Last week, The Oregonian/OregonLive took a look into what boys basketball in the Mt. Hood Conference will look like in the 2024-25 school year.
Now, it’s time to take a quick look at the league’s top stars.
Jalen Atkins, senior, Barlow
Atkins enters his final year already one of the most decorated players in Barlow school history, having landed on the all-state teams in each of his three seasons. Last season, despite missing six games with an ankle injury, the offensive dynamo averaged 18.5 points and 4.5 assists per game.
Brayden Barron, senior, Barlow
Barron broke out last season after having held a limited role as a sophomore. His development as an inside-out forward was a large reason for the Bruins’ postseason run. He averaged 15 points and eight rebounds per game as a junior and was named to the all-tournament second team
Mason Bierbrauer, senior, Barlow
Bierbrauer height and shooting ability have kept him in the fold for the Bruins for multiple seasons. An honorable mention all-state forward last season, he averaged 15.7 points and six rebounds per game as Atkins’ right hand man.
Isaac Carr, senior, Central Catholic
Carr enters his final high school season with a case as the state’s best player. He was arguably the Rams’ most valuble player in the state tournament last season as a junior, and continues to grow into his frame and expand his skillset. A first-team all-state guard, he decommitted from Oregon, before recently choosing Wake Forest.
Duce Paschal, senior, Central Catholic
Paschal is a Weber State signee, and a former all-conference and all-tournament first team honoree. He was a key starter on the Rams’ state championship team and will see even more touches in 2024-25 with the graduation of Marley Zeller (Loyola Marymount).
Zamir Paschal, junior, Central Catholic
Akin to his brother, Paschal put an injury-riddled freshman year behind him to deliver a tour-de-force junior campaign that landed him on the all-state teams. Paschal brings excellent slashing and playmaking ability to a team full of talented scorers.
RJ Barhoum, sophomore, Clackamas
Barhoum burst onto the Oregon prep hoops scene as a freshman, and the Cavaliers’ staff is excited to see where his sophomore campaign takes him. “His ability to shoot the ball makes him a threat from deep,” said coach Ryan King, adding that “he’s worked hard this off season on expanding his game.”
Max Martinov, sophomore, Clackamas
Martinov stayed down on junior varsity for the whole of his freshman season, but he’s been brought up for year two and is look to as another impact sophomore alongside Barhoum. King said he spent much of the offseason working on his scoring ability.
Omar Kassim, senior, David Douglas
Kassim mans the point for the Scots. Head coach Chad Reeves lauded him for his court vision and quickness with the ball, both traits that make him a suitable lead guard.
Gimer Novelo, senior, David Douglas
Novelo brings a scoring punch at the off-guard position for the Scots. Reeves said he can score in multiple ways at multiple levels, and isn’t afraid to man up on the other side of the ball where his frame make him a multi-positional defender.
Khaled Artharee, senior, Gresham
Artharee was a breakout player in the Mt. Hood Conference last season and projects as the Gophers top scoring threat in 2024-25. The all-confernece selection averaged 11 points and six rebounds as a junior. Coach Cliff White called the 6-foot-5 Artharee a “do-it-all wing.”
Kareem Artharee, junior, Gresham
The younger brother of Khaled, Kareem also brings 6-foot-5 height at the guard position. He averaged 10 points per game as a sophomore and White expects another big leap out of the junior.
Juma Whatley, junior, Gresham
Whatley was the Gophers’ sixth man last season as a sophomore. A “three and ‘D’” player, according to White, Whatley will consistently be called upon to guard the opposition’s toughest matchups.
Braylon Gaines, sophomore, Nelson
Gaines backed up his ranking as one of the state’s top incoming freshman last season, averaging 17.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game at the point guard position. “What makes him special is his competitiveness, IQ, and skillset,” coach Daniel Blanks said. “He can score from anywhere on the floor and he’s savy with the ball in his hands.”
Jaydon Schregardus, sophomore, Nelson
Schregardus, a childhood friend of Gaines, played the role of right hand man for him last season, bringing a deadly shooting touch to complement Gaines’ slashing ability. He averaged 12.1 points and four rebounds a game, shooting 43% from deep on 3.3 makes per game. The sophomore made nine threes in a game last season and had multiple games with at least five makes.
Jaiden Pickett, senior, Nelson
Pickett is the newcomer, having transferred in fro Putnam this season. The senior provides yet more ballhandling and creation ability on the perimeter. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 15.6 points and 3.8 rebounds for Putnam last season and, according to Blanks, is “one of fastest players in the state.”
Eddie Szabatin, junior, Reynolds
Szabatin led 6A in rebounding last season, averaging 12.6 per outing. His 6-foot-6 size in the post make him an excellent interior outlet for the Raiders. The junior will be starting for the second consecutive year this winter.
Lemogus Frazier, senior, Reynolds
Frazier is the Raiders’ top senior. The wing brings energy all over the court, said coach Terrance Dickens, and “runs like a deer.” He will be tasked will pressuring the opponents’ best player night to night throughout the season.
Jacob Brown, senior, Sandy
Brown was an all-conference first team member last season for an excellent Sandy team. The 6-foot-9 forward is one of the most physically imposing players in the conference and will again fill the stat sheet for the Pioneers this season.
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