It's time to tip it off.
After trying to get the most out of the pandemic-shortened 2021 spring season, high school boys basketball is back and ready for a return to full-length seasons, playoffs and state championships.
That is definitely the case for the varsity boys teams at Lake Oswego, Lakeridge, Oregon City, West Linn, Clackamas, Nelson, La Salle, Milwaukie, Putnam, Wilsonville and Gladstone, a group that includes returning league champions from West Linn, Clackamas and Gladstone.
Read more about each team's 2021-22 prospects below.
Three Rivers League
Lake Oswego
Head coach: Marshall Cho
2021 record: 6-4 in TRL play, 8-8 overall
2021-22 outlook: "(This is the) first time in my seven years since year one (without) having an all-league player returning on the roster. We will have 11 seniors on roster, so the continuity in program is there. We will be challenged with an extremely difficult schedule preseason … to get ready for the TRL." — Marshall Cho
League contenders: West Linn, Tualatin
Top players: Senior guard Carson Reno, senior guard Marcus Lee, senior wing Christian Rowell, senior post Koa Bacci, senior guard Luke Brauner, junior wing Max Archambo, freshman wing Winters Grady.
Lakeridge
Head coach: David Duong
2021 record: 0-11 in TRL play, 0-14 overall
2021-22 outlook: "(I) expect to see tremendous growth throughout the season. We are young once again, but the guys are putting in the work." — David Duong
League contenders: West Linn, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, Tigard
Top players: Sophomore guard Ethan Eckard (6-3), junior guard Jack Ulwelling (6-1), junior wing Jesse Gustar (6-4).
Oregon City
Head coach: Aaron Newkirk
2021 record: 2-4 in TRL play, 7-6 overall
2021-22 outlook: "We are excited about the upcoming season and the group of kids that we have on our varsity roster. With great togetherness and effort on the defensive end, we hope to compete in the historically difficult TRL." — Aaron Newkirk
League contenders: West Linn, Lake Oswego, Tualatin, Tigard
Top players: Senior Camden Fowler (6-6), sophomore Deon Best (5-11), senior Camdyn Stiegeler (6-2), sophomore Dylan Westermeyer (6-5), junior Noah Neal (6-5).
West Linn
Head coach: Eric Viuhkola
2021 record: 8-0 in TRL play, 9-0 overall
2021-22 outlook: "We're excited (about) our program. We had more kids participate in our fall early morning and evening workouts than we ever have since I've been at (West Linn). We have an extremely tough preseason schedule, playing in two national holiday tournaments which will help us prepare for the tough TRL. We're hoping that we will be playing our best basketball in late February and early March." — Eric Viuhkola
League contenders: West Linn, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, Tigard
Top players: Junior point guard Jackson Shelstad (6-0), senior wing Zeke Viuhkola (6-3), senior wing/post Peyton Durbin, junior Blake Oltmans, junior Mark Hamper (6-3).
Mt. Hood Conference
Clackamas
Head coach: Cameron Mitchell
2021 record: 13-0 in MHC play, 15-2 overall
2021-22 outlook: "We lost a great group of seniors from last year, but we are excited with the team we have now. We have depth and another strong senior class." — Cameron Mitchell
League contenders: Barlow, Central Catholic
Top players: Senior guard Jackson Jaha (6-1), senior guard Forrest Reyes (5-8), junior guard Garrett Strube (6-1).
Nelson
Head coach: Alex Edwards
2021 record: n/a (first-year program)
2021 outlook:"With no seniors on our roster, our top priority this season will be to compete in every game we play. We have two players with limited varsity experience, so adjusting to the speed and physicality of the varsity level will be an adjustment for our entire program." — Alex Edwards
League contenders: Central Catholic, Gresham, Barlow, Clackamas
Top players: Junior forward C.J. Borin, junior point guard Nasir Kamara, junior wing Parker Harrison.
Northwest Oregon Conference
La Salle
Head coach: Sean Kelly
2021 record: 6-3 in NWOC play, 9-5 overall
2021-22 outlook: "This team has the potential to be very good, (but) we will only go as far as our rebounding and defense takes us." — Sean Kelly
League contenders: Wilsonville, Milwaukie
Top players: Senior point guard Jake Scacco, junior guard Nick Robertson, junior guard Finbar O'Brien.
Milwaukie
Head coach: Donny Law
2021 record: 5-2 in NWOC play, 6-8 overall
2021-22 outlook: "We have a great core group of young athletes, good leadership, and (we're) working hard to finish in the top spots of the NWOC." — Donny Law
League contenders: Wilsonville, La Salle, Milwaukie
Top players: Junior guard Logan Law (5-10), junior guard Kaden Harris (6-1), senior post Sean LaChapelle (6-5), junior wing Carter Sprague (6-4).
Putnam
Head coach: Gregg Griffin
2021 record: 4-4 in NWOC play, 6-6 overall
2021-22 outlook: "We are a very young team with our impact players being sophomores and juniors. We will push tempo and defend with energy." — Gregg Griffin
League contenders: Wilsonville, La Salle
Top players: Sophomore guard/wing Lennon Greenleaf (5-10), senior wing Corbin Ryan (6-4), sophomore guard/wing Chase McDonald (5-9), sophomore wing Tyler Adams (6-1).
Wilsonville
Head coach: Chris Roche
2021 record: 9-0 in NWOC play, 15-2 overall
2021-22 outlook: "We have some ability, but we are fairly young, and at this point, competitive inconsistently. If we get tougher both mentally and competitively, we can become a team with a chance at being decent." — Chris Roche
League contenders: Scappoose, Putnam, La Salle, Milwaukie, Parkrose
Top players: Senior post Logan Thebiay (6-10), senior guard Enzo Chimienti (6-0), junior guard Maxim Wu (6-0), sophomore guard Kallen Gutridge (6-2), sophomore post Kyle Counts (6-5), junior post Tristan Davis (6-7).
Tri-Valley Conference
Gladstone
Head coach: Cody Aker
2021 record: 9-1 in TVC play, 10-3 overall
2021-22 outlook: "An inexperienced group returns to the varsity team, but (we're) looking forward to how our kids can compete and learn from night to night." — Cody Aker
League contenders: Corbett, Estacada
Top players: Junior guard Cohen Daves (6-2), senior forward Ricky White (6-3), junior guard Carver Mellema (5-10).
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