Overlooked Stars

There are probably many players who can't understand why they weren't named on the all-state team or even their all-league team. From what I saw, a handful really were short-changed.

I start with Chris Gweth of Hillsboro, who didn't make all-Metro or even honorable mention all-state. I'd take him over a couple who made first team all-state. Some people called Gweth and Reggie Guyton the best backcourt in Oregon, and they may be right. Guyton got some recognition (first team all-Metro, honorable mention all-state), but I think Gweth was at least as good.

When closely guarded beyond the three-point line, he could get ample clearance in an eye-blink with a quick dribble and the fake of a drive. He made that move so well that some defenders would lose their balance and stumble backward. Very few players can make this move, and I saw no one do it better.

I don't have his shooting percentages, but his accuracy from outside was impressive. His range also went well beyond 20 feet.

There's a good reason defenders would fear his fake drive - he can slash to the hoop with the best of them. Or, he can pull-up in the key and nail the jumper.

Although only 6-2 and about 170 pounds, Gweth is an outstanding rebounder. He's very hard to screen off the boards and he can really soar. He was also a stopper on defense.

With all of his natural ability and explosiveness, he nevertheless played under control and stayed within the offense. He didn't need to have the ball in his hands to help the team. He scored nearly 15 points per game in Hillsboro's balanced offense.

Qui Le, Marshall's point guard, was a PIL all-star in my book. At 5-9 and perhaps 140 pounds, he's super-quick and more powerful than one would imagine. He can drive into the key and hit pull-up jumpers over much taller post players. Le was that master of the mid-range jump shot, and he is also an excellent ballhandler and playmaker. His ability to strip dribbles and force turnovers was stunning. He played for the PIL's traditionally weakest program, but he had a lot to do with leading them to a 5-13 league record, the Minutemen's best record in years.

Mitch Rice is one of those fiery point guards who refuses to lose. He's not imposing-looking and I'm not even sure he's that fast, but he gets the ball and pushes it at full speed until he breaks loose or gets an opening for a quick-release jumper, which he can hit in bunches from anywhere on the court and often does when the game is on the line. Although 6-6 teammate Paul Noonan is more highly regarded, I'm not sure Rice wasn't Beaverton's MVP. He'll dive for loose balls or hound his man until someone has a bloody nose. There are a lot of good Metro League players, but he belongs right there with them.

Mychal Owens was Oregon City's athletic big man, and he was almost unstoppable around the hoop. He was the most impressive tipper I saw all year, often reaching far above or beyond his body and still guiding the ball in somehow. At 6-5 and over 200 pounds, he had great strength, broad shoulders and exceptional spring. His shooting percentage must have been extremely high. If you have the image of an athletic but unskilled workhorse, think again. He was an excellent three-point shooter and could slash to the hoop with the best of them. He put in plenty of minutes on the perimeter. I can't imagine how he failed to make the Three River League first team.

He may not be an all-leaguer. In fact, he didn't even start for Tigard, but the two times I saw Chris Mayeaux he looked like the leader of the team. He's a 6-3 senior wing and the most athletic guy on the team. As with many outstanding players, he often paused for a moment after receiving the ball and before making his move. It's the mark of a confident player in no rush to choose which of his options to take. Defenders don't pounce on him because they also respect the fact that he can beat them six different ways, and they're in no hurry to find out which. He stays low on the drive and is very hard to cut off, especially when taking the baseline. All objective information suggests he doesn't belong with the notable players I've mentioned above, but my eyes kept telling me that he does

Allan Classen is the editor and publisher of the Northwest Examiner