Oregon’s best high school girls basketball players: Meet the top stars in the 6A Mt. Hood Conference

The Mt. Hood Conference is loaded with young talent

We’re taking a conference-by-conference look at some of the state’s top high school basketball players. Here’s the Mt. Hood Conference girls list.

Every league has numerous standout players, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Let us know which other players you think should be added to the list.

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CLACKAMAS

The defending league champions suffered a setback when last year’s Most Outstanding Player, point guard Rhyan Mogel, went down with an offseason knee injury. She is expected to make a full recovery for her senior campaign.

“She’s a rockstar — she’s in the weight room every day,” Clackamas coach Korey Landolt said.

This season’s roster is bolstered by new faces with seven freshman listed in the varsity lineup. Jazzy Davidson, 6-foot-1, is already garnering attention from top-flight schools around the Pac-12. She put up 24 points and blocked nine shots in the team’s 58-56 season-opening win over then top-ranked South Medford. She is averaging 19 points per game despite facing double- and triple-team attention most nights.

“She’s very verstatile. I call her a big guard,” Landolt said. “She has a quick first step and finishes well around the basket. She gets a lot of deflections and is a big factor in our press.”

Rhyan’s younger sister, Dylan Mogel, is making a splash, especially on defense.

“She has been tasked with some tough assignments, but she goes out there and wants to get it done,” Landolt said. “She has good quicks and a long wingspan. She reads the game well and anticipates where she needs to be. She plays with that little extra drive.”

Another freshman, Avery Peterson, is stepping into the ball-handling role that Rhyan Mogel filled much of last season.

“Those are some big shoes to fill, and she is doing a really good job for us,” Landolt said. “Point guard is a natural spot for her — she handles the pressure well. Benson was all over her with some real physical defense during our holiday tourney, and she did a great job taking care of the ball and getting us into our offense.”

The Cavaliers won that game with Benson, 52-44.

Peterson has also showed a flair for scoring, putting up 20 points against Gresham.

Freshman Sara Barhoum is a shooter in the backcourt, putting up 10 points per game.

BARLOW

After seeing limited action last season while recovering from injury, junior guard Kennedie Shuler is back at full strength directing the Bruins’ attack.

“She has had a really big impact ... When we see her with hands on the ball, we are confident she is not going to lose it,” Barlow coach Nick Hudson said. “She has always been quick, but she has worked on her change of pace. She’s added that element of hesitation where she can get the defender to rise up, then explode past.”

Shuler put up 10 first-quarter points during the Bruins’ 50-44 league-opening win over defending champion Clackamas.

Junior Annie Koenig adds a sharp-shooting element to the backcourt.

“Ever since her freshman year, she has had the knack for hitting the outside shot,” Hudson said. “But basketball is becoming positionless, and she has added tools to her game to help the team out even more.”

Senior guard Melanie Hiu is often tasked with the game’s most difficult defensive assignment, forcing turnovers that get the Bruins out on the fastbreak.

“She takes a lot of pride in her defense — it’s just her mentality — and every team needs that player,” Hudson said.

Fellow senior Lindsay Barden is also a consistent scorer at a variety of levels.

“She’s been really steady for us all season,” Hudson said. “She will drive into the lane and make the right play, and she has a knack for finishing at the rim.”

Junior 6-footer Rilyn Quirke gives the Bruins a solid presence in the post with a skillset that makes her a difficult big to defend.

“Her freshman year, she surprised me with a fake and a drive — I didn’t realize she had that in her game,” Hudson said. “She has continued to develop that and has become one of the most versatile players in the post. She can drive to her left and has a nice finger-roll finish to that side.”

The Bruins have solid depth with juniors Haidyn Sobella and Olivia Payne coming off the bench.

“Haidyn is more defensive-minded with the length to cover anyone from guards to posts — she gets a lot of tips for us,” Hudson said. “Olivia is a player we can count on to come in and provide instant offense. She’s always had a nice outside shot, and now she can drive to the hoop.”

CENTRAL CATHOLIC

The Rams are led by senior Gretta Baker, who led the way with 22 points in an early game against Jefferson. Sophomore Julianna Gordan led the defensive effort.

SANDY

The Pioneers are powered inside by 6-foot junior Sydney Brewster, who was an all-leaguer in volleyball and found a spot on the podium in the shot put at last year’s state track meet.

“She’s just bigger and stronger than everybody that gets put against her,” Sandy coach Dave Brown said. “She curls right to the front of the rim and knows how to post up and stay tall.”

She put up 18 points with 16 rebounds during a two-point loss to Southridge over the holiday break.

Senior Ashley Allinger runs the team with a knack for scoring out of the point guard spot, averaging 10 points per game.

“She plays really fast. She’s just a blur. She’ll go right by you and you don’t know what just happened,” Brown said. “She can finish with both hands and has four or five different ways to hit layups.”

She has signed to play college softball at South Carolina Upstate.

The Pioneers also get scoring out of junior guard Grace Lucky, who was second-team all-league last season.

“She adapted to a new style this year, as we are trying to get everyone involved,” Brown said. “She is good finishing around the rim and is getting herself open shots.”

DAVID DOUGLAS

The Scots are led by senior forward Mellian Asmelash.

“She provides a consistent threat offensively and defensively that our team relies on every game,” David Douglas coach Heather Marshall said. “Her ability to come up with steals is amazing.”

David Douglas is led in the backcourt by the senior duo of Esther Alvarez and Lanaya Baxter, while senior Awek DePiok provides a threat in the post.

NELSON

Playing in its first season, Nelson is led by the junior tandem of Sophia Hardy and Isabel Moser.

“They have taken turns leading us in scoring this year — both are in double figures almost every game,” Nelson coach John Schlaefli said. “Sophia is a good athlete, scorer and rebounder. Isabel is our best shooter.”

GRESHAM

Senior Aleena Baisden leads the Gophers in her second consecutive season as team captain.

“She’s aggressive with the basketball — fearless going to the hoop,” Gresham coach Michael Leland said. “And she plays with a high basketball IQ.”

The Gophers also feature junior Evelyn Salguero Martinez, who moved from Venezuala last year. She knocked down 10 free throws during a season-opening loss to David Douglas.

“Her whole game is getting to the hole,” Leland said. “She is good at drawing contact and getting to the line.”