Metro League Player of the Year Race
The Metro League is largely a four-team race. Does that mean it’s a four-horse race for player of the year? That’s to be determined, but the conference does feature several teams with one outstanding senior leader. Here is the top contender (presented in alphabetical order) from each of those teams for player of the year.
Jake Estep, Beaverton senior
As far as Beaverton basketball is concerned, Estep is a relic. The lone key returner from a Chiles Center team is Jake Estep, a second-team all-state honoree. Estep is a Western Oregon commit and my preseason frontrunner for player of the year. He can do it all. In one key game against McKay in late December, Estep faced first half foul trouble. That was no matter; he scored 24 of his 26 points in the second half to secure a Beaver victory. “He is a great leader for us. He is a knockdown shooter, can play point guard, can play in the post, and can guard all five positions,” coach Andrew Vancil said before the season.
Filip Fullerton, Southridge senior
Southridge won its first eight games of the season and—even after a disappointing loss to Jesuit—is still the Metro League favorite. Fullerton is a tough matchup. He’s big (6-foot-10) and can shoot the three ball. In Southridge’s first game of the season, he tallied 16 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. The Portland State commit has led the Skyhawks to an 11-3 (5-1) record. He’s joined by a talented cast of Brock Henry, Zach Galvin, Bo Quinlan and Bradley Bickler.
Matt Lang, Jesuit senior
The Crusaders have quality wins over Clackamas, South Eugene, Lincoln, Oregon City and—most importantly Southridge and Westview. Their best offensive weapon is Lang, who shot 41 percent from deep last year. Jesuit’s best offense is when they find the lefty sharpshooter open for three. But, he can also create by himself. The 6-foot-3 guard has an offer from D-II Northwest Nazarene and a preferred walk-on option from Gonzaga. “He just makes really good decisions and is strong with the ball,” coach Gene Potter said before the season.
Jack Poling, Westview senior
Old-school basketball fans must love Poling. The 6-foot-10 low-post big is a traditional interior presence and Westview’s entire offense runs through him. When the Wildcats get in the half-court, they seek to get him the ball and let him run the offense from the paint. A Division-III Pacific Lutheran commit, the lefty has great touch from ten feet. Before the season, coach Mike Wolf said: “He’s got great hands, a great touch. He works hit butt off.”
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