5A Seniors to Watch
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Danaeja Romero Ah-Sam OR #9 SG #3 HEIGHT 5'8" POS SG CLASS 2024 View Profile Danaeja Romero Ah-Sam State: Oregon School: Springfield Club: NW Blazers Danaeja Romero Ah-Sam Danaeja Romero Ah-Sam 5’8″ | SG Springfield | 2024 State OR is…
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Continue ReadingDanaeja Romero Ah-Sam Danaeja Romero Ah-Sam 5’8″ | SG Springfield | 2024 State OR is one of the best high school basketball players in the state of Oregon, and considering she has not yet committed, she remains one of the best available college prospects in the class of 2024. Heading into her senior season, Ah-Sam is coming off of two consecutive 5A state player of the year awards in her sophomore and junior seasons. This of course has gone hand in hand with two consecutive league player of the year awards in the Midwestern, and she also earned OBCA first team all-state honors last season as she led the Millers to a state title while earning first team all-state tournament. Obviously with a resume like that, there is very little weakness to be found anywhere in Ah-Sam’s game: from her ability to score in any manner to her elite court vision to her high defensive intensity — she can do it all. With her returning, the Millers are set to make another deep run in the state and Ah-Sam will be one of the players that you absolutely don’t want to miss this season.
Kyleigh Brown Kyleigh Brown 5’7″ | PG Silverton | 2024 State OR is another no-brainer when asked who you should be watching out for this season. Recently committed to play at Portland State following her high school career, Brown is another player who can simply do it all. A season ago, she averaged 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals per game, demonstrating that from her point guard position, she is not afraid to contribute in any way that she can. She is always playing at an electrifying pace, as seen when she flies in for a big rebound or when she pushes the ball in transition. At the state tournament last year, the Foxes finished strong with two wins and a 4th place trophy while Brown was named to the tournament’s first team, and this was following a regular season in which she was named first team all-state, OBCA first team all-state, and the player of the year in the Mid-Willamette Conference. Brown’s talents will be on full display and will be exciting to watch this year during her senior campaign as Silverton seeks to build on their success last season.
Kasey Booster Kasey Booster 5’8″ | SG Mountain View | 2024 State OR is yet another extremely talented member of this loaded senior class in 5A, as she, too, is the reigning conference player of the year in her conference: the Intermountain Conference. Although Mountain View lost two in a row in the state tournament last season, Booster still put on a show in those two games, averaging 14.5 points per game, including three 3-pointers per game while shooting 40.0% from beyond the arc, which were almost as impressive as her regular season averages of 22.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. She is everything you could want in a shooting guard. Her shot is pretty to watch and she hits it from anywhere at a very high percentage. She also is not afraid to take advantage of those trying to take away her shot and she attacks the hoop with great pace using either hand. Booster was named second team all-state and OBCA first team all-state during her junior year, and her senior season will be one to keep an eye on.
Highlights
Rylee Lemen Rylee Lemen 5'11" | SF Putnam | 2024 State OR
Rylee Lemen Rylee Lemen 5'11" | SF Putnam | 2024 State OR
Lemen is another special talent who will excel at the next level. She has already committed to play at Northern Arizona for the four years following her senior season. At 5’11 and with her impressive athleticism, Lemen has the ability to be versatile and play virtually any position on the floor. Last season as a junior, she averaged 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, but she ended on a high note with her performance in the state tournament — which landed her on second team all-tournament — where she averaged 14.7 points on 42.1% from the floor and was the only player to shoot 100% from the free throw line, going 11/11. Lemen also pulled in first team all-Northwest Oregon Conference, honorable mention all-state, and OBCA honorable mention all-state honors. In Lemen’s sophomore season, she helped Putnam advance to the state tournament for the first tie time in 40+ years and last season resulted in a 6th place finish, so the bar is high for Lemen and the Kingsmen to continue this upward trajectory.
Marlee Hammer Marlee Hammer 5'8" | SG Corvallis | 2024 State OR
Marlee Hammer Marlee Hammer 5'8" | SG Corvallis | 2024 State OR
Marlee Hammer Marlee Hammer 5’8″ | SG Corvallis | 2024 State OR has been a leader down in Corvallis her entire high school career and has made a name for herself as one of the best forwards in 5A. Now heading into her final year, she is coming off of a junior season in which she was named to the first team in the Mid-Willamette Conference as well as OBCA’s honorable mention all-state list. Hammer is a crafty defender and extremely savvy on the offensive end as well, always appearing to be thinking one step ahead of her opponents. Hammer is also a lightning-quick athlete, allowing her to often be literally one step ahead of everyone else while pushing in transition or when getting an advantage with her quick first step. Her ability to finish at a high speed and with a defender in her face is elite as is her vision when cutting without the ball. With the state tournament held in Corvallis each year at Oregon State’s Gill Coliseum, Hammer and the Spartans will be hungry to find success in 2023-24.
Bailey Tovey Bailey Tovey 6'0" | PF Thurston | 2024 State OR
Bailey Tovey Bailey Tovey 6'0" | PF Thurston | 2024 State OR
Bailey Tovey Bailey Tovey 6’0″ | PF Thurston | 2024 State OR , when leading a young Thurston team, will be a power forward to watch out for this basketball season. Among Tovey’s many skills, she is a natural shot-blocker. She has great patience and timing, staying on her feet and under the hoop, until opposing players drive into her and shoot right into her hands. Tovey is also a high-level rebounder with great hands and great physicality that allow her to come down with a high percentage of any shots that go up while she is in the game. In addition to her abilities down low, Tovey also has quick feet and she is not afraid to catch the ball around the perimeter and get to the rim off the dribble, often blowing by unsuspecting defenders. Tovey gained recognition for first team all-league in the Midwestern League. She is primed and ready to have another impressive season and play some fun-to-watch basketball in her senior year.
After helping Mountain View to a conference championship and a deep state tournament run last season, Andrews will undoubtedly continue to be one of the best forces to be reckoned with in the paint across the state. Playing alongside the talent of Booster, Andrews compliments her guard play well with crafty finishes around the rim, relentless rebounding, and running the floor at a high speed. Not to mention the fact that Andrews can knock it down from beyond the arc and racks up quite a few steals playing at the back of the Cougars’ press. An incredible note, Andrews had the highest rebounding average out of anyone at the state tournament last season with 11.5 per game, including a 15-rebound performance against the eventual state champions, Springfield. Following the regular season, she was named to first team all-conference in the Intermountain Conference. Mountain View is returning its core after an already impressive season, and you won’t want to miss out on the basketball that Andrews will play for them this season.