Expectations soared for Astoria's girls basketball team entering the season.
The Fishermen returned their starting lineup intact from a team that finished 26-3 -- their most wins in 23 years – and reached the 4A semifinals, nearly making the first championship game in school history.
Five games into the season, though, Astoria was 1-4.
“We played a little bit afraid to lose,” said coach Teke Silva, an assistant last season who was promoted after the resignation of coach Mike Jacobson.
As the playoffs approach, that slow start – which included back-to-back losses to 3A No. 1 Corbett and two defeats in the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona – is a faded memory. Astoria enters the postseason on a 19-game winning streak and ranked No. 1 in the OSAA power rankings and the OSAAtoday 4A coaches poll.
“After Arizona punched us in the mouth twice, we kind of decided we weren't going to take it anymore, and decided to grow up a little bit and compete,” Silva said. “Our early adversity has definitely shaped where we are right now. I'm happy that we've checked off some goals along the way, and we're ready for a playoff run.”
Astoria (20-4, 12-0) completed its second consecutive perfect run through the Cowapa League, including 50-22, 36-27 and 61-26 wins over No. 7 Seaside. They also beat No. 6 Cascade 54-36 and No. 9 Madras 62-42 and 62-33 in nonleague games.
The Fishermen, who will play host to No. 16-seeded Cottage Grove (15-12) in the playoff round of 16 on Saturday, are taking care of business like a veteran squad.
“Last year was our final year of being young,” Silva said. “This year they're more mature in their game. The game slowed down a little bit. We're more well-rounded this year.”
Astoria brought back three Cowapa League first-team picks in junior guards Shelby Bruney and Tayla Huber and senior guard Maitlin Young and two other starters in junior forward Malory Dundas and senior guard Avery Biederman. Bruney was the Cowapa player of the year and defensive player of the year.
The Fishermen lost to Corbett 51-49 in a tournament at Madras in their second game and fell again to the Cardinals 44-43 at home six days later. They led for most of the first game, and in the second game, they took an early 17-4 edge and were up by seven points entering the fourth quarter but couldn't close it out.
“Credit to Corbett. There's a reason they haven't lost a game this year,” Silva said. “I think we were a little bit young in the game, and young in the process.”
In Arizona, Astoria opened with two losses to Colorado teams, falling to Doherty 49-24 and Denver East 47-39, but rebounded to defeat Crean Lutheran (Calif.) 30-29 and Mesa (Ariz.) 45-33.
“Learning to compete through situations that are uncomfortable helped us grow and become the type of team that's battle-tested now,” Silva said.
Astoria shares the load on offense, with Bruney and Young averaging in the low double figures and Biederman and Dundas close behind. The Fishermen typically have several players scoring in double figures, and often it's not the same ones.
Defense has made the difference for Astoria, which is holding opponents to 33.5 points per game, second in 4A to Philomath (31.7). The Fishermen rarely apply full-court pressure, but can lock down in the half-court with a cast of versatile athletes, led by the 5-foot-9 Bruney.
“It's kind of where our bread-and-butter is right now,” Silva said. “It's what we plan to take us into a playoff run. We believe if we can take care of the defensive side of things, the offense is going to figure itself out.”
Silva had a highly successful stint as the coach at 5A Springfield – going 82-23 in four seasons (2015-19), including a state-runner-up finish in 2019 – before coaching at North Eugene for two seasons (2019-21). She moved to Astoria in 2021 with her husband, Adam Jones, and joined the coaching staff under Jacobson last season.
Does Astoria have what it takes to reach its first final?
“A lot of things have to go the right way for it to happen,” Silva said. “Do I think that we're disciplined enough and competitive enough to be a team that could be there? Sure. But we're a one-game-at-a-time type of team.”
'Kid on a mission'
Kendra Hicks, a 6-1 senior post, was a dominant force inside last week as Jesuit earned a share of the 6A Metro League title.
The Nevada-bound Hicks had 33 points and 25 rebounds in a 68-37 win over Westview and 30 points, 31 rebounds and five assists as the Crusaders won at Beaverton 55-41 in the regular-season finale.
By beating Beaverton, Jesuit (18-6, 10-2) finished tied for first place with the Beavers (16-8, 10-2) and Southridge (20-4, 10-2).
The 31-rebound performance ties Hicks for No. 4 on the state's all-time list with Marshfield's Laurie McDonald (1977). She is behind only Thurston's Megan Miller (37 in 2018), Sprague's Kylie Kuhns (36 in 2007) and Philomath's Trisha Stevens (33 in 1985).
“She played like a kid on a mission,” Jesuit coach Jason Lowery said of Hicks. “She put us on her back in two must-wins. She's just impressive because she's getting triple-teamed on every touch and still spraying the ball back out to her teammates.
“Obviously, she's a focal point of our offense and everything goes through her, but she goes to the glass and can eat on her own, often by gobbling up offensive rebounds and getting put-backs.”
For the season, Hicks is averaging 14.5 points and 15.6 rebounds.
Wild Oregon West
The hotly contested race in the 4A Oregon West Conference ended with a three-way tie for first place between No. 4 Philomath (19-5, 8-2), No. 5 Stayton (18-4, 8-2) and No. 6 Cascade (16-7, 8-2).
Philomath had a chance to wrap up the title but lost at Stayton 35-32 and at Cascade 49-40 in its final two league games. Philomath and Cascade earned the conference's automatic berths to the state playoffs based on their OSAA power rankings, and Stayton secured a spot by beating The Dalles 40-27 in a play-in game Saturday.
Cascade forced the tie at the top of the conference with the home win over Philomath. The Warriors led 37-36 with 3:44 left, but the Cougars scored the next nine points to take command.
Senior guard Maddie Dustin scored 21 points for the Cougars, making all eight of her free throws. Junior Anneka Steen had 19 points for Philomath.
