Nearly one month removed from leading Summit to its first 5A boys basketball title, Jon Frazier has resigned as the team's coach.
Frazier, who went 215-102 in 13 seasons with the Storm, said he wants to be more available for his fourth-grade son, Grey, and second-grade daughter, Reese.
“As parents, you think you'll have your kid until they're 18, and the reality is you have them until they're about 15,” Frazier said. “Then they go to high school, and they're busy. That window is pretty short. These four years are going to be pretty unique and special, and I just don't want to miss out on it.”
Summit emerged as a state power under Frazier. The Storm averaged fewer than 10 wins in its first 10 seasons before Frazier took over in 2011-12. Frazier averaged 16.5 wins during his tenure, recording six 20-win seasons.
Summit was the 6A runner-up in 2022, finishing 27-1, and was the 5A runner-up in 2023. This year, the Storm defeated Wilsonville 52-50 in the state final, scoring the winning basket on a last-second alley-oop off a half-court, out-of-bounds play.
“It's been weeks, and we're still texting almost daily, like, 'Did that actually happen?'” Frazier said. “It just feels like it was a storybook finish. You just kind of shake your head. What a way to go out with an incredible group of kids, incredible coaching staff.
“I just feel really fortunate that it happened the way it did. I'm kind of pinching myself. Selfishly for me, knowing that it was going to be my last game, to have it finish the way it did, it was pretty rewarding.”
Frazier, 43, said he began thinking about stepping down in January. After talking with his wife, Shay, he reached a decision, but kept it under wraps through the end of the season.
“I didn't want any distraction for this group,” he said. “I just wanted them to focus on winning the state championship.”
Frazier told the players of his decision Monday and notified the administration Tuesday. After coaching in high school basketball for 20 years, he said “it's definitely going to be a big change.”
“It's kind of all I've ever known as an adult,” said Frazier, who assisted at Eastlake (Wash.), his alma mater, and Bend before taking the Summit job. “But it's a hamster wheel. Year in and year out, it's a grind.”
Frazier said he had a moment of clarity March 1 when he wasn't able to see his son play in a youth state tournament game in Salem because Summit was playing host to a state playoff game.
“Family missed my state game, and I missed his state game,” Frazier said. “I just feel like there's going to be more of those moments where I'm going to be pulled away and miss out on the opportunity to be his dad.”
Frazier, a small-business owner, said he is hopeful that he can help out coaching in Summit's youth program and offer his expertise to the high school as an advisor or scout. His son played his first season on the Summit Select travel team, which falls under the umbrella of the high school program.
“My hobby has always been coaching,” Frazier said. “That's what I do for fun. I certainly anticipate that I'll always be coaching in some way.”
OBCA all-state
The Oregon Basketball Coaches Association has announced its all-state teams for 6A, 5A and 4A.
The first-team selections:
6A boys: Jaden Steppe, Tualatin, sr. (player of the year); Terrence Hill Jr., Roosevelt, sr.; Marley Zeller, Central Catholic, sr.; Brayden Boe, Mountainside, jr.; Isaac Carr, Central Catholic, jr.
6A girls: Jazzy Davidson, Clackamas, jr. (player of the year); Mahogany Chandler-Roberts, Benson, sr.; Kendra Hicks, Jesuit, sr.; Ava Heiden, Sherwood, sr.; Taylor Young, South Medford, sophomore.
5A boys: Pearson Carmichael, Summit, sr. (player of the year); Kallen Gutridge, Wilsonville, sr.; Cruz Veliz, Woodburn, jr.; Kyle Counts, Wilsonville, sr.; Brysen Kachel, West Albany, sr.; Quincy Townsend, Mountain View, sr.
5A girls: Kyleigh Brown, Silverton, sr. (player of the year); Danaeja Romero Ah-Sam, Springfield, sr.; Sage Winslow, Crater, jr.; Kasey Booster, Mountain View, sr.; Taylor Donaldson, South Albany, soph.
4A boys: Isaiah Jones, Baker, jr. (player of the year); Landon Knox, Cascade, jr.; Seneca Ball, Madras, sr.; Cole Hammack, North Marion, jr.; Cooper Rothenberger, Junction City, sr.
4A girls: Annie Campos, Henley, sr. (player of the year); Shelby Bruney, Astoria, jr.; Maddie Dustin, Cascade, sr.; Dianara Pena, Klamath Union, sr.; Rylan Davis, Madras, sr.
Maurer wins Gatorade POY
Cascade Christian senior Austin Maurer, who led the Challengers to a 3A three-peat this season, has been named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Oregon.
The 7-foot Maurer, who has signed with Grand Canyon, is the first player to earn the Oregon award from a school below 5A. He also is the first player from Southern Oregon to be selected since South Medford's EJ Singler in 2009.
As a senior, Maurer averaged 28.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals and shot 72 percent from the field, including 43 percent on three-pointers. For his career, Maurer collected 1,991 points, 987 rebounds and 311 blocks.
Maurer showed that he could excel against big-school competition this season when the Challengers played in the Capitol City Classic and Les Schwab Invitational. In the two tournaments, he put up 28.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.
Cascade Christian coach Brian Morse told the Rogue Valley Times that Maurer “proved to everybody how good he was” at the two tournaments.
“Obviously I'm biased. I definitely thought he was the best player in the state already,” Morse said.
Coaching search
Summit joins a growing list of schools that will have new boys coaches next season.
Lake Oswego is looking to replace interim coach Mark Swenson, who filled in after the resignation of Marshall Cho.
Other schools also with open positions are Sheldon, South Salem, Wells, Corvallis and Stayton.
Tigard has hired former assistant Stu Bailey as coach. Bailey took over as interim coach after the passing of head coach Shawn Alderman late in the season.
jerryu@osaa.org
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