Oregon's top high school boys basketball players: Meet the state's best guards

Who are some of the best guards in Oregon high school boys basketball in 2024-25?

Isaac Carr will try to lead Central Catholic to back-to-back 6A state championships. / Photo by Andy Buhler, SBLive

We’re taking a position-by-position look at some of the best players in Oregon high school boys basketball. This list focuses on the guards and is based on nominations from coaches throughout the state. 

OREGON'S BEST BOYS BASKETBALL GUARDS

Gavin Aguilar, West Albany, 6-1 senior

Aguilar last season earned 5A all-state honorable mention after helping the Bulldogs make their first state tournament appearance since 2019 (placing fourth), averaging 10.6 points, four rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game. He's increased his scoring this season to 13 points per game to go with five rebounds, 5.5 assists and two steals.

West Albany guard Gavin Aguilar / Leon Neuschwander

Jalen Atkins, Barlow, 6-3 senior

Atkins made the 6A all-state team each of his first three seasons — honorable mention as a freshman, first team as a sophomore and second team last season despite missing six games with an ankle injury, averaging 18.5 points and 4.5 assists. He recently announced his commitment to Eastern Arizona College, which reached the NJCAA West District final last year, and he averaged 19 points and eight assists in the Bruins’ first four games this season.

Barlow's Jalen Atkins / Photo by Naji Saker, SBLive Sports

Jack Bents, Caldera, 6-1 senior

Bents received all-Intermountain Conference honorable mention last season, averaging 14.1 points and shooting 35% from three-point range to help the Wolfpack earn their first 5A playoff berth. He moved to point guard this season and through five games, he averaged 12 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 40% from beyond the arc and often defending the opponent’s best guard. “His points per game have gone down a little bit, but that is mostly because he has been more of a facilitator for us against our tough preseason schedule,” Caldera coach Evan Dougherty said. “He is a captain and has really grown as a leader for our team.”

Isaac Carr, Central Catholic, 6-4 senior

The Wake Forest signee missed nine games late in his junior season because of an ankle injury but returned in time to help the Rams win their first 6A state championship in the past 30 years. Through nine games this season, the returning first-team all-state selection was averaging a team-high 16.7 points per game.

Finn Cooper, Cleveland, 5-8 senior

Cooper is the only returning starter and all-PIL selection for the Warriors. He averaged 11 points, five rebounds and three assists per game as a junior. After spending the entire offseason away from basketball, Cleveland coach Samuel Glasgow said Cooper “came back ready to roll,” and through the first two weeks, Cooper averaged 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Lucas D’Haem, Westview, 5-10 senior

D’Haem made the all-Metro League third team as a junior. He didn’t put up huge numbers (5.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 steals per game) but played a critical role as a glue guy in the Wildcats lineup. He opened his final season averaging seven points, four rebounds and two steals in the first couple of weeks.

Valentin Faucher, Lakeridge, 5-11 senior

Pacers coach Jimmy Watts called Faucher “our most consistent player and a great floor general and leader.” He averaged 16.5 points (going 9 of 15 from three-point range) and three assists in their first four games.

Braylon Gaines, Nelson, 6-0 sophomore

The Hawks’ lone returning all-Mt. Hood Conference selection made the second team as a freshman, averaging 17.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.

Rocco Graziano, Sheldon, 6-2 senior

Graziano, an honorable mention all-Southwest Conference pick last season who will head to the University of Oregon as a kicker for the football team, recently returned to the court after entering the season battling an illness.

Cade Hartenstein, North Marion, 6-0 junior

The departure of 4A all-state guard Cole Hammack to Wilsonville created an opportunity for Hartenstein — who averaged seven points in 17 minutes per game last season — and he seized it, averaging 21 points, 4.5 rebounds, four assists and three steals over the first couple of weeks. “Cade has a highly developed offensive game and the ability to play fast or play as a bully guard,” Huskies coach Travis McFarland said. “He is rapidly developing into an all-around player that can defend and rebound his position at a higher level.”

Blake Hills, Barlow, 6-2 senior

Hills entered the starting lineup for the Bruins late last season, adding a measure of defensive intensity and toughness to the lineup and helping them get back to the 6A state tournament, where they placed fourth. He averaged six points in their first four games this season.

Maverick Huynh, North Salem, 5-10 senior

Huynh is a two-time all-Central Valley Conference selection for the Vikings, making the second team last season (15 points, four assists per game) and finishing second in the state in free throw percentage. His father, Hemingway, now leads the program, and Maverick kicked off the season with a bang, averaging 18 points and seven assists while recording two double-doubles through six games. “Maverick is the heart and soul of North Salem basketball,” Hemingway said. “He leads his team with excellence both on the court and in the community, embodying what it means to be the face of the program.”

Jemai Lake, Tualatin, 6-2 junior

Lake burst onto the scene as a sophomore, averaging 16 points — including a school-record-tying 41 points in a win over Cascade Christian at the Les Schwab Invitational — and earning 6A all-state honorable mention. He received his first Division I offer from Weber State in July and opened this season averaging 18.5 points, six rebounds and six assists in the Timberwolves’ first four games.

Tualatin guard Jemai Lake / Dan Brood

Jonah Lasselle, West Albany, 5-11 junior

Lassellle turned a rare trick in the fall, making the 5A all-state teams in soccer (second team) and football (honorable mention). He’s not quite at that level on the hardwood, but he’s made himself into a valuable role player for the Bulldogs, averaging 7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and two steals in the first two weeks of the season.

Jaxon Lawson, Canby, 6-0 junior

Lawson is a three-year starter for the Cougars and two-time all-Northwest Oregon Conference selection, making the first team as a sophomore. “He’s a potential 20+ scorer and 10+ assist distributor every night,” Canby coach Matt Taylor said.

Carter Lemon, Tualatin, 5-10 sophomore

Lemon, the nephew of Timberwolves coach Bubba Lemon, was a JV swing player a year ago, but he’s become a valuable role player on the roster this season, averaging nine points, five rebounds and four assists through four games. “He rebounds the ball extremely well for a smaller player,” Coach Lemon said.

Carter Lockhart, Central Catholic, 6-1 freshman

Lockhart entered high school with an offer from San Francisco, and he hasn’t looked out of place in the early going for the defending 6A state champion Rams.

Duce Paschal, Central Catholic, 6-5 senior

Paschal was more of a role player and defensive ace for the 6A state champion Rams last season, but the Weber State signee has picked up his game this season, averaging 12 points and 7.5 rebounds through nine games.

Central Catholic guard Duce Paschal / Dan Brood

Zamir Paschal, Central Catholic, 6-0 junior

The 6A state tournament was Paschal’s coming-out party — he announced himself on the Chiles Center court while helping the Rams win their first championship since 1994. The all-state honorable mention selection has averaged 14.8 points and six rebounds through nine games as he wades through offers from Portland and Portland State along with drawing interest from Oregon, Oklahoma, and Washington, among others.

Peyton Reyes, Mountainside, 5-8 senior

Reyes is the lone all-Metro League selection returning for the Mavericks after the departure of Utah State signee Brayden Boe to Dream City Christian in Arizona — Reyes made the third team after averaging 10 points, three assists and two steals per game as a junior. He was a unanimous selection as a team captain.

Kai Russell, Westview, 5-8 senior

Russell will accomplish a first when he becomes the first in his family to go to college. The second-team all-Metro League pick (11.7 points, 4.6 assists per game as a junior) hopes to lead the Wildcats to their first 6A state tournament appearance since 2017.

Teagan Scott, South Salem, 5-10 junior

Scott is better-known as a catching prospect who signed with Oregon State, but he’s also an all-Central Valley Conference first-team guard who averaged 24 points, three rebounds and two steals in the Saxons’ first four games this season. “Teagan is as fierce a competitor as I’ve coached,” South Salem coach Kip Ioane said. “His ability to be both an efficient scorer and massive disruptor defensively makes him the type of all-around player any team would be thankful for.”

Nathan Sheley, Sheldon, 6-3 senior

The Irish rebounded from a 1-3 start, getting contributions from players such as Sheley, a three-level scorer who’s averaging 11 points per game. 

Jaxson Spafford, Putnam, 5-10 senior

Spafford, who averaged 21.4 points and 3.5 assists per game as a second-team all-Northwest Oregon Conference selection last season, said that “growing up in a single-parent household has translated to when playing basketball, I play with a chip on my shoulder and a different kind of hunger.” He averaged 15.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds in the first two weeks this season.

Oliver Stevens, The Dalles, 5-11 sophomore

Riverhawks coach Brian Stevens called Oliver “a crafty left-handed player and three-level scorer” who kicked off his career by averaging 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks in his first three games. “Once he crosses halfcourt, he is a threat to shoot the three, pull up from mid-range, hit floaters and drive to the rim, finishing with either hand equally,” Coach Stevens said.

Ahmad Surur, Wells, 6-0 junior

Surur has stepped up his game this season under first-year Guardians coach Max Trezise, showing the ability to be a big-time scorer or “a pass-first point guard whose eyes are always up, looking for the right pass or assist,” Trezise said. Surur averaged 16 points and six assists over the first two weeks, including 21 points in a win over PIL rival Jefferson at a preseason tournament. “Ahmad is off to a great start and has the drive and passion to continue getting better as the season progresses,” Trezise said.

Pat Vialva, Jr., Tualatin, 6-0 sophomore

Vialva stepped into the shoes of departed Gatorade player of the year Jackson Shelstad at West Linn last season, averaging 13.5 points and earning 6A all-state honorable mention with the Lions. He transferred over the summer to Tualatin, where in the first couple of weeks, he meshed instantly with his new team, averaging 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and three assists. “He is an absolute joy to have in our program,” Timberwolves coach Bubba Lemon said.

Eli Vizconde, Mountainside, 5-11 junior

Vizconde led the state in three-point shooting as a freshman and averaged 10 points per game last season for the Mavericks.

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