7 Bigs Battling Inside at the top of 5A

Crater has consistently topped Oregon's 5A rankings this year, and it's due in no small part to the team's bigs. Six-foot-4 center [player_tooltip player_id='842693' first='Lydia' last='Traore'] and 5-foot-11 forward [player_tooltip player_id='985149' first='Alexa' last='Gugliotta'] are a fierce frontcourt for the Comets. Here are Traore, Gugliotta, and five other bigs who stood out in competitive matchups this season:    Crater 6-foot-4 senior center [player_tooltip player_id='842693' first='Lydia' last='Traore'] is a mobile big who scores in the paint, is strong on the offensive boards, and protects the rim. Traore is effective on the post-up, backing her defender down or driving to the rim. She has good footwork, a decent midrange, and finishes at the basket or gets to the line. She made an athletic reverse right hook from the baseline. Traore is consistent on help-defense to stop the drive and contest or block the shot. She's fast enough to be used at the front of a full-court press and quick to close-out her mark away from the basket. Traore is committed to Westminster in Utah.     Crater 5-foot-11 senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='985149' first='Alexa' last='Gugliotta'] is athletic, aggressive to the rim, and has great vision and passing. Gugliotta has a quick first step and can slice through the help defense to finish the runner off the glass. She moves well off the ball, making dangerous cuts through the paint and along the baseline for athletic finishes at the basket. She can knock down the pull-up from the elbow or assist the big down low with a quick one-handed pass. Gugliotta is heads-up on defense to identify the shooter and help close-out to get the block. She's fast and hustles to run down the breakaway player for the steal from behind. She battles for the offensive rebound and makes the athletic baseline save to keep possession for her team. Gugliotta is committed to Oregon Tech for Volleyball.     Summit 6-foot-0 junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1192567' first='Kalyn' last='Christ'] is a two-way competitor who can score from all three levels. Christ grabs the rebound high and consistently pushes the pace, whether taking the ball up the court strong on the dribble or launching a full-court pass to the runner in transition. She can pull up from behind the arc to drain the three. She uses the screen at the top of the key to beat her defender and get to her spot for a quick stop and pop. She can penetrate the zone and score the runner through contact and the foul. She beats the defender on the drive to the rim with a soft touch for the finish. She has great vision and passing, and quick decision-making skills to find the assist. Christ plays tight defense and has quick hands and feet to stay with her mark and steal the ball off the dribble. She made a huge block from behind in a competitive league rivalry game. She hustles and dives to the floor for the 50/50.     Corvallis senior center [player_tooltip player_id='1179250' first='Sofie' last='Robel'] is a strong presence in the paint with a soft touch down low and on the glass. Robel has great hands matched with great footwork. She grabs lob passes out of the air above the defender and even snags ones thrown behind her run. She finds the shooter with a quick kick-out pass or gets to the rim with a swift turn and a smart step-through. Robel posts up, puts the ball on the floor with a forceful dribble, and finishes strong under the hoop through contact and the foul. She sets effective high ball screens and rolls creating a big target in the lane. She's hard to keep off the offensive boards. She defends with her arms straight up and denies shots in the paint. Robel is committed to Pomona Pitzer.     Six-foot-1 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='839066' first='Freya' last='Snow'] is a strong competitor and inside hustler for Redmond. Snow has the defensive IQ to anticipate the drive and draw the charge on help defense. She posts up strong and finishes at the rim through contact and the foul. She has the vision to assist the backdoor cutter with a perfectly timed bounce pass. She crashes the offensive glass hard. Snow will be a great inside presence for Redmond for the next couple of years.     Lebanon 5-foot-11 sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='832069' first='Hazel' last='Pepperling'] can do a little bit of everything at the 3 and 4 positions. Pepperling is athletic on the post-up down low and can finish with a soft touch at the rim. She makes quick cuts and finishes strong with tough takes to the basket to draw the foul. She's got great form at the line. If no one closes her out on the perimeter she will drain the three. Pepperling creates open looks for her teammates with quick-decision kickouts. She's effective on the pick-and-roll. She makes deliberate entry passes to the big inside. Pepperling fights for rebounds on both ends. She can get the steal and drive full-court to the basket for the layup.     Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='926138' first='Lola' last='Chamberlain'] is effective for West Albany inside at the top of the key. Chamberlain is a big target at the center of the zone and can catch and release the ball high. She's excellent at keeping the ball moving to beat the zone defense. Chamberlain is a great passer, whether locating the big on the high-low pass or kicking the ball out to the open shooter on the perimeter. She's a good help defender in the paint, cuts off the drive, and contests the attempt. She boxes out and is a good rebounder. Chamberlain runs the court and crashes the boards. Chamberlain was named first-team all-conference as a goalkeeper on Lebanon's varsity soccer team.

Crater has consistently topped Oregon's 5A rankings this year, and it's due in no small part to the team's bigs. Six-foot-4 center Lydia Traore Lydia Traore 6'4" | C Crater | 2025 State OR and 5-foot-11 forward Alexa Gugliotta Alexa Gugliotta 5'11" | PF Crater | 2025 State OR are a fierce frontcourt for the Comets. Here are Traore, Gugliotta, and five other bigs who stood out in competitive matchups this season: