Tucked away at a 1A school in Maupin, Jason Hull isn't exactly at the epicenter of Oregon high school basketball.
But given the way the South Wasco County freshman has begun his prep career, he is sure to start commanding attention.
The 6-foot-1 Hull, the son of longtime Redsides coach Jim Hull, is averaging 33.3 points through his first three games. That includes a 44-point outburst in a 79-48 home win over Powder Valley on Saturday.
“He's off to a great start,” Jim Hull said. “It's kind of a hidden thing, being at a small school, but everything we've done for him since he was little is all big-school stuff. It kind of showed in the first few games.”
Jason Hull is shooting 62 percent from the field, including 40 percent from three-point range (11 of 27). He scored 25 in a 71-22 win at Southwest Christian and 31 in a 81-18 home win over Wallowa before going off for 44.
Against Powder Valley, he shot 19 of 26 from the field, hitting 6 of 9 three-point attempts, in a game that was played with a running clock in the fourth quarter.
The 44-point game is No. 3 in South Wasco County history. It's also No. 3 all-time for a freshman in Oregon, behind Lincoln's Salim Stoudamire (53 in 1998) and Arlington's Jeremy Rosenbalm (45 in 2001).
“It was an easy 44,” Jim Hull said. “The 44 blew my mind. I thought he had about 30.”
Jason Hull averaged 25 points in junior high school last season. He joined a South Wasco County team that went 25-0 last season before falling to Crane 62-53 in the 1A final.
The Redsides graduated three starters, including the 1A player of the year in 6-3 guard Oscar Thomas, a sharpshooter who averaged 19.2 points. Jason Hull has provided scoring punch alongside senior forward Ian Ongers, who is averaging 20.0 points through three games.
Jim Hull said his son is playing with an edge.
“The chip on his shoulder, in a sense, is lack of recognition,” Jim Hull said. “He plays for a 1A school. I'm not going to transfer him. We're not going to chase anything down the road. We're going to be the best that we can be here. He uses that as motivation when he's playing on his club teams.”
Jason Hull has played club ball for Newberg-based Team Jones Oregon, traveling three-plus hours multiple times each week. He also has made regular weekend trips to face higher competition in Salem.
Basketball is in his Jason Hull's blood. He grew up attending high school basketball practices with his father, often shooting at side baskets. His uncle, Jon Colasuonno, was the AA player of the year for The Dalles in 1987 before a college career at Linfield.
“He grew up with a passion for the game,” Jim Hull said. “It never got old for him. He does live and breathe the basketball world.”
Colasuonno has become a mentor to Jason.
“Jon will say that Jason is far beyond where he was as a freshman,” Jim Hull said.
Jason and his sister Julie, a junior on the South Wasco County girls team, were national finalists in the Elks Hoop Shoot free-throw shooting competition. In competition, Julie made 25 of 25 and Jason hit 24 of 25. Jason made 98 of 100 in a recent PE class.
The 140-pound Jason has a 6-4 wingspan, which allows him to get into passing lanes and pick up steals. He started weight training in the past year and dramatically increased his vertical jump, allowing him to dunk with ease.
Jim Hull said that a doctor told him that Jason has plenty of growing to do. The coach, who is 6-2, said he expects that Jason will top out around 6-4 or 6-5.
The way Jason has started his freshman season, he could be in position to threaten the state's all-time scoring record. The career leader is Lake Oswego's Kevin Love, who scored 2,628 points before graduating in 2007.
“I told him, 'You're a hidden gem right now. People don't know who you are,'” Jim said. “'But if you keep up this pace, you're almost looking at a 1,000-point season.'”
Other big games early in the season:
Daniel Maza, Blanchet Catholic: 39 points, six three-pointers vs. Valley Catholic
Ty Dahlin, Crater: 34 points, five three-pointers vs. Hidden Valley
Cole Hammack, North Marion: 34 points, seven three-pointers, six steals vs. Estacada
Quincy Townsend, Mountain View: 32 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists vs. South Eugene
Breyan Kelly, Sherwood: 31 points vs. Sunset
RJ Alexander, Gresham: 30 points, six three-pointers vs. Franklin
Josiah Lake, Tualatin: 29 points vs. North Medford
Steven Adams, McNary, 28 points, 11 steals vs. Aloha; 25 points, seven steals vs. Reynolds
Carter Fortune, Southridge: 27 points vs. Cleveland
Moroni Seely-Roberts, Lincoln: 26 points vs. Mountainside
Malachi Seely-Roberts, Lincoln: 26 points vs. Mountainside
Brayden Boe, Mountainside: 24 points vs. Lincoln
Keegan Maupin, Four Rivers: 23 points, eight steals vs. Weston-McEwen
Jaxson Spafford, Putnam: 23 points, seven three-pointers vs. Dallas
Cyrus Forney, Oregon Episcopal: 13 assists (school record) vs. Amity
jerryu@osaa.org
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