Oregon’s best high school boys basketball players: Meet the top stars in the 6A Southwest Conference

We’re taking a conference-by-conference look at some of the state’s top high school basketball players. Here’s the Southwest Conference boys list.
Oregon’s best high school boys basketball players: Meet the top stars in the 6A Southwest Conference
Oregon’s best high school boys basketball players: Meet the top stars in the 6A Southwest Conference /

We’re taking a conference-by-conference look at some of the state’s top high school basketball players. Here’s the Southwest Conference boys 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.

Grants Pass

G Dylan Neufeld, Sr., 6-1

Neufeld busted out for games of 27, 33 and 22 points during winter break and has carried the Cavemen for long stretches. “A fiery guard who can drive or shoot and plays with a ton of passion,” coach Joel Jessee said.

P Mason Bennett, Jr., 6-5

Jessee called this defensive gem “our most athletic forward” who is starting to find his way on the offensive end.

W Cade Brandes, Jr., 6-2

Brandes is the team’s top defender, a lockdown presence at the end of the court who also leads the team in hustle points. 

North Medford

G Trey Neff, Sr., 6-2

A first-team all-Southern Oregon selection in the spring, Neff picked up where he left off this winter, leading the Black Tornado in scoring at 17.6 points per game in December while grabbing 4.7 rebounds per contest. 

W Bryce Dyer, Sr., 6-5

Dyer was a second-team all-Southern Oregon pick in June and has averaged a double-double (13.2 points, 11.3 rebounds) to go with 4.5 assists and 2.1 steals.

G Ty Neff, Sr., 6-0

Trey’s twin brother has come into his own this winter, chipping in 9.4 points and 4.1 assists per game during the team's 10-1 start. 

Roseburg

W Colton Marsters, Sr., 6-0

Marsters led the renaissance of the football program as its conference offensive player of the year-winning quarterback. He was averaging a team-high 9.8 points per game at midseason. 

G Mykah Mendoza, So.

Mendoza got valuable experience as a part-time starter in the spring as a freshman and has been a key contributor this season, averaging 9.5 points per game.

G Carter Stedman, Jr., 5-9

Stedman took over as the full-time starting point guard this winter and averaged 4.7 points per game in December. 

Sheldon

F Luke Leighton, Jr., 6-5

Coming off a strong football season for the Irish, Leighton has been the team’s leading scorer on the hardwood this winter, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds per game. 

G Landyn Bryant, So., 5-9

Bryant has been a solid all-around player in the backcourt, averaging nine points, three assists and two steals per game. 

W Derek Frey, Sr., 6-2

Frey averages seven points and five rebounds per game for the Irish. 

G Nate Kokkeler, Sr., 5-9

Kokkeler has been Sheldon’s most consistent deep threat, hitting 43% from three-point range and averaging 10 points per game. 

South Eugene

G Oscar James, Sr., 6-0

James took over at point guard this winter and led the team in scoring at 14 points per game in December to go with 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals. 

W Solomon Nice, Jr., 6-5

Nice has first-team all-conference potential after gaining valuable experience in the spring. He averaged 10.8 points and a team-high nine rebounds per game during December. 

F Blake Sabbato, Sr., 6-2

Sabbato is another player who made the transition to varsity in the spring and had his role increased this winter. He is second on the team to Nice in rebounding. 

G Trey Saunders, So., 5-11

Coach Dave Hancock called Saunders the team’s most improved player in the spring, and he carried that into December, when he averaged 7.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in seven games. 

South Medford

G Junior Sleezer, Sr., 6-3

Sleezer was a first-team all-Southern Oregon pick in the spring and has continued his strong play this season, averaging 15.2 points per game while shooting 45% (22 of 49) from three-point range in December. “A strong guard who can stretch it out to the three-point line and one of the best defenders in the state,” coach James Wightman said. 

F Devon Malcolm, Sr., 6-3

Malcolm, a transfer last season from Butte Falls, was a second-team all-Southern Oregon pick in the spring. He’s a high-flying double-double machine, averaging 14.8 points and 10.8 rebounds while blocking almost three shots per game. 

G Jackson Weiland, So., 6-0

One of the state’s top freshmen a year ago has started at point guard from Day 1. In December, the first-team all-Southern Oregon selection shot 47% from three-point range and averaged 9.2 points and 5.1 assists with a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. “A very high IQ for the game and one of the better defenders in our league,” Wightman said.

F Boden Howell, Fr., 6-3

Howell makes two standout freshmen in two years to join the program. He scored 26 points against Winter Haven, Fla., in the quarterfinals of The Hardwood Invite in Auburn, Wash., before Christmas, and he averaged 13.6 points in December. “He will be pretty scary for opponents on both sides of the ball in the future,” Wightman said.  


Published
René Ferrán
RENÉ FERRÁN

René Ferrán has written about high school sports in the Pacific Northwest since 1993, with his work featured at the Idaho Press Tribune, Tri-City Herald, Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, The Columbian and The Oregonian before he joined SBLive Sports in 2020.