Entering the girls basketball season, the 6A landscape appeared by be dominated by senior-dominated teams Clackamas, Willamette and Jefferson as well as reigning state champion South Medford.
It has quickly become apparent, though, that a freshman-led team deserves to join that elite group.
Behind freshman point guard Love Lei Best, Tualatin is looking like a legitimate state championship contender. Best is averaging 16.3 points in a 3-0 start for the No. 3 Timberwolves, including 17 points in a 49-37 home win over No. 5 Willamette on Friday.
Tualatin coach Wes Pappas said the 5-foot-5 Best – who already has offers from Oregon State, Louisville, Alabama and Arizona – is having a similar type of impact that Clackamas senior Jazzy Davidson did as a freshman.
“She's kind of the next kid in the state after Jazzy to come through,” Pappas said. “She's a magnet. She's making little girls more interested in the game already as a freshman.”
Tualatin returned four starters from a team that went 20-5, repeated as Three Rivers League champion and lost in the playoff round of 16. That group includes two first-team all-league picks in senior post Jordyn Smith (6-2) and junior guard Alex Padilla (6-1), as well as junior guards Maaya Lucas (5-9) and Ries Miadich (5-7).
Considering how the Timberwolves dominate on defense with their 2-3 zone, the returning players would have been enough to keep them competitive with the state's best teams. But the addition of Best and 6-0 freshman guard Kendall Dawkins, who also is starting, has bumped them to a new level.
“We're always the team that defends, but we have never really had elite firepower,” Pappas said. “We're top 10 every year, but there's always these kind of superteams that can just sheer-talent us. The difference is now we can line up with those teams this year on the offensive end. And then we've got our defense.
“We've got a lot of pieces. We feel like we have six starters. That gives us a lot more depth than last year.”
Best, whose brothers played at Oregon City, debuted Dec. 10 with 24 points in a 63-24 home win over South Salem. Her ability to create shots for herself and others has elevated Tualatin's offense.
“She's the best shooter I've ever had,” Pappas said. “She's a phenomenal passer. She's the fastest-processing kid I've ever seen. She's one step ahead of everybody on the court mentally. She can score at the rim at 5-5 because she uses her body so well.”
Dawkins, who is averaging 8.3 points, also is drawing Division I college interest.
“The motor on this kid, she never stops,” Pappas said. “Great defender, attacks the rim, can shoot it well. She pursues rebounds like crazy.”
Bella Amens, a lightning-quick freshman guard, also has joined the rotation. Pappas said Amens is the fastest guard he has coached.
“She's going to turn into a special player, too.,” he said.
With their size and athleticism, Tualatin is hoping to supercharge its vaunted zone defense. Smith anchors the middle and Dawkins and Lucas play the outside bottom. Best, Padilla, Miadich and Amens take their turns at the top.
“It's kind of nasty at times,” Pappas said. “We could really, really lock teams down. If everything goes according to plan, this could be a record low in terms of giving up points. We've got a chip-on-your-shoulder type of crew. They defend like we always do, but they're even a little bit meaner.”
Smith, who transferred from Tigard last year, is averaging 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. Lucas is putting up 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds so far.
Tualatin will meet No. 4 Jefferson (2-0) in the opening round of the POA Holiday Classic on Dec. 27. The Timberwolves play host to No. 1 Clackamas (1-0) on Jan. 2 and visit No. 7 Jesuit (3-0) on Jan. 7.
Notes: Crater underscored its No. 1 ranking in the 5A coaches poll by routing then-No. 3 South Albany 69-47 in a nonleague game Dec. 10. The host Comets got a big game from junior point guard Taylor Young, a transfer from 6A South Medford, who put up 25 points, five steals and three assists. Sage Winslow added 14 points, five steals, six assists and seven rebounds and Lydia Traore had 15 points and eight rebounds. South Albany's Taylor Donaldson had 24 points and nine rebounds. … Country Christian moved from No. 5 to No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 1A coaches poll after an impressive three-game run in the 1A Preview last week. After beating Nixyaawii 44-17, the Cougars (5-0) knocked off the top two teams in the poll, stopping No. 2 Union 28-25 and No. 1 Crane 42-30. Reigning state champion Crane, which entered the tournament with a 32-game winning streak, dropped two of three games, also losing to Union 63-52. … Kiara Green, a 6-5 junior center, has helped Century open 3-0 after going 6-18 last season. In wins over Tigard and Lincoln, Green compiled 32 points, 23 rebounds and 10 blocks. … Junior guard Juliet Wachsmuth helped 2A Portland Christian bounce back from a season-opening loss with three wins. She racked up 62 points, 11 rebounds, 12 steals and eight assists as the Royals defeated St. Stephen's, Portland Adventist and Santiam Christian.
