Barlow coach Tom Johnson has taken teams to the semifinals five times and the championship game once. (Photo by Kerry Eggers)

Tom Johnson has accomplished just about everything in his 42 seasons of coaching Oregon boys basketball, the last 39 at Barlow.

He has won 708 games, tied for No. 4 on the state's all-time list with Brian Morse of 3A Cascade Christian, and racked up conference titles and coaching awards.

But one thing is missing from his resume – a state championship. Of the top 11 coaches on the career wins list, Johnson is the only one that hasn't captured the blue trophy.

He doesn't need to be reminded of that fact, although it's something he deals with occasionally, like last month during his daily workout at the health club.

“One guy comes up to me and goes, 'Hey, Coach, how many state titles have you won?' I said, 'That would be zero,'” Johnson said. “Twenty minutes later, this other guy comes walking by, and he goes, 'Hey, Coach, how many state titles have you won?' And I'm going, 'What is this, a joke or something? Did somebody put you up to this?'”

Johnson will get another crack at a state title this week when he leads top-seeded Barlow (24-3) into the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 6A tournament at the Chiles Center. He has had plenty of good teams during his tenure with the Bruins – making the semifinals five times and the final once (1996) – but this is the first time he brings the No. 1 seed into the tournament.

“It's as good a team as we've ever had,” said Johnson, whose team meets No. 8 Sprague (22-4) in a quarterfinal Thursday afternoon. “There were six or seven times where I thought we had an opportunity to win it, we just haven't. … You've got to get a little good fortune to win state.”

Senior-dominated Barlow, which made the semifinals in 2023 and the quarterfinals last year, is loaded with experience. They have three first-team Mt. Hood Conference selections in senior guard Jalen Atkins (20.8 points, 7.5 assists) and senior forwards Mason Bierbrauer (15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds) and Brayden Barron (14.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks).

“I've never had three kids that talented on one team,” Johnson said. “This is a special group. I'm honored to coach them.”

Johnson said the Bruins' experience has been a “huge factor, especially in close games” this season.

“Early in the season, we won a lot of close games, and I think our experience helped us there,” Johnson said. “I'm hoping it'll pay dividends this week. We have a level of experience that we've never had.”

In Saturday's playoff win over Clackamas, the 6-foot-1 Atkins scored 35 points in the first half, making 12 of 14 shots, 8 of 9 from three-point range. He finished with 43 points.

But the highlight of the night belonged to the 6-6 Barron, who soared through traffic for a thunderous dunk in the final minutes. Even for the Portland State-bound Barron, who plays much of his game above the rim, it was something special.

“It was every bit as impressive as I've seen a high school kid do in person,” Johnson said. “I couldn't believe he dunked it.”

Barlow's only losses this season have come against Jesuit, Central Catholic and Nelson, teams the Bruins also defeated. They lost at Nelson 43-40 in their final regular-season game, by far their lowest offensive output of the season.

“I think the Nelson loss might have helped us in some ways,” Johnson said. “I think we refocused a little bit, and we realized that if we don't bring it, and we don't play well, we're going to get beat.”

Unlike last year – when top-seeded Central Catholic was the clear favorite and won the title, not losing to an Oregon team all season – no team is an obvious front-runner. The contenders have traded shots against one another from the beginning of the season.

“I think it's as balanced a field as we've seen in years,” Johnson said. “There's a lot of really intriguing games in the first round. It's going to be a fun week. It's a one-game season. You've just got to be ready to play your best each night.”

Johnson said the tournament will reflect a high caliber of play.

“Basketball in the state of Oregon is better now than it was 15 years ago, by a long shot,” Johnson said. “There are more good players. It's a really deep, talented pool of basketball players in the state of Oregon right now.”

A look at the quarterfinal match-ups for the boys and girls tournaments, which conclude with the finals Saturday:

Boys quarterfinals, Thursday, Chiles Center

No. 8 Sprague (22-4) vs. No. 1 Barlow (24-3), 1:30 p.m.: Barlow, a semifinalist in 2023 and quarterfinalist last year, has never won the title, finishing as runner-up once (1996). The Bruins feature a four-year starter in 6-1 senior G Jalen Atkins (20.8 points, 7.5 assists), who is No. 2 on Barlow's career scoring list with 1,993 points, behind Jesse White (2,115 points, 2017-20). They also have a third-year starter in 6-6 senior F Mason Bierbrauer (15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds) and Portland State-bound 6-6 senior F Brayden Barron (14.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 76 percent field-goal shooting). Sprague won its first league title in seven years last season and repeated as Central Valley Conference champion this year. The Olympians are in the quarterfinals for the first time in the history of the program, which started in 1972-73. They trailed Oregon City 22-4 in the round of 16 before winning 55-52. They are led by 6-4 senior G Jarod Stanley (20.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals) and 6-3 senior G Braxton Long (11.6 points, 7.0 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.6 blocks), who shared CVC player of the year honors. Anthony Best (13.5 points, 8.0 rebounds), a 6-6 senior F who transferred from 4A power Cascade, also made the CVC first team.

No. 5 Southridge (22-5) vs. No. 4 West Linn (21-5), 3:15 p.m.: Southridge, which lost in the quarterfinals last year, is making its first back-to-back trips to the final eight. Against Oregon teams, the Skyhawks have lost only to Westview (twice) and Jesuit. Senior G Keenan Reckamp (19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds), the Metro League co-player of the year, is the fifth player in the program's history to surpass 1,000 career points. They also have 6-7 senior F Alonzo Hoff (14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds), sophomore G Elijah Thompson (12.0 points, Metro-leading 6.0 assists, 3.0 steals) and junior G Drew Groenig (10.0 points), who made five three-pointers in the team's 96-37 win over West Salem in the round of 16. West Linn, the champion from 2013 to 2016 and runner-up in 2023, enters on an eight-game winning streak. The Lions defeated No. 2 Tualatin 71-49 in the regular season finale to share the Three Rivers League title with the Timberwolves. Senior G Jalen Snook (16.5 points) and sophomore G Trey Price (14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists) were first-team all-league. Gavin Gross (12.3 points), a 6-5 senior W who has committed to Carroll College, missed six weeks with a broken wrist but returned for the stretch run. He is the son of University of Portland tennis coach Aaron Gross.

No. 11 Jesuit (17-10) vs. No. 3 Central Catholic (19-7), 6:30 p.m.: The Rams beat Jesuit 59-33 in the quarterfinals on the way to their first state title in 30 years last season. The teams have met twice this season, with Central Catholic prevailing 68-59 at the Les Schwab Invitational and 56-54 at home Jan. 10. The Rams feature the Mt. Hood Conference player of the year in 6-5 senior G Isaac Carr (19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists), a Wake Forest signee, and a first-team all-conference selection in Weber State-bound 6-5 senior G Duce Paschal (15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.8 steals). Junior PG Zamir Paschal, a starter on last year's title team, averaged 14.8 points in the first nine games before being lost for the season due to knee soreness. Central Catholic shared the Mt. Hood title with Barlow and Nelson, teams responsible for their only two in-state losses. Jesuit has won seven state titles, all under coach Gene Potter, the last one in 2019. The Crusaders' eight-game winning streak includes victories over No. 5 Southridge, No. 7 Westview and No. 6 Nelson (round of 16). In two playoff games, they made 23 three-pointers and scored 167 points. Senior PG Pat Kilfoil, a Metro first-team pick, leads the team in scoring (14.4), assists (3.3) and steals (1.2). Kilfoil and sophomore guard Isaac Bongen (12.1 points, 49 three-pointers) were starters last season. Senior G Ryan Fraser (10.2 points, 59 three-pointers on 46-percent shooting) made nine three-pointers in two playoff games.

No. 7 Westview (21-5) vs. No. 2 Tualatin (21-5), 8:15 p.m.: Westview won its first outright Metro League title in school history and is back in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017. The Wildcats have made the final twice, losing to Jesuit in 2010 and 2011. Jason Grady (13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds), a 6-5 senior G, is the Metro co-player of the year. James Kefgen (16.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 37 percent three-point, 88 percent free throw), a sharpshooting 6-3 senior guard who has signed with Oregon Tech, also made the Metro first team. Senior G Lucas D'Haem is the Metro defensive player of the year. The Wildcats topped Roosevelt 83-71 in the round of 16, avenging one of their losses. Tualatin, the champion in 2022 and 2023, lost to Central Catholic in the semifinals last year. The Timberwolves returned two starters in 6-2 junior G Jemai Lake (20.6 points, 4.7 assists, 1,001 career points) and 6-5 senior F Nolan Keeney (10.1 points, 7.4 rebounds) and added an impact transfer from West Linn in 6-0 sophomore PG Pat Vialva Jr. (17.4 points, 45 percent three-point). Lake and Vialva have had games of 36 and 34 points, respectively, this season. Keeney, an all-state quarterback, has committed to play football at Brigham Young.

Girls quarterfinals, Wednesday, Chiles Center

No. 9 West Linn (20-7) vs. No. 1 Jefferson (26-1), 1:30 p.m.: It's been a special season for senior-led Jefferson, which won the outright Portland Interscholastic League title, ending Benson's seven-year run in the process. The Democrats have won 23 in a row since a 55-48 loss to No. 3 Tualatin in the POA Holiday Classic. Abrianna Lawrence (12.0 points, 7.7 assists), a 5-7 senior PG, was the PIL player of the year, and senior G Chauncey Andersen (23.0 points) and senior F Leila Nunez (10.0 points) also made the first team. Andersen is headed to UC Santa Barbara, Nunez and twin sister Carmela are committed to Long Island University and senior G Charisma Johnson (11.0 points, 7.0 steals) is bound for Western Nebraska. Jefferson's only titles came in 5A in 2008 and 2010. West Linn, without a senior on its roster, is one of the state's hottest teams. The Lions dropped No. 3 Tualatin 64-57 in the last regular season game to split the Three Rivers League title with the Timberwolves. They went on the road in the round of 16 to defeat No. 8 Benson 43-41, getting the go-ahead basket from junior Sophie Maxwell with 16 seconds left. Reese Jordan (16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.0 steals), a 5-9 junior PG, was the TRL player of the year. She was joined on the first team by sophomore G Kaylor Buse (16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.0 steals), the league defensive MVP for the second year in a row, and junior F Ayla Arnold.

No. 5 Clackamas (25-2) vs. No. 4 McMinnville (21-5), 3:15 p.m.: The tournament marks the end of the high school career of one of Oregon's all-time great players in Clackamas 6-1 senior F Jazzy Davidson (signed with USC). Davidson led the Cavaliers to their first state title in 2023 and to the semifinals twice. This season, the Mt. Hood Conference player of the year is averaging 29.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 steals, climbing to No. 2 on the state's all-time scoring list. Davidson leads a veteran team that includes Oregon-bound 5-11 senior G Sara Barhoum (19.2 points, 44 percent three-point), who has made 115 three-pointers this season, near the state record of 121 (Shoni Schimmel, Franklin, 2010). The team's other college-bound players are senior Gs Allie Roden (Colorado State), Reyce Mogel (Southern Oregon) and Dylan Mogel (Seattle), the MHC defensive player of the year. McMinnville last made the state tournament in 2020, losing in the quarterfinals. The Grizzlies are on an 18-game winning streak after starting 3-5. McMinnville had a four-game losing streak in part because of an ankle injury to its star player, Pittsburgh-bound 5-11 senior G Macie Arzner (24.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.4 steals). The Grizzlies have three starters back from last year's Pacific co-title team in Arzner, junior P Brooklynn Summers and senior G Rylie McManus, a fourth-year starter. The Grizzlies made 11 three-pointers to beat Forest Grove 61-45 in the round of 16.

No. 6 South Medford (22-4) vs. No. 3 Tualatin (23-2), 6:30 p.m.: Reigning champion South Medford is back in the tournament, but without the same backcourt; junior PG Taylor Young transferred to 5A Crater and Santa Clara-bound senior PG Sara Schmerbach suffered a torn ACL in the first round of the playoffs. Still, the Panthers have a formidable squad led by powerful 6-4 junior C Mayenabasi Akpan (15.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks), the Southwest Conference player of the year. Schmerbach (13.7 points, 4.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 steals) and junior G Dyllyn Howell (11.4 points) also made the first team. Senior F Maddy Warberg, also headed to Santa Clara, transferred from conference rival Willamette and provides a three-point threat. Counting their title in the 2021 culminating week event, the Panthers have made the final four in the last five state tournaments. Tualatin has arguably the state's top freshman in 5-6 PG Love Lei Best (14.4 points, 4.5 assists, 4.3 steals), who is drawing major-college interest. Best made the Three Rivers League first team along with senior P Jordyn Smith (12.6 points, 8.1 rebounds) and freshman F Kendall Dawkins (10.6 points, 5.9 rebounds). The three-time reigning league champion Timberwolves are allowing a 6A-low 27.7 points per game. It's the 12^th time in the last 16 seasons that coach Wes Pappas' 2-3 zone defense has led the state. Tualatin losses came against Clackamas (55-53) and West Linn (64-57).

No. 7 Southridge (19-7) vs. No. 2 Willamette (22-5), 8:15 p.m.: Willamette – which has won four 5A titles, the last one in 2014 – has its best chance at a 6A title with a senior-dominated lineup filled with college-bound players in G Brynn Smith (Portland), W Diamond Wright (Grand Canyon), W Izzie Harms (Boise State), PG Victoria Nguyen (Western Washington) and W Harper Wagner (St. Martins). The 6-0 Smith, a fourth-year starter, passed Lexi Bando as Willamette's all-time scoring leader this season and is likely to surpass 2,000 points at the tournament. Harms (17.5 points) and Wright (15.0 points), a transfer from 5A Springfield, are versatile scorers. The Wolverines, who lost to South Medford in the semifinals last year, ended the Panthers' six-year reign in the Southwest Conference this season. Coach Chad Carpenter came over from the boys team to replace Danielle McBride, who guided the team to the state tournament the last three seasons (5A in 2022). Metro League champion Southridge has won 11 in a row since a losing to Beaverton. That loss was the Skyhawks' only in-state defeat, but they have not played any of the other state tournament teams. Junior PG Sara Mangan (17.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists) and junior G Alex Lytchanyi are the only returning starters from last year's quarterfinal team. A third-year starter and three-time Metro first-team pick, Mangan has carried much on her shoulders, but has benefited this season with the arrival of freshman G Camryn Herzberg (16.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 60 percent shooting). Southridge has won seven titles, second only to Oregon City (12).