Five Sweet Home High School basketball players were honored during a July 6 banquet held at City Manager Ray Towry’s home.
Players and coaches voted on the awards.
Recent graduates Hunter Coulter and Aiden Tyler both received MVP honors in addition to other distinctions. Coulter averaged 15 points per game and shot better than 50% from the field, despite getting “doubled almost every game,” according to head coach Drew Emmert, who added, “He is one of the best scorers in the state,” a statistic that landed the player on the 4A-3 Oregon West Conference All-League first team and made him a runner-up for the league’s Player of the Year.
Co-MVP Tyler averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game and was named to the All-League second team. At the banquet, he also earned the Free Throw Award, having made 73% of his shots from the line this season. “Tyler had an amazing year,” Emmert said. “He was a leader on the court and hit some big shots for us.”
Classmate and teammate Owen Towry took Defensive MVP honors. “Towry was a lockdown defender for us,” Emmert said. “He guarded the opponent’s best players and almost always held them below their average.”
Recent graduate Cole Baxter earned the Sportsmanship Award in addition to an All-League honorable mention.
“Baxter is an extremely fun and uplifting person,” Emmert said. “He is an amazing teammate, and everyone loves to play with him. He is respectful to his teammates, opponents and referees.” Emmert also commended Baxter’s shooting during the season, averaging two three-pointers a game.
The Hustle Award went to rising senior Eddie Martinez, who Emmert described as a hard worker.
“He is always the first one in and last out of the gym,” the coach said. “He gives 100% in every drill and on every play.”
The Huskies finished their season with a 7-6 overall and 3-3 league record, an effort that landed them square in the middle of the conference at season’s end.