From gym-erupting slams to deep 3s and game winners, Redding-area basketball players delivered plenty of memorable performances throughout the 2025-26 season.
The Record Searchlight recently counted down the top 15 moments from the 2025-26 football, baseball and softball seasons. Now it’s time to revisit the moments and performances that made the Northern Section basketball season special.
Here’s a look back at 15 performances that defined the 2025-26 Redding-area boys basketball season.
Top 15 Boys Basketball Performances
King sets new Weed single-game scoring record
In Weed’s first game of the season, 2024-25 Northern Section MVP Jaxon King scored 53 points to lead the Cougars past Bonanza 93-62. King hit eight 3s on 53% shooting from deep before scoring 31 points against Foothill the next day.
Matos drops 40, ties RCS record
Collin Matos took the Northern Section by storm as one of the deadliest shooters during the 2025-26 season. On Feb. 6, Matos tied a Redding Christian school record with a 40-point performance against CORE Butte. Matos drilled 12 3s in the game, and the Lions defeated the Lynx 72-23. Matos ended the season with 139 3s made while only one other NSCIF player reached 100.
Rawls sends NSCIF title game to OT
Enterprise point guard Ja’Kye Rawls caught the inbound pass down two points with three seconds left in the NSCIF Division III title game. Rawls took two big dribbles, exploded past his defender, and put the ball through the hoop to send the game to overtime. Rawls finished with a game-high 18 points, but the Hornets couldn’t finish with the win.
Skinner takes over in NorCal state title game
On the biggest stage of the season, Redding Christian junior Micah Skinner tore up St. Vincent de Paul to lead the Lions to a NorCal Division VI state title. The 2025-26 Five Star League MVP dropped 27 points, including 19 in the first half, as the Lions defeated the Mustangs 74-37. Skinner was able to score on all three levels, and St. Vincent de Paul looked helpless trying to stop him.
Turner records postseason triple-double
In the first round of the NSCIF Division III playoffs, Enterprise guard Julian Turner dropped 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as the Hornets defeated Las Plumas 77-48. It was the first triple-double of Turner’s career, and it came at the perfect time for Enterprise.
Christiansen hits game winner vs. Foothill
Enterprise and Foothill have been two of the top Redding-area teams over the past few years, and they even met in the section title game in 2025. On Jan. 20, the two schools delivered another game for the ages. With the game tied at 62 with mere seconds on the clock, it was Hornets junior Tyler Christiansen who drilled a 3-pointer to clinch the game for the Hornets.
Hall dunks on PV, leads U-Prep to dominant win
When Pleasant Valley and U-Prep met on Jan. 28, Panthers senior Aiden Hall stole the show with a thunderous dunk over multiple Vikings defenders. Hall went on to score 16 points, and the Panthers defeated PV 79-53 — establishing themselves as the team to beat in the Northern Section. Hall did the same thing in a 25-point outing against West Valley the game before.
Poulsen ignites crowd with double-double on silent night
Foothill guard Matt Poulsen scored the 10th point of the Cougars matchup against U-Prep on Silent Night to ignite a silent crowd. Poulsen went on to score 29 points with 10 rebounds, and his Cougars defeated the Panthers 84-71. Poulsen also showed off his clutch gene, scoring 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter alone.
Scheel drops 33-point double-double against Foothill
Enterprise big man Tim Scheel got off to a hot start in 2025 with a 22-point, 13-rebound game in a loss to River Valley in the Harlan Carter Tournament. In the Hornets’ second game of the tournament against Foothill, Scheel took it up a notch with a 33-point, 14-rebound game and Enterprise defeated the Cougars 66-56.
Smith leads Shasta in upset win over Enterprise
Enterprise was one of the hottest teams throughout the 2025-26 season, but anything can happen in a rivalry game. On Feb. 6, the 11-12 Wolves defeated the 20-2 Hornets 56-51 behind a 17-point, nine-rebound performance from senior Cooper Smith. It was the first time Shasta defeated Enterprise in basketball since January of 2024.
Pringle dominates in Red Bluff Holiday Classic
In the Red Bluff Holiday Classic championship game, U-Prep guard Trey Pringle scored 30 points with five rebounds and eight assists to lead the Panthers past South Medford in a 66-64 nailbiter. Pringle averaged just over 20 points a game throughout the tournament, and led the Panthers to wins over Twelve Bridges, Red Bluff and South Medford.
Turner, Rawls light up Chico
In a league matchup against Chico on Jan. 22, Enterprise’s star duo of Julian Turner and Ja’Kye Rawls combined for 50 points. Turner scored 30 with 12 boards and six assists while Rawls added 20 points and five assists as the Hornets defeated Chico 75-60. Rawls and Turner also both reached 1,000 career points in that same game.
Poulsen scores 38 against Mt. Shasta
Foothill senior Matt Poulsen was one of the most dynamic scorers in the section, and he showed it off in a 64-51 win over Mt. Shasta on Dec. 10. Poulsen dropped a season-high 38 points with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Poulsen was named as the Eastern Athletic League’s co-MVP following the 2025-26 season.
Hall scores 20 in Q1
U-Prep senior Aiden Hall walked into Anderson High School on Jan. 7 ready to dominate. The standout forward dropped 20 points in the first quarter alone, helping the Panthers jump out to a 31-8 lead. Hall played two minutes in the second before being pulled for the rest of the game, and U-Prep went on to defeat Anderson 82-33.
Bauer drops 34 in OT win vs. Lassen
On Dec. 31, West Valley was trailing Lassen by one point heading into the halftime break. Eagles guard Tyce Bauer dropped 21 of his 34 points in the second half, and West Valley went on to defeat Lassen 68-59 in an overtime thriller at the Jamie Angley Classic. Bauer knocked down seven 3s and added four rebounds and four steals.
Brett Abrams is a sports reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. He covers high school and local sports in the Redding area. Reach out to Brett with any sports tips or news on X (formerly Twitter) @brabrams_ or by email at Brett.Abrams@Redding.com. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding’s top 15 boys basketball moments, performances from 2025-26
Reporting by Brett Abrams, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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By Brett Abrams, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
