Last season, Mannahouse Academy's boys basketball team just didn't have an answer for Portland Christian.
The Lions went 0-4 against the Royals, falling twice in Northwest League play, once in the league playoffs and the final time in the semifinals of the 2A tournament. Three of the losses were by four points or fewer.
So when Mannahouse defeated Portland Christian 66-48 in a nonleague game Saturday at Warner Pacific University, it was a giant weight off the Lions' shoulders.
“There were games last year when I felt like we weren't totally ready, but this was a game on the calendar that I knew our guys were going to be ready for,” Mannahouse coach Ryan Bjornsgard said. “This was a big win for us against a really good team. We were really focused and locked in.”
The teams no longer are league rivals since Mannahouse dropped to 1A this season. But the Lions (18-3), ranked No. 2 in the OSAAtoday 1A coaches poll, took satisfaction in ending the 13-game winning streak of the Royals (19-2), ranked No. 2 in 2A.
Mannahouse's Joshua Louka, a 6-foot-9 senior, opened the game with a three-pointer and led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds. Senior point guard Nolan Schweiss had 16 points and eight assists.
“He had a great floor game. I thought he controlled the game,” Bjornsgard said of Schweiss.
The Lions got three-pointers from five different players. Senior guard Mattias Tonning made three three-pointers and finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Senior forward Caleb Dickinson had 13 points.
Mannahouse, located in northeast Portland, has gone 21-7, 27-3 and 24-7 the last three seasons, making the state quarterfinals in 2023 and semifinals last year.
The Lions had some big gaps to fill this season, though, with the graduation of guard Jadon Bjornsgard and the transfer of guard Austin Snyder, who left for Jefferson, where he is not playing basketball. Bjornsgard and Snyder were the last two Northwest League players of the year.
Louka, who transferred to Mannahouse from 6A David Douglas as a sophomore, has blossomed this season despite missing eight games with an ankle injury. He is averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game, expanding his scoring range beyond the three-point arc.
“It's only his fourth year of basketball. He's got a really high ceiling,” Ryan Bjornsgard said. “He's never satisfied. His work ethic is second to none. His defensive presence is big. He alters a lot of shots.”
Louka, Schweiss and Dickinson are returning starters. Schweiss, who transferred from 6A Jesuit as a junior, averages 14.8 points and leads the team in assists. Dickinson (12.1 points), a fourth-year varsity player, and Tonning (11.6 points) also have been steady contributors.
“I think we're probably doing a little better than I anticipated,” Ryan Bjornsgard said. “We play really hard. We really pass and share the ball well. Very, very unselfish group. They don't care who gets the glory or who gets the points.”
The Lions have compiled an impressive resume this season.
They have defeated five teams ranked in the top 10 of the OSAAtoday 1A coaches poll in No. 3 Nixyaawii, No. 5 Country Christian, No. 6 Sherman, co-No. 8 Cove and No. 10 St. Paul. They also have beaten 2A No. 2 Portland Christian, 2A No. 5 Trinity Lutheran, 2A No. 8 East Linn Christian and 3A No. 8 Umatilla.
Their only losses have come against three No. 1 teams. They lost to 1A Crane 57-53, 2A Western Christian 50-45 and 3A Westside Christian 57-49.
The opportunity to play three-time reigning 1A champion Crane (20-0) in the Crusader Classic on Jan. 3 provided Mannahouse with a good measuring stick. The Lions were able to hang with the Mustangs despite playing without Louka.
“I don't think they played well, and I thought we played great,” Ryan Bjornsgard said. “Maybe we'll be fortunate enough to get another chance at them. They're just so good. There's no weaknesses that I can see.”
Mannahouse's intense nonleague schedule has helped compensate for moving to 1A. The school's ADM has steadily dropped from 123 in 2014-15 – when the school was known as City Christian – to 65 this year.
Down 18, Cowboys win
No. 5 Crook County rallied from an 18-point deficit to defeat co-No. 6 Madras 47-46 on Friday in a game between teams tied for first place in the 4A Tri-Valley Conference.
The visiting Cowboys (12-6, 4-0) trailed 27-9 in the second quarter but went on a 20-2 run to pull even at 29-29 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
The White Buffaloes (15-4, 4-1) scored the last eight points of the third quarter to lead 37-29, but Crook County owned the fourth quarter, led by junior forward Bryce Lowenbach and junior guard Jace Jonas, who shared team-high scoring honors with 15 points.
Junior guard Gabriel Lopez hit a three-pointer to give the Cowboys a 46-43 lead with two minutes left. Madras had a chance to win with the final possession, but Jonas clinched the game with a steal.
“To come here and win on their floor is awesome,” Jonas told the Bend Bulletin. “It is good knowing that we don’t have to play on our heels.”
Junior wing Troy Adams and senior post Reed Simmelink scored 12 points apiece for Madras, which bounced back Monday with a 63-50 win at Estacada.
Crook County and Madras were co-champions in the Tri-Valley last season.
Hall explodes for 69 points
Gavin Hall, a 5-10 senior guard for 2A No. 1 Western Christian (18-3, 12-0), had a record-breaking night in his team's 124-50 win at Chemawa (0-15, 0-12) in a Tri-River Conference game Monday.
Hall scored 69 points, the third-highest total in state history behind Jerry Crimmins (73, McLoughlin, 1952) and Swede Halbrook (71, Lincoln, 1952).
Hall set state records with a 31-point second quarter and a 48-point first half. The previous records were 30 (Asher Krauel, Sherwood, 2020) and 41 (Crimmins, McLoughlin, 1952), respectively.
Hall also broke the state record with 14 three-pointers. The old mark of 13 was set by Lowell's Brenson Parks in 1997.
Hall made two three-pointers in a 17-point first quarter, seven three-pointers in a 31-point second quarter, one three-pointer in a nine-point third quarter and four three-pointers in a 12-point fourth quarter.
700 club
Barlow's Tom Johnson became the fourth coach in state history to reach 700 career wins Friday when the No. 1 Bruins (16-1) routed visiting Reynolds 91-46 in a 6A Mt. Hood Conference game.
Johnson is 700-349, going 660-314 in 39 seasons at Barlow and 40-26 in three seasons at Lebanon (1983-86). He is behind Mike Doherty (850-390), Gary Hull (786-254) and Craig Rothenberger (715-520).
Cascade Christian's Brian Morse is poised to join the 700 club this week. Morse is 699-270 in 37 seasons with the Challengers. Cascade Christian (13-4), ranked No. 5 in the 3A coaches poll, plays Thursday at Lost River (14-3) and Saturday at North Valley (7-13).
Losing streaks end
McDaniel (4-12, 1-7) ended a 63-game losing streak in the 6A Portland Interscholastic League on Friday with a 64-57 home win over Franklin. It is believed to be the longest league losing streak in state history.
Also Friday, North Salem snapped its 29-game league losing streak by beating visiting McNary 50-46 in a 6A Central Valley Conference game.
On Jan. 8, Hillsboro ended a 36-game losing streak in the 5A Northwest Oregon Conference with a 67-61 home win over Hood River Valley.
jerryu@osaa.org
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