Capitol City Classic: First Team All-Tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top-ten California team Clovis West defeated Oregon's defending champion South Medford 68-48 in the Capitol City Classic championship game on Monday. Willamette beat West Salem in the semifinal to take third place.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sixteen high school teams competed in two separate brackets on Dec. 19-23 at Chemeketa Community College in Salem. The Tundra bracket, which Clovis West won, was more competitive. The girls basketball brackets are a recent addition to the Mid-Willamette Valley's marquee high school basketball tournament which has taken place since 2015 on the boys side. This year's Capitol City Classic was the 2nd annual girls tournament with 16 teams and the first invitational, which included Clovis West as the only out-of-state team. These are the final placements:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tundra Bracket</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1st: Clovis West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2nd: South Medford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3rd: Willamette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4th: McMinnville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Camry Bracket</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1st Grants Pass</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2nd: Newberg</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3rd: South Salem</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4th: Cascade</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are Prep Girls Hoops picks for First Team All-Tournament:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["570459"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676dd3f80d547"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Senior guard Riley Walls averaged 18 points and at least 4.6 steals per game to help Clovis West win the Capitol City Classic. She is my pick for tournament MVP. In the final game against Oregon's defending champions South Medford, Walls surpassed 1000 points scored in her high school career. She was named Player of the Game against Beaverton and South Medford. Walls is a tenacious defender who can jump the passing lane, rip the held ball, and pick the crossover to finish with a fast and athletic coast-to-coast layup. Walls is a good ball-handler and is an effective shooter from behind the arc. She is committed to Cal State Monterey Bay.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["925981"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676dd3f80d4c6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Beaverton sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='925981' first='Ruby' last='Foord'] tallied 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks against the tournament champions Clovis West. The 5-foot-11 forward is an athletic and exciting underclassman for the Beavers. She had a complete tournament at the Capitol City Classic, was named Player of the Game against Wilsonville, and averaged 17.6 points and at least 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block per game. Foord has a quick, direct take to the basket for a controlled finish. She's strong with the ball and not afraid of contact. Foord has excellent movement off-ball, making strong cuts through the paint, and finding open gaps behind the arc for the catch-and-shoot. She averaged 2 three-pointers made per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["502347"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676dd3f80d5a8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Willamette senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='502347' first='Brynn' last='Smith'] led all scorers at the Capitol City Classic, averaging 21.6 points with 3 three-pointers made per game. Smith was Willamette's most effective weapon against tournament champion Clovis West's pressure defense. She was calm and unshaken under pressure, strong on the dribble, and could pass at will around and above the double team. Smith is a shooter and confidently scored 4 three-pointers against the Golden Eagles' press. Her athleticism, skill, and game IQ is next-level and she's committed to the University of Portland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["828956"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676dd3f80d60b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">South Medford 6-foot-2 junior Mayen Akpan averaged 17 points and at least 5 rebounds and 1 block per game at the Capitol City Classic. Akpan is a force on the offensive boards. Her vertical jump and long arms allow her to tip the ball up and away from the defender attempting to box her out. Oftentimes the tipped offensive rebound was secured by her teammates, which means Akpan was involved in more rebounds than the statistics show. Akpan helped South Medford break tournament champion Clovis West's pressure defense at the end of the press with well-timed runs for wide open layups. She also protected the rim in the paint, getting her feet and body in good position with arms straight up to contest shots and layups against the likes of UNLV-bound Alexis Swillis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["502354"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-676dd3f80d672"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Willamette senior Isabella Harms averaged 18 points and 1.6 three-pointers made per game at the Capitol City Classic, helping the Wolverines take third place in the tournament. Harms is a next-level competitor on offense and defense. She is strong and athletic with the ball, whether dribbling, passing, or shooting. Harms consistently beat tournament champion Clovis West's high-pressure defense. She can finish strong at the rim and hit from behind the arc. Her game IQ is high and she's a heads-up playmaker. Harms is committed to Boise State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->