Swamigp’s Weblog

There have been many very talented Oregon high school players who have gone on and had very productive college careers. Most recently Kevin Love and Kyle Singler have become known around the country for their outstanding play at Lake Owego High School and South Medford High School, and then producing well in College. Kevin Love became Pac-10 player of the year at UCLA and Kyle Singler has become a prominent player at Duke in his freshman season. The talent continues to come out of Oregon, with players being heavily recruited by big name Division 1 schools. Michael Harthun, a senior guard out of a very successful South Medford team, is a very skilled shooter and a great college prospect. He recently signed his letter of intent to go to Washington State next year, while also being recruited by other Pac-10 teams such as Oregon. I saw him play last year during his junior season when he played along Kyle Singler, during which he won the State title while beating Kevin Love’s Lake Oswego squad. His savvy on the court and smooth shot, has propelled him into a guard that the Cougars can’t wait to get their hands on. With the departure of  Washington State senior Derrick Low after the season, Michael Harthun presumably will be a vital part in Washington State’s near future.

While watching the 5A and 6A state playoff championship games I was able to see some very good, and sought after, talent. Oregon City’s senior guard Brad Tinsley, is similar to Harthun, in that he has the same scoring ability and smarts on the court, as well as the amount of interest that his skill has gotten him. He was going to go to Pepperdine University (a school that Harthun was also offered to play at) but was let out of his letter of intent because of the coach’s departure. He is now free to be recruited once again, already with many prominent schools after him, by recieving offers from Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Oregon, also with North Carolina hovering on his radar.

Paul McCoy is another standout player from the state of Oregon who has gotten some attention throughout the northwestern schools as well as others across the country. He plays for Grant high school in Portland and is a very good scorer at the point guard position. (He is also a sought after wide reciever recruit in football, with interest in Oregon, Oregon State, UNLV,  Boise State and Portland State) He is a very unselfish player, who isn’t one ot tout his scoring ability, but has shown the talent that big name Division 1 schools are looking for. He, like Tinsley, signed to go to Pepperdine before the coaching change and was also let out of his letter of intent. He is interested in playing for schools such as Washington State, Tennessee, and Virgina Tech, all of which have great basketball programs. I saw him play in Grant’s championship game against Brad Tinsley’s Oregon City team and he proved to be a very good leader and a pass first guard who also possessed great explosiveness, tenacity and will to win that is needed to play well at the next level. 

These prized talents, as well as many more, are highly touted for a reason, and will someday be productive parts of very well known college basketball teams. Though Harthun struggled in the State playoffs because of an injury, his skill level proved enough this year to prove the player that he can be at Washington State. If everything goes well for Harthun leading up to next season he should be in the conversation to start at point guard. With all of the freshman, such as Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, Kyle Singler and Derrick Rose, that have played critical roles in their respective teams success, their is no reason why Tinsley, Harthun, and McCoy should not be able to do the same for their college teams teams next year.

Look out for the these players during next years college basketball season as well as in the much anticipated March Madness.