4A Sophomores to Watch
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Devan Lee Devan Lee 5'8" | PG Saint Helens | 2026 State OR HEIGHT 5'6" POS PG CLASS 2026 Devan Lee Devan Lee 5'8" | PG Saint Helens | 2026 State OR School: St. Helens Although they did not win…
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Continue ReadingAlthough they did not win as many games as they would have liked last, St. Helens will only be losing one senior and this young team will see a lot of growth in their second season under a new head coach, with Lee being one that you will definitely want to watch. Coming off a freshman campaign that ended with first team all-league honors in the Cowapa as well as honorable mention all-state from the OBCA, Lee impressed with her ability to impact the game in nearly every way. Her basketball IQ shines brightly in her distribution of passes all over the floor and her defensive awareness allows her to get her hands on the ball at an incredibly high rate, leading to opportunities for her team on the other end. She also has a smooth, confident shot from outside. In the final game of their season, Lee led the Lions, scoring nearly half of their 27 total points with 12, and had multiple 20 point performances throughout the season. She will undoubtedly be a leader for this young team, and it will be extremely fun to watch her embrace this role as a sophomore.
Emily Taunisila
Emily Taunisila
Taunisila quickly came in and made an impact for a talented Philomath squad that finished 4th in the state in her freshman year. Complimented by impressive post play from senior Abigail Brown, Taunisila’s playmaking ability was on full display in the guard spot as seen by having the third most assists at the state tournament last year with 5.3 per game, and now she will surely have the ball in her hands even more with Brown graduated. She frequently put up game-high numbers in several statistical categories, including her 17 points, including 3 three-pointers on the road against Estacada and her 15 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals against Crook County in the state tournament. Also at the state tournament, her shooting prowess shone as she was amongst the leaders in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage, and led all players in free throw percentage, going 8/8 from the line for 100%. For these impressive efforts, Taunisila was voted to the first team in the Cowapa League in addition to getting honorable mention all-state from the OBCA. A force to be reckoned with nearly every year, the Warriors talented roster and Taunisila will play some must-see basketball this season.
Another talented freshman from the St. Helens roster, Davidson will be the counterpart to Devan Lee Devan Lee 5’8″ | PG Saint Helens | 2026 State OR on the inside in their deadly duo. If there was a theme for Davidson’s freshman season, it was double-doubles. Then add on the steals, assists, and blocks and you have one of the best centers in the state at the 4A level. She consistently put up numbers like 14 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 7 blocks against Seaside; and 11 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks against Tillamook. When a shot goes up, the rebound is likely ending up in Davidson’s hands with her elite ability to get position. She also has a unique ability to get up the floor, whether it is out in front to receive a pass or pushing with the ball with her skillful handles. Davidson was named first team all-league in the Cowapa after such a strong start to her high school career, and she is one to look out for heading into 2023-24.
Carly Corder
Carly Corder
Yet another gifted freshman out of the Cowapa who earned first team all-league, Carly Corder is a part of a Seaside team that has an incredibly bright future after finishing third in the conference with half of their roster spots held by freshmen. Corder is a pest on the defensive end of the floor, and she is often featured in the middle of Seaside’s full court press to suffocate opposing teams before they even cross the midline. She is also a force on the boards that you rarely see from the guard position. She often had to bear a heavy scoring load for the Seagulls from all areas of the floor, which she handled well, and she will no doubt be asked to do the same as a sophomore. Corder and the rest of her young squad have a promising path ahead of them over the next few years and this will definitely be a big year for Corder.
Vivian Vogel
Vivian Vogel
Although Tillamook struggled to find many W’s last year, Vogel was the bright spot, and with most of the team returning, the Cheesemakers are looking to turn some of those close losses into wins this season. As a freshman, Vogel clearly already has the reins in Tillamook and seems to already be owning this leadership role with grace. She has deep range to hit the three ball with a nice stroke and smooth follow through that make her a threat with the ball at all times. Against Astoria, the undefeated Cowapa League champs and the eventual third-place team in the state, Vogel had 18 points, including three 3-pointers of advanced difficulty, to go along with 3 assists and a steal. Several performances like these led to her selection for first team all-league in the Cowapa. Vogel’s freshman season set a foundation for an exciting career and her sophomore season will be worth the watch.
Olivia Bennett
Olivia Bennett
Simply put, Bennett is a hooper. Watching her play, she looks smooth and natural, like the court is exactly where she is supposed to be. She can score from anywhere on the floor. Her outside shot is lights out, whether catching and shooting or creating a shot off the dribble. Perhaps most notably, Bennett was wicked tight handles that allow her to slice through defenses to create shots for her teammates or to get to the rim where she is a crafty finisher. Again, she is just a fun player to watch. She earned second team all-conference in an incredibly talented Oregon West Conference, and played a huge role in helping her Cascade Cougars to a perfect 10-0 in conference. After being upset by Madras in the first round of the state tournament last season, the very talented Cougars, with Bennett helping to lead the way, will be hungry for redemption this season.
Carley Lucero
Carley Lucero
A true defensive powerhouse, Lucero is one of the best defenders in the state at the 4A level and someone who players fear playing against. In her freshman season, she had 4 or more steals in a large number of her games. This, alongside her other skills on the court, led to her being named second team all-league, and was also the only freshman to be named to the all-defensive team for her fierceness on that end of the floor. Lucero is a classic example of a hustle player who is always willing to do the little things. She crashes the glass hard and often is rewarded with a high number of rebounds, and she also finds her teammates and distributes the ball well. With North Bend being another team returning all of the players but one, they will undoubtedly come back better and more experienced. Lucero will be the anchor on the defensive end that you will definitely want to watch out for.
Peyton Daggett
Peyton Daggett
Daggett is another one of those players who can do it all. She is a natural basketball player. She looks at ease dribbling the ball up the floor with her impressive handles. Daggett also has a pretty shot that she shoots with notable confidence and it tends to go in. Add these assets to her high basketball IQ that becomes obvious very quickly after you start watching her and her court vision, and you have a player who is ready to be one of the best at the 4A level over the next three years. In her first season with the Tigers, Daggett earned all-league accolades, as she was named to the second team in the Greater Oregon League, making her the only freshman to earn any recognition in this league. There are surely more achievements like this in Daggett’s future this coming season, and it will be very fun to watch her game grow and develop along the way.