Girls basketball in Oregon has come a long way since it became an OSAA sport in the mid-1970s, producing high school and college all-Americans, Olympians and professional stars.
The Oregonian takes a look at The top 25 players in Oregon girls basketball history
These seven came to Stanford (Click photos to enlarge):
Mazama 1993
6-0, Forward
The sweet-shooting Harrington was a three-time, first-team all-state selection and the player of the year as a senior, when she averaged 27.3 points and had a 52-point game in which she made 20 of 29 shots. Gatorade named her the Pacific region player of the year in 1993. In four varsity seasons, she averaged 19 points and amassed 982 rebounds, 634 assists and 515 steals as the Vikings went 87-13 and won three consecutive conference titles and their first state trophy, finishing third in 1993. She had 15 steals in one game. She also was a three-time all-state soccer player. A 4.0 student, she played at Stanford and professionally in Europe before coaching in college and becoming a doctor.
Southridge 2006
5-10, Point guard
Southridge’s championship teams of 2005 and 2006 were stocked with Pac-10 caliber talent, but Hones was the engine that made it all go. She was the state player of the year as a senior, averaging 12.6 points and leading the team in assists and steals while shooting 53.2 percent. She could get her points when needed, as evidenced by a 25-point first half in a semifinal win over Ashland in 2006. The Skyhawks went 56-2 in her last two seasons, finishing ranked seventh in the nation by USA Today in 2006, and set the stage for a run of five titles in six years. Hones played in two national championship games for Stanford before being dismissed from the team as a fourth-year junior.
Central Catholic 2013
6-3, forward
Long and athletic, Johnson was a force on offense and defense for the Rams, helping lead them to their first state championship in 2013. She was the state player of the year as a senior, averaging 18.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals while shooting 63 percent. In a quarterfinal win over Westview in 2013, she had 17 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks, while cooling off a red-hot Jaime Nared, holding her to 4-for-25 shooting with six turnovers. She also was a standout volleyball player, winning two state titles. She played in the McDonald’s All-American Game before heading off to Stanford, where she started 15 games in three seasons before opting to forgo her senior year.12.
Lake Oswego 1986
6-0, Forward A three-time, first-team all-state selection, Steding was named the player of the year as a senior, when she averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds. She helped lead the Lakers to the semifinals in 1984, 1985 and 1986, making the all-tournament first team each year. In a playoff win over Crescent Valley as a sophomore, she scored 36 points. She was a three-time all-Pac-10 pick at Stanford, where she was a member of the school’s first NCAA title team in 1990. She won a gold medals with Team USA in the 1991 World University Games, where she averaged 10.3 points, and the 1996 Olympics. She played in the WNBA until 2001 and currently is the coach at Boston University.
Philomath 1987
6-2, Center
Stevens dominated in Class AA – the second-highest level – leading Philomath to state titles in 1986 and 1987 and a 61-game winning streak. In the 1987 final against Marist, she made 19 of 22 shots and had 47 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks. She finished her career as the state’s all-time leading scorer and currently stands third. She still owns the state single-game rebound record with 33. She was a two-time all-Pac-10 selection at Stanford, where she led the 1990 national championship team in scoring (17.6) and field-goal percentage (54.9), and was inducted into the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. She played in two Final Fours, was named to the NCAA All-Regional team twice and finished her college career second on Stanford’s all-time scoring list (1,649). She also was a member of the USA U-18 National Team in 1989. Stevens was the Boise State coach from 1996 to 2002.
Lakeridge 2005
6-1, Forward
Harmon was a three-time state player of the year, the first girl or boy to accomplish the feat. She was an offensive force for the Pacers, scoring inside and outside to amass 2,157 career points, No. 8 on the all-time list. She averaged 21.8 points as a senior, including 28.4 in five postseason games. She had a 43-point, 16-rebound performance in a playoff win over West Salem. She led Lakeridge to a state runner-up finish as a junior. Harmon made an instant impact at Stanford, averaging 8.5 points and making the Pac-10 all-freshman team, and was a member of two Final Four teams, finishing runner-up in 2008.. She played in the 2008 Olympics for New Zealand, scoring 22 points in one game, and won a gold medal at the USA Youth Development Festival. She has had a successful professional career playing in Australia, New Zealand and Italy.
Oregon City 1998
6-1, Forward
An outstanding leaper, Yamasaki could dominate with pure athleticism. She won four state championships at Oregon City and is the program’s No. 2 career scorer (1,682) behind Tammy Arnold. Despite sharing the spotlight with other elite players, she averaged 20.5 points as a junior and a school-record 24.6 points as a senior, earning player of the year honors. She was MVP of the WBCA High School All-America Game, scoring 16 points. Yamasaki also was player of the year in volleyball as a senior and headed to Stanford with dreams of becoming a two-sport star. She led the basketball team in scoring (14.0) as a freshman, and after redshirting her first year, returned to volleyball and helped lead Stanford to the NCAA final. She gave up volleyball to focus on basketball and became a Pac-10 first-team selection, finishing as the program’s No. 9 all-time scorer (1,497 points). She was the 29th pick in the 2002 WNBA draft and played in the league for two seasons.
No comments:
Post a Comment