PORTLAND – Clackamas' one-two punch of seniors Jazzy Davidson and Sara Barhoum proved to be too much for top-seeded Jefferson in the semifinals of the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 6A girls basketball tournament Friday at the Chiles Center.
The USC-bound Davidson and Oregon-bound Barhoum combined for 61 points and six three-pointers as the No. 5 Cavaliers (27-2) rolled to a 77-57 win over the Democrats (26-2). Clackamas, the 2023 champion, advances to Saturday's final to face No. 3 Tualatin.
The 6-foot-1 Davidson did a little bit of everything, putting up 36 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals, hitting three three-pointers and 13 of 20 free throws. The 5-11 Barhoum added 25 points, making three three-pointers and all 12 of her free throws.
“There's a lot of confidence that they had, and we had in them, to go do their thing,” Clackamas coach Korey Landolt said of Davidson and Barhoum. “They did a great job still involving their team.”
With Davidson and Barhoum showing the way, Clackamas was able to hold up against Jefferson's relentless, physical pressure defense.
“The big thing for us is just staying composed as a team, because they can go on their runs,” Barhoum said. “They're a pretty talented team, so it was just to stay smart the whole game and stay composed.”
The Cavaliers came out attacking, led by Davidson. It was a different mindset from last year's semifinals, when Clackamas struggled in a loss to Benson, another PIL team.
“Benson is very similar. PIL, very scrappy, play with a lot of heart,” Davidson said. “We knew we had to match that, and I feel like we did a great job of doing that.”
Said Barhoum: “We just had to pick up the tempo because they're a really high-paced team that's super aggressive, too. So we had to double that today.”
Clackamas went on a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to open a 19-11 lead, and never trailed again. The Cavaliers took a 43-28 lead into halftime behind 22 points from Davidson and 16 from Barhoum.
Barhoum's three three-pointers all came in the first half, giving her 122 for the season and breaking the state record of 121, set by Franklin's Shoni Schimmel in 2010.
“She's one of the hardest workers that I know. I'm just super proud of her,” Davidson said of Barhoum. “The best shooter in the state, probably, and one of the best shooters in the country. I'm just super happy for her. I'm happy to be there to celebrate it with her.”
What did the record mean to Barhoum?
“It just displays all the hard work I've put in for this team, for this program and for myself,” she said. “It's pretty awesome to me.”
The Democrats, whose only previous loss this season came against Tualatin, stayed within striking distance in the third quarter, cutting the lead to as low as eight points. Jefferson senior guard Chauncey Andersen scored all of her team-high 14 points in the second half.
“After we got them down, they were not going to give up,” Landolt said. “They were going to come storming back. They put together a nice little run. I thought we weathered it all right.
“We haven't been in too many close games, so that was really fun to kind of have to think a little differently about what we were doing.”
The Cavaliers scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter – getting a three-pointer from senior guard Allie Roden, a layup by senior guard Dylan Mogel and three free throws from Barhoum – to lead 64-47.
Clackamas often stemmed Jefferson's momentum at the free throw line. The Cavaliers drew 25 fouls and were called for 11. They shot 32 for 40 on free throws and the Democrats made 6 of 10.
“Every time we'd go on a run, then the whistle would blow,” Andersen said. “We couldn't get very far.”
Davidson kept taking the game at the Democrats, even when she was being harassed by Jefferson's defensive standout, senior guard Charisma Johnson.
“I don't really get too flustered about that kind of stuff,” Davidson said. “My teammates have my back. They do a great job of reassuring me, letting me know that I'm good, and they have my back.”
The Democrats were unable to slow down Davidson.
“She's an amazing player,” Andersen said. “You can't enough about her. She's a threat anywhere on the court.”
Clackamas, which starts five seniors, will go for its second state championship Saturday against Tualatin. The Cavaliers, unbeaten against Oregon teams this season, won at Tualatin 55-53 on Jan. 2.
“After the game, whatever happens, it's going to be emotional,” Davidson said. “We love each other like sisters. So knowing we only have one more game together, it's a lot. We're excited to be back in this position.”
No. 3 Tualatin 65, No. 2 Willamette 40: The Timberwolves (25-2) went on a 17-0 run to take a 23-10 after one quarter and defeated the Wolverines (23-6). Tualatin will appear in its first final Saturday when it meets Clackamas.
Freshman point guard Love Lei Best had 21 points, three rebounds and five assists, shooting 9 of 16 from the field, including 3 of 4 from three-point range, to lead the Timberwolves.
Senior post Jordyn Smith had 12 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals and junior Alex Padilla had 12 points, hitting two three-pointers. Freshman forward Kendall Dawkins added 11 points for Tualatin, which shot 56.3 percent (27 of 48), including 7 of 12 on three-pointers.
The Timberwolves led 28-13 in the second quarter on a three-pointer by Best. Willamette drew within 36-28 early in the third quarter on three free throws by senior guard Victoria Nguyen.
But Tualatin outscored the Wolverines 25-5 to open a 28-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Dawkins made a three-pointer to cap an 11-0 run, making it 61-33 with 5:19 left in the game.
Senior wing Diamond Wright led Willamette with 15 points and six rebounds. The Wolverines shot 22.4 percent (11 for 49), making 3 of 19 from behind the arc.
jerryu@osaa.org
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