Anyone who dismissed Roosevelt as a 6A boys basketball contender after its 2-6 start this season needs to start paying attention again.
The No. 8 Roughriders (17-6, 14-0 Portland Interscholastic League), last year's state runners-up, have won 15 in a row and are on top of their game as the state playoffs approach.
“I wouldn't have had this season any other way because we learned a lot from those losses,” coach Jamarr Lawson said. “For a minute, people counted us out, and now here we are on a winning streak because of those things.”
After graduating most of their offensive firepower from last season – when they made a run toward their first state championship since 1949 – the Roughriders have forged a new identity as a defensive force. They are holding teams to 57.6 points per game, down from 63.6 last season, when they finished 26-3.
“The difference between last year and this year, guys weren't really invested defensively,” Lawson said. “That's what we fuel off of. Last year was like, 'Can you stop us from scoring?' This time it's like, 'Can you get by us?' If there's a situation where we need to get a stop, I can trust this team a lot more.
"Now I feel fairly strongly that we can be back in the same situation we were last year, with another opportunity to win this thing."
Junior point guard Adrian “Fuzzy” Montague (6-foot-1), a transfer from Jefferson, is averaging 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Senior forward Owen Nathan (6-2), the only returning starter, is putting up 16 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals per game.
Two rotation players from last season have moved into the starting lineup in 6-6 junior forward Syrius Owens (16 points, seven rebounds per game) and 6-2 senior guard Omar Eno (10 points, eight rebounds, two assists). Senior Jasmere Davis Jr., a football standout who played JV last season, provides energy at guard.
After going 1-3 in a season-opening tournament in Nevada, the Roughriders returned home and did some soul-searching. With his team stagnant on offense and lackluster on defense. Lawson said he wondered if he needed to adjust his expectations toward finishing near .500.
“I was beyond worried at that point,” Lawson said. “There was a lot of finger-pointing and blaming, and no accountability. That's what scared me. We had a lot of off-the-court issues, too, like guys not being on time in class. Everything that could happen was happening early in the season.”
The Roughriders aired their thoughts in a team meeting and went on a team-building hike in Forest Park. It was a turning point, according to Lawson.
“I left that meeting inspired once I heard the way people were engaging themselves in those conversations,” Lawson said.
Roosevelt began showing glimpses of its potential in the Les Schwab Invitational, but lost three of its four games in the tournament, including a 67-60 defeat to PIL rival Grant. But the Roughriders haven't lost since, beating Grant 75-70 and 73-53 in league games and rolling over No. 4 Westview 68-57 in nonleague play.
The play of Montague has been integral in the team's success. He has settled into his role as a go-to scorer and become a vocal leader.
“I think he loves it here because he's feeling more confident,” Lawson said. “We're telling him to shoot the ball, which he hadn't heard a lot in the past. His biggest thing is just believing that he's the guy.”
Nathan, who was outstanding in the postseason last year, has a bigger role on offense now that explosive guards Terrence Hill Jr., Chance White and Utrillo Morris and have graduated. Nathan struggled with turnovers early in the season but has adjusted and become more productive.
The Roughriders are sharing the ball more than they did last year, when Hill and White combined to average about 40 points per game.
“This is a team where we don't have a guy that can make a crazy shot like Terrence Hill,” Lawson said. “I said, 'It's going to take all five guys.' Quite frankly, it's the right way to play basketball.”
Roosevelt has clinched at least a share of the PIL title, holding a two-game lead over Grant (17-6, 12-2). The Roughriders can win the title outright with a win in their last two games, Tuesday at home against Lincoln (4-19, 3-11) and Friday at Benson (14-9, 10-5).
jerryu@osaa.org
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