For his Oregon City team to compete with No. 2 Tualatin and No. 7 West Linn in Three Rivers League boys basketball this season, coach Aaron Newkirk said the Pioneers need to improve on defense.
They took a big step in that direction in the Abby's Holiday Classic in Medford on Saturday through Monday, holding three opponents to 41.0 points per game to win the tournament.
“We talked about going down to Medford and playing 12 really good quarters on defense, and we did that,” Newkirk said. “Coming into the season, we knew we had guys that could score, but we have not been consistent on defense. That's something we've tried to emphasize.”
Oregon City (8-2) defeated Roseburg 81-33 and North Medford 67-43 to reach the final, where it handed 5A No. 1 Thurston (9-1) its first defeat, winning 58-47. The Pioneers held the Colts to four points in the fourth quarter, keeping them scoreless for the last four minutes.
“That was our best win,” Newkirk said.
Gylan Payne, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, scored 77 points in the three games to raise his scoring average to a 6A-best 23.9. He put up 30 points against Roseburg.
Last season, Payne led the Pioneers in every statistical category, averaging 16 points. He has fine-tuned his game as a senior, recording two triple-doubles.
“He's playing like a man possessed,” Newkirk said of Payne. “He can do it all. He basically won us the Thurston game. He was the best player on the floor, and that was the difference. He just took over.
“He's scoring at all three levels. He's really improved his three-point range. His passing ability, he makes everyone around him better.”
Oregon City brought back three starters – Payne, senior guard Ben Schneider and junior guard Alex Hoff – from a team that went 15-8 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Payne and Schneider have resumed their starting roles, joined by junior guard Alijah Scott and 6-5 sophomores Eli Hopkins and Alarion Scott.
Alarion Scott, the brother of Alijah, transferred to Oregon City from West Linn, where he saw varsity action as a freshman. The Pioneers' No. 2 scorer at 15.7 points per game, he did not play in the Medford tournament due to illness.
Hopkins, who erupted for 26 points against North Medford, is third on the team in scoring with a 10.7 average.
“He has really emerged,” Newkirk said of Hopkins. “He's grown up. He was just relentless in the weight room in the offseason, and that's really helped him.”
December was a busy month for Oregon City, which played nine games in an 18-day span. The Pioneers reached the final of the 16-team Capitol City Classic, but lost to Tualatin 76-56.
In that loss, Oregon City led after one quarter before getting “steamrolled,” according to Newkirk.
“We were just not ready for that yet,” Newkirk said. “They're the best team, or maybe the second-best team in the state. We weren't there yet defensively. We weren't there yet from a competitive standpoint to play with them. But we will get there. We made progress this week.”
The Pioneers will get a chance to test themselves against Tualatin again when they play host to the Timberwolves in the league opener Jan. 14. Before that, Oregon City plays nonleague home games against West Salem (5-5) on Friday and No. 5 Westview (5-3) on Tuesday.
Oregon Holiday Hoopfest
In its third season, 5A Caldera continues a steady climb upward.
The Wolfpack, who finished 4-21 and 12-14 in their first two seasons, are 7-3 after winning all three games in the Oregon Holiday Hoopfest last weekend at Caldera. They have moved up to No. 4 in this week's OSAAtoday 5A coaches poll.
“We are playing great team basketball,” coach Evan Dougherty said.
Caldera defeated 6A McNary 63-58 on Sunday in the final of one of the tournament's two brackets. Will Jenson, a 6-9 senior, scored 20 points in the win, 14 in the second half. Senior Miles Macomber added 17 points.
Jenson and Macomber scored 17 and 14 points, respectively, in a 63-54 win over Forest Grove in the first round. The Wolfpack beat Crook County 60-54 in the semifinals behind 20 points from Macomber (four three-pointers) and 18 points from Jenson.
South Eugene won the tournament's other bracket, edging host Summit 66-62 in the final.
SCTC Holiday Tournament
No. 4 Stayton (8-2), which finished 2-8 in the tough 4A Oregon West Conference last season, made a statement with a 55-54 win over reigning conference champion Cascade in the final of the SCTC Holiday Tournament on Saturday at Stayton.
Senior post Ethan Whieldon scored 22 points to lead the way. He shot 7 of 10 from the field, making his only three-point attempt, and 7 of 7 on free throws.
Senior guard Eli Kuenzi made two three-pointers and added 12 points for the Eagles, who handed the second-ranked Cougars (7-1) their first loss of the season.
Cascade led 34-30 at half and Stayton surged ahead 48-46 after three quarters. The Cougars had the final possession with 10 seconds left but were unable to score.
“We played great team defense,” Stayton coach Kevin Stanley said.
Ram tough
Regis outlasted visiting Portland Christian 70-62 in overtime Saturday in a nonleague game between teams tied at No. 2 in the OSAAtoday 2A coaches poll.
Regis junior guard Lucas Koehnke made a layup with two seconds left in regulation to tie 58-58 and force overtime. The Rams (7-2) dominated overtime against the Royals (7-1), who suffered their first loss of the season.
Senior guard Isaiah Koehnke led Regis with 25 points and seven assists. Junior post Eli Silbernagel had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Lucas Koehnke added 14 points.
Sophomore guard Keylon Kittleson scored 20 points to lead Portland Christian. It was the first regular-season loss in two years for the Royals, who went went 28-1 last season, reaching the state final before losing to Western Christian 62-36.
Cascade Christmas Classic
Three-time reigning 3A champion Cascade Christian rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half to 5A Ashland 73-70 in the final of its own Cascade Christmas Classic on Saturday.
Junior wing Deryk Farmer scored 29 points – 19 in the second half – and senior guard Jaren Fronckowiak had 16 points to lead the Challengers (5-2). Farmer and Fronckowiak are the only two starters back from last season.
Ashland (6-3) got a season-high 31 points from senior Jojo Harrower, who made five three-pointers, and 28 points from junior Quillian Tourzan. Harrower is averaging 21.1 points per game.
Cascade Christian has won five in a row since opening the season by losing to Marshfield 57-51 and Madras 53-40, two 4A teams. In the first two rounds of the Christmas Classic, the Challengers turned back 3A No. 5 Creswell 60-46 and 2A No. 6 Trinity Lutheran 54-38.
Oakland rallies for big win
No. 4 Oakland outscored No. 7 Enterprise 17-1 in the fourth quarter for a 57-48 win in the 2A Preview tournament Saturday at the Pendleton Convention Center.
Senior guard Joe Fusco scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half for the Oakers (8-1). Senior wing Gavyn Woody scored six of his eight points in the fourth quarter.
Enterprise led 25-9 after one quarter and 36-21 at half. Junior Kason Mitchell made four three-pointers and scored 20 points to lead the Outlaws (10-2).
Notes: Roseburg's Owen Bentea, a 6-0 senior, scored 41 points in an 85-74 loss to West Salem in the Abby's Holiday Classic on Monday. He is averaging 23.6 points per game. … West Linn senior guard Jalen Snook has scored 28 and 32 points in his last two games, raising his scoring average to 19.5. … Ridgeview senior forward Brady Muilenburg has scored 72 points in his last two games. He put up 41 points in a 72-63 win over South Albany on Dec. 21 and 31 points to lead the Ravens past Woodburn 81-69 on Monday. He is averaging 27.7 points.
jerryu@osaa.org
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