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Who is the greatest boys basketball player from the Salem-Keizer area?
It's time to decide.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
Earlier this spring, the Statesman Journal asked the same question of who were the Salem-area's greatest-ever football stars, as well as the area's all-time best girls basketball players.
Next up, we're identifying the top local boys hoopers to grace the hardwood. While accomplishments at the college and professional level undoubtedly influenced which standouts cracked the top-10 list, we are primarily looking to highlight those who starred at the high school level and dominated local headlines.
As part of this effort, we invite our readers to vote in polls that accompany the stories, or submit a name they think should be included if they don't see it on our list. Print readers can find the polls with the stories online at www.statesmanjournal.com/sports/.
Here are the Statesman Journal's 10 boys basketball players (listed in alphabetical order) who defined the Salem-Keizer area.
By the time of his high school graduation in 2011, Avgi had put on one of the most dominant big-man careers the mid-Valley has ever seen. He's a three-time first-team all-state nominee for the Bulldogs and collected three conference player of the year awards. Avgi's tenure with Woodburn remains one of the school's most exciting basketball eras, but Avgi didn't stop in high school.
Avgi attended Western Oregon and was a staple in the lineup for four seasons from 2012 to 2016. Avgi was an NCAA first-team all-American, two-time conference player of the year and retired as the school's third-highest scorer ever with 1,855 career points. Avgi was elected into the Western Oregon Hall of Fame in 2023.
Davis is a two-time all-state selection and earned a first-team bid in 1998, his senior season. That same year, Davis helped lead the Crusaders to the state tournament and earned a spot on the all-tournament first team for his contributions.
After high school, Davis played at Wyoming and was a starter for four years from 1999 to 2002. Davis was an integral part of the Cowboys' first-ever Mountain West title and even spearheaded a win over Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in which he had 11 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. He earned all-American status in the 2001-02 season and almost 10 years later was inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame. Davis also had brief stints in the NBA with several teams, most prominently with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played over 40 games. He's one of just two Salem-area high school athletes to reach the NBA.
Dominguez is one of the most decorated Salem-area basketball players; he earned Class 4A state player of the year and won a state championship in 2004 for the Saxons. Dominguez found a spot on the all-tournament first team that season and an all-state second-team nomination the season prior. Dominguez closed his Saxons' career with 1,413 points and a pair of conference player of the year awards to boot.
Dominguez continued to produce numbers and stellar output when he got to Portland State. He played two seasons for the Vikings but in those led Portland State to its first- and second-ever NCAA Tournament appearances. Dominguez claimed Big Sky player of the year in 2008 and retired from the Vikings with their single-season 3-pointers record, among several impressive statistical accolades. Dominguez was inducted into the Portland State Hall of Fame in 2022.
Holmes was the lead man for the Vikings from 2010 to 2012, and it's no coincidence that is one of North Salem's most successful stints in recent memory. Homles led the Vikings to a 22-5 record in 2011 and 18-9 record in 2012 and was recognized for his contributions with a first-team all-state and second-team all-state awards. He averaged over 20 points per game his senior season and claimed back-to-back conference player of the year awards.
Holmes spend the next two years at San Francisco, where he earned West Coast Conference all-freshman team and WCC honorable mention in consecutive seasons. He transferred to Clemson and started every game across two seasons and averaged over 10 points per game. Holmes was selected in the 2017 NBA G League draft by the Santa Cruz Warriors but has since carved out a professional career outside the United States.
Gill was a trailblazer for Oregon basketball long after his playing days, but his on-court contributions are not to go unmentioned. Gill was a member of the 1920 state champions out of Salem High School and he earned all-state recognition in 1919 and 1920.
Gill went on to compete at Oregon Agriculture College, now known as Oregon State University, where he earned all-American status in 1924. After his playing days, Gill quickly returned to his alma mater and led the program as head coach for 36 years, amassing 599 wins and earning a spot in the school's hall of fame and eventually the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Gill is the namesake for Oregon State's Gill Coliseum.
Green was the key piece and state player of the year on the Saxons' 1996 state championship team; and he earned a unanimous spot on the all-state tournament first team. Green closed his high school career with two all-state nominations during the Saxons' three-year run of 65 wins to eight losses.
Green committed to Washington and played 119 games across four seasons for the Huskies. In his final year in 1999-2000 averaged over 10 points per game and five rebounds. Green played two seasons in the National Basketball League in Australia.
Koehnke is the youngest nominee on this list, but Oregon's all-time leading scorer stamped his name among the area's greats when he passed Kevin Love in the 2024-25 season at the top of the leaderboard and finished with 2,664 career points. In addition to his scoring, Koehnke owns first-team all-state nominations in 2024 and 2025.
Koehnke averaged over 21 points per game his senior season, is a three-time first-team all-conference athlete and has left his name all over the Oregon high school history books. Today, he plays for NCAA Division II Jessup in California.
Lapray stole the spotlight with the Olympians and retired as Sprague's all-time leading scorer (1,444 points) at the time of his graduation in 2013. Lapray collected conference co-player of the year and second-team all-state honors as a junior. He is remembered for a jaw-dropping game-winning heave over Barlow in the playoffs his senior season.
Lapray played at Oregon his freshman year of college then transferred to Pepperdine for the next two seasons of his injury-plagued college stint. Today, Lapray creates basketball content on social media and has amassed over 700,000 subscribers on YouTube.
One of Sprague's most successful four-year stretches came when Masten was at the helm from 1995 to 1998. Masten helped the Olympians collect 74 wins to 29 losses over four years and a pair of conference championships under his father and coach, Steve Masten. Adam earned second-team all-state as a junior and first team as a senior.
Masten stayed in the valley and attended Oregon State, where he became a fan favorite and played 112 games over four seasons. He averaged over six points, three rebounds and two assists per game as a point guard and received the team's leadership award for his rapport.
Central's two-time state champion and 2012 state player of the year carved out one of the most significant basketball career's the Salem-area has seen. Omlid has a pair of first-team all-state selections and possesses the keystone moment of scoring the game-winning basket with just seconds on the clock in the 2012 state championship game.
Omlid attended the United States Military Academy at West Point (Army) and earned a spot on the Patriot League's all-rookie team. Omlid transferred to Western Oregon for his sophomore season and set the record books ablaze. He earned conference defensive player of the year, all-American status and conference player of the year throughout his three-year tenure. Omlid graduated as the Wolves' career leader in rebounds, blocks, steals and several other categories.
Who’s the greatest Salem-area high school boys basketball player of all time?
Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, TikTok or Instagram @bartlelo.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Who is the Salem area's best boys basketball player ever? Vote now!
Continue reading...
It's time to decide.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
Earlier this spring, the Statesman Journal asked the same question of who were the Salem-area's greatest-ever football stars, as well as the area's all-time best girls basketball players.
Next up, we're identifying the top local boys hoopers to grace the hardwood. While accomplishments at the college and professional level undoubtedly influenced which standouts cracked the top-10 list, we are primarily looking to highlight those who starred at the high school level and dominated local headlines.
As part of this effort, we invite our readers to vote in polls that accompany the stories, or submit a name they think should be included if they don't see it on our list. Print readers can find the polls with the stories online at www.statesmanjournal.com/sports/.
Here are the Statesman Journal's 10 boys basketball players (listed in alphabetical order) who defined the Salem-Keizer area.
Andy Avgi, Woodburn
By the time of his high school graduation in 2011, Avgi had put on one of the most dominant big-man careers the mid-Valley has ever seen. He's a three-time first-team all-state nominee for the Bulldogs and collected three conference player of the year awards. Avgi's tenure with Woodburn remains one of the school's most exciting basketball eras, but Avgi didn't stop in high school.
Avgi attended Western Oregon and was a staple in the lineup for four seasons from 2012 to 2016. Avgi was an NCAA first-team all-American, two-time conference player of the year and retired as the school's third-highest scorer ever with 1,855 career points. Avgi was elected into the Western Oregon Hall of Fame in 2023.
Josh Davis, Salem Academy
Davis is a two-time all-state selection and earned a first-team bid in 1998, his senior season. That same year, Davis helped lead the Crusaders to the state tournament and earned a spot on the all-tournament first team for his contributions.
After high school, Davis played at Wyoming and was a starter for four years from 1999 to 2002. Davis was an integral part of the Cowboys' first-ever Mountain West title and even spearheaded a win over Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in which he had 11 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. He earned all-American status in the 2001-02 season and almost 10 years later was inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame. Davis also had brief stints in the NBA with several teams, most prominently with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played over 40 games. He's one of just two Salem-area high school athletes to reach the NBA.
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Jeremiah Dominguez, South Salem
Dominguez is one of the most decorated Salem-area basketball players; he earned Class 4A state player of the year and won a state championship in 2004 for the Saxons. Dominguez found a spot on the all-tournament first team that season and an all-state second-team nomination the season prior. Dominguez closed his Saxons' career with 1,413 points and a pair of conference player of the year awards to boot.
Dominguez continued to produce numbers and stellar output when he got to Portland State. He played two seasons for the Vikings but in those led Portland State to its first- and second-ever NCAA Tournament appearances. Dominguez claimed Big Sky player of the year in 2008 and retired from the Vikings with their single-season 3-pointers record, among several impressive statistical accolades. Dominguez was inducted into the Portland State Hall of Fame in 2022.
Avry Holmes, North Salem
Holmes was the lead man for the Vikings from 2010 to 2012, and it's no coincidence that is one of North Salem's most successful stints in recent memory. Homles led the Vikings to a 22-5 record in 2011 and 18-9 record in 2012 and was recognized for his contributions with a first-team all-state and second-team all-state awards. He averaged over 20 points per game his senior season and claimed back-to-back conference player of the year awards.
Holmes spend the next two years at San Francisco, where he earned West Coast Conference all-freshman team and WCC honorable mention in consecutive seasons. He transferred to Clemson and started every game across two seasons and averaged over 10 points per game. Holmes was selected in the 2017 NBA G League draft by the Santa Cruz Warriors but has since carved out a professional career outside the United States.
Slats Gill, Salem
Gill was a trailblazer for Oregon basketball long after his playing days, but his on-court contributions are not to go unmentioned. Gill was a member of the 1920 state champions out of Salem High School and he earned all-state recognition in 1919 and 1920.
Gill went on to compete at Oregon Agriculture College, now known as Oregon State University, where he earned all-American status in 1924. After his playing days, Gill quickly returned to his alma mater and led the program as head coach for 36 years, amassing 599 wins and earning a spot in the school's hall of fame and eventually the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Gill is the namesake for Oregon State's Gill Coliseum.
Thalo Green, South Salem
Green was the key piece and state player of the year on the Saxons' 1996 state championship team; and he earned a unanimous spot on the all-state tournament first team. Green closed his high school career with two all-state nominations during the Saxons' three-year run of 65 wins to eight losses.
Green committed to Washington and played 119 games across four seasons for the Huskies. In his final year in 1999-2000 averaged over 10 points per game and five rebounds. Green played two seasons in the National Basketball League in Australia.
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Isaiah Koehnke, Regis
Koehnke is the youngest nominee on this list, but Oregon's all-time leading scorer stamped his name among the area's greats when he passed Kevin Love in the 2024-25 season at the top of the leaderboard and finished with 2,664 career points. In addition to his scoring, Koehnke owns first-team all-state nominations in 2024 and 2025.
Koehnke averaged over 21 points per game his senior season, is a three-time first-team all-conference athlete and has left his name all over the Oregon high school history books. Today, he plays for NCAA Division II Jessup in California.
AJ Lapray, Sprague
Lapray stole the spotlight with the Olympians and retired as Sprague's all-time leading scorer (1,444 points) at the time of his graduation in 2013. Lapray collected conference co-player of the year and second-team all-state honors as a junior. He is remembered for a jaw-dropping game-winning heave over Barlow in the playoffs his senior season.
Lapray played at Oregon his freshman year of college then transferred to Pepperdine for the next two seasons of his injury-plagued college stint. Today, Lapray creates basketball content on social media and has amassed over 700,000 subscribers on YouTube.
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Adam Masten, Sprague
One of Sprague's most successful four-year stretches came when Masten was at the helm from 1995 to 1998. Masten helped the Olympians collect 74 wins to 29 losses over four years and a pair of conference championships under his father and coach, Steve Masten. Adam earned second-team all-state as a junior and first team as a senior.
Masten stayed in the valley and attended Oregon State, where he became a fan favorite and played 112 games over four seasons. He averaged over six points, three rebounds and two assists per game as a point guard and received the team's leadership award for his rapport.
Tanner Omlid, Central
Central's two-time state champion and 2012 state player of the year carved out one of the most significant basketball career's the Salem-area has seen. Omlid has a pair of first-team all-state selections and possesses the keystone moment of scoring the game-winning basket with just seconds on the clock in the 2012 state championship game.
Omlid attended the United States Military Academy at West Point (Army) and earned a spot on the Patriot League's all-rookie team. Omlid transferred to Western Oregon for his sophomore season and set the record books ablaze. He earned conference defensive player of the year, all-American status and conference player of the year throughout his three-year tenure. Omlid graduated as the Wolves' career leader in rebounds, blocks, steals and several other categories.
Who’s the greatest Salem-area high school boys basketball player of all time?
Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, TikTok or Instagram @bartlelo.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Who is the Salem area's best boys basketball player ever? Vote now!
Continue reading...
