Coming off its first conference title in seven years, Sprague's boys basketball team has a chance to end a much-longer drought this season.
The Olympians (16-4, 7-1), who have won 12 of their last 13 games and own a two-game lead in the 6A Central Valley Conference, are shooting to make the final eight for the first time in the history of the program, which began in 1972-73.
Sprague's only state tournament appearances came in 1989, 1996 and 1997, before the bracket was cut from 16 teams to eight. Coach Jordan Graneto said making the tournament is the team's “ultimate goal.”
“Coming into the season, I knew it had a chance to be the best team I've coached at Sprague,” said Graneto, a 2009 McNary graduate who is in his seventh season with the team.
The Olympians have exited the state playoffs in the first round for the last three years. But this season – with nine seniors, including an impact transfer – they have raised their game. They have matched last year's win total with four games remaining.
"The kids' confidence is stacking up," Graneto said of his team, which is unranked in the OSAA today 6A coaches poll and No. 7 in the OSAA 6A power rankings.
Sprague not only has three consistent scoring threats in senior guard Jarod Stanley (20.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals), senior forward Anthony Best (13.2 points, 8.0 rebounds) and senior point guard Braxton Long (12.3 points, 6.5 assists, 2.6 steals, 1.5 blocks), but a stable of long, athletic players capable of wreaking havoc on defense.
The Olympians are forcing 18 turnovers per game, turning many of them into baskets.
“It's probably the best defensive team I've ever coached,” Graneto said. “We're fortunate to have six or seven guys that are pretty strong, can really guard the ball and really get into the passing lanes. It's deceptive. The passing lanes look like they're there, but a lot of times we get a steal.”
The 6-foot-4 Stanley, the CVC's defensive player of the year last season, hounds opponents on the perimeter, often turning steals into dunks. He also has a well-rounded offensive game.
“He can shoot, he can post up smaller guards, he can slash to the rim,” Graneto said. “The best part of his game offensively is his ability to slash and finish at the rim, with contact.”
The 6-6 Best, a transfer from 4A power Cascade, gives the Olympians an interior presence. He has adjusted to his new teammates after missing the first four games with a shoulder injury that he suffered in a jamboree.
“He's still dealing with the nagging things of that injury, but the last couple weeks he's really come into his own,” Graneto said. “He gives us a post-up inside threat, but he can also handle the ball and slash from the perimeter.”
Long (6-3) is crafty in the pick-and-roll. He had a school-record 18 assists in one game, committing one turnover.
“He's very good at creating off the pick-and-roll and scoring for himself,” Graneto said. “He gets in the paint and his floater game is pretty good.”
The other starters are 6-5 senior guard Dukatti Witherspoon (7.8 points), the quarterback for the football team, and 6-3 senior guard Avery Lohrman (7.1 points). The Olympians get instant offense off the bench from 5-7 sophomore Elijah Schmidt (6.6 points), who is shooting a team-best 38.6 percent on three-pointers.
The Olympians average about 40 points in the paint per game. As a team, they are shooting 27.4 percent from behind the arc.
“We don't live out there,” Graneto said. “If we get enough shooting, I think we can contend with anyone I've seen.”
Sprague has three nonleague losses, falling to Lakeridge 58-51, No. 2 Tualatin 82-54 and Inglewood (Calif.) 70-61. The Olympians were missing Best against Lakeridge. They were within two points of Tualatin at halftime before faltering.
Graneto said the consecutive losses to Tualatin and Inglewood at the Capitol City Classic were an “eye-opener.”
“We came back from Christmas break, and once we got everyone healthy, we kept getting better,” he said.
Sprague's only conference loss came against South Salem (10-10, 4-4) as the Saxons knocked down 17 three-pointers to win 87-76. In the rematch at Sprague, the Olympians rolled 86-52.
“The next game, they didn't hit as many,” Graneto said.
Sprague is 2-0 against second-place West Salem (11-9, 5-3), winning 75-58 on the road and 82-57 at home. The teams meet for a third time in the regular-season finale Feb. 28 at West Salem.
jerryu@osaa.org
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