Mayenabasi Akpan is a 6’3 post player out of South Medford.  Most well known for her recent performance in the OSAA tournament, for her buzzer beater win over the defending champions of Tualatin.  

Akpan has tremendous strength and a powerful presence in the paint.  She’s great at using her body to get into position for posting up and rebounding.  She played really well out there today on the court. She was really getting after it and showing a lot of effort for team Oregon.  She scored 11 points and was a contributing factor on both ends of the court.  Akpan is committed to going to San Diego State University next year. 

San Diego State-commit Mayen Akpan Mayen Akpan 6'2" | C/PF South Medford | 2026 State OR combined for 44 points in two playoff wins for South Medford. Akpan is a force inside and on the glass — she holds Oregon’s state tournament record for offensive rebounds. The power forward led the Panthers with a double-double (20 points and 13 rebounds) against Mountainside in the Round of 16. No. 4 South Medford will meet No. 5 Sherwood in the state quarterfinals on Thursday.

San Diego State commit Mayen Akpan Mayen Akpan 6'2" | C/PF South Medford | 2026 State OR is a force on the glass, runs the floor, and consistently scores around the rim. Akpan led South Medford in scoring with 19 points and 13 rebounds to defeat Faith Family (TX) 50-36 in the Portland Holiday Classic Platinum Bracket Final. The double-double machine averaged 16.7 points, shooting 47% from the field, and 11 rebounds per game at the tournament.

Mayen Akpan Mayen Akpan 6'2" | C/PF South Medford | 2026 State OR plays with a force that’s impossible to ignore. Every game, she brings a physical edge owning the paint, ripping down rebounds, and putting up double-doubles like it’s routine. Her presence in the post changes how teams play; she controls the glass, swats shots with authority, and finishes around the rim with strength and balance. But what makes her truly exciting is that she’s just getting started. There’s more skill, more versatility, and more confidence emerging in her game with every rep. Her footwork is improving, her midrange shot is developing, and her passing out of the post shows flashes of real playmaking ability. Defensively, she anchors the lane with toughness and timing. Offensively, she brings a dependable inside option who’s only growing more dynamic. Mayen’s ceiling is high, and she’s climbing fast. As dominant as she already is, it’s clear she’s just scratching the surface.

South Medford junior Mayen Akpan Mayen Akpan 6'2" | C/PF South Medford | 2026 State OR is an athletic and powerful presence inside and on the boards for the Lady Panthers and was named to the Class 6A All-State First Team this season. She holds the 6A record for most rebounds in a single state tournament. The 6-foot-2 center/forward is smart and strong with the ball in the paint. She drives from the elbow, posts up under the basket, and finishes down low. She draws an extra defender and has great kickout pass instincts. Akpan is a leader in second-chance points. She jumps for rebounds like she’s on a trampoline: up the first time to get the tip, the second to win the loose ball, and the third to kiss it off the glass for a putback bucket. Akpan is also tough on the defensive end, battling for position with the opposing big and protecting the rim with her help defense. She holds it down on the back end of full-court press. Akpan averaged 16 points (shooting 57%), 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1 assist per game and was named Southwest Conference Player of the Year her junior season. Akpan’s recruiting blew up over the summer after a big state tournament showing her sophomore year.

South Medford junior Mayen Akpan Mayen Akpan 6'2" | C/PF South Medford | 2026 State OR is consistently a force in the paint and on the boards and put up another double-double on Friday night. Akpan led all scorers with 19 points, shooting 75% from the floor. All of her points were in the paint or from the line. She drew the most fouls at 7 and hit 7-of-8 free throws. Akpan tallied 12 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist. Willamette made her earn every point and rebound. She battled in the paint to outdo her season average of 17.5 points and 11 rebounds. Akpan continues to play like the number one center in the state.

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.

Mayen Akpan is my pick for Barlow Trail MVP. Akpan had a huge presence in the key for South Medford in both games. The 6-foot-2 center posted back-to-back double-doubles—12 points and 10 rebounds in the first game, and 15 points and 12 rebounds in the final. While Akpan gets most of her points in the paint, she sunk a confident nothing-but-net baseline middy that didn’t go unnoticed. I’ll be watching for her midrange game this season. Akpan is an automatic offensive rebounder. As a sophomore, she broke Cameron Brink’s 6A girls basketball single-tournament record in rebounding with 51 total boards. Her recruiting blew up over the summer and she’s back at it starting her first two games of the season adding 22 more boards to her high school career tally.

Akpan cracked the top ten in the rankings for the first time, jumping up to #7 from her previous rank at #11 and earning the #1 positional spot amongst centers. Akpan had a monster sophomore season, including a state tournament that saw her smash the tournament rebounding record previously set by Cameron Brink, showing how she is perhaps the best rebounder in the state currently. She is particularly impressive on the offensive glass, and continues to improve in her scoring capabilities as well. With two years left in her career, Akpan is one of the most exciting prospects in the state.