Talentwise, Jacob Hjort stands above most other players in Southwest Washington.
But that doesn’t mean he stands alone at Columbia River. A strong supporting cast surrounds Hjort, a Western Oregon commit who is on pace to finish as the school’s No. 2 all-time scorer. He averaged 18 points per game last season.
Few teams can stand taller that the Chieftains as a whole. The smallest starter is 6-foot-2. Three starters are 6-foot-5 or taller.
“The biggest difference this year is that now everyone can score,” coach David Long said. “That takes so much pressure off Jacob.”
Nasseen Gutierrez, a 6-foot-6 forward, scored 23 points Dec. 4 against Mountain View. Jack Armstrong and Evan Dirksen, both 6-foot-5 juniors, bring more size to the frontcourt.
“That will be really nice because Jacob can really pass,” Long said. “He just needs people who can finish when he throws it to them.”
