJ Latu 6'3" | CG Jefferson | 2024 State OR (2024 De La Salle Catholic)
It was a bit of a slow start for Latu in De La Salle Catholic’s win over Dayton in the school’s first-ever home game in their own gym, but things picked up in the second half. The 6-foot-2 guard showed off his silky smooth jumper along the baseline, hitting his last six shot attempts and finishing with 15 points. His combination of a soft shot and the physical stature to really create space and abosrb contact make him an extremely hard guy to match up with, especially at the 3A level.