2023-24 Mt. Hood Conference girls basketball players to watch

Published 3:00 am Friday, November 24, 2023

With Mt. Hood Conference basketball hitting the court, here are the top local 6A girls to keep an eye on for the 2023-24 season:

Sofia Cordway, sophomore guard, Reynolds

A talented, speedy guard, Cordway is a returning leader for the Raiders. On the heels of an all-league honorable mention nod — one of the few local non-seniors to earn an individual accolade last year — she has a strong mix of offensive and defensive talents. Cordway will bring the ball up the court, and take on the task of slowing star guards across the league. For a Reynolds team hoping to have a stronger impact — outside of powerhouse Clackamas the Mt. Hood League is up for grabs — Cordway will be an important cog for picking up wins.

Kylie Ihrig, senior guard, Barlow

This season for Barlow girls basketball will be all about the new kids on the court, with the loss of five starting seniors from last year’s playoff squad. But helping Coach Nick Hudson bridge the gap between generations of Bruins is a four-year varsity player in Ihrig, who will provide a steadying hand. Ihrig will take over as the primary ball handler and lead defender in the backcourt.

“Kylie has a solid understanding of the game and what we are trying to do on both sides of the court,” Hudson said.

Hadley Cunningham, senior guard, Sandy

Another team decimated by graduating seniors, Cunningham will be a stabilizer for this group of Pioneers. It doesn’t hurt that the guard has a wicked shot from deep, only needing a bit of space to knock them in. After the last few seasons that leaned on strong post play and a slow, methodical attack, Sandy will rely on her shooting strong and smart passing.

Rachel Jones, junior post, Barlow

An in-conference transfer, the towering Jones joins Barlow for her junior campaign. An honorable mention last season, she battled a litany of injuries that may have kept her from garnering even more individual accolades. Equal parts talented on offense and defense, she is comfortable having the offense run through her in the paint, or setting screens and crashing the boards to allow others to get going.

Natalie Greenfield senior guard, Gresham

Apple Williams, senior guard, Gresham

Arielle Kagawa, senior guard, Gresham

A trio of talented guards will combine for a deadly Gophers backcourt this season. All three are proven vocal leaders and have heaps of varsity experience. They will spur a Gresham program coming off its most wins in a season, with seven, since 2016.

“We have a deep group of players all of whom can bring something to the table,” said Coach Alan Simpson.

This is a team that will lean on defense. The guards will be asked to hound opponents up and down the court, attempting to use the new shot clock as an ally in punishing teams unable to quickly get into their halfcourt sets.

Addi Knight, junior post, Barlow

A 6-foot-2 talent down in the paint, Knight will be one of the key components of a renewed focus by the Bruins to work the ball down low after several seasons of guard-focused offense.

“We have more length than previous seasons, and we are hoping this leads to more post-up opportunities,” Coach Hudson said.

Knight will also bring strong rebounding and disruptive defense in the paint.

Rae Miller, senior post, Gresham

Miller brings much-needed size to the Gophers, paired with deft hands and quick feet. She will be a target in the paint for her talented backcourt, while also freeing them up with stout screens. With Gresham eyeing a playoff push, Miller will have to be able to turn back opposing drives and jumpstart the fastbreak with quick outlets off rebounds.