South Albany at Silverton: Five takeaways
In Tuesday’s matchup between two of the top teams in the Mid-Willamette Conference, the Silverton Foxes dusted the South Albany Rebels to the tune of a 69-42 victory. Silverton improved to 13-1 and 5-0 in league, while South Albany fell to 11-4 (4-1). Here’s what stood out:
The sophomore point guard
Silverton coach Jamie McCarty always tells David Gonzales that he’s the best sophomore point guard in the state. Gonzales showed why. He patiently ran Silverton’s offense, hit three off-the-dribble treys and played a key role in their full-court press. “He sees the court well, he finishes at the rim well and he can shoot the three,” McCarty said. The 5-foot-10 guard finished with 23 points and three assists and was instrumental in turning live turnovers into transition buckets. During a 60-second window in the fourth quarter, he scored 7 points to put the game out of reach at 64-38. “He brings heart, he brings hustle,” senior Cade Roth said. “He’s our energizer bunny. He gets up the court, gets in people’s heads on defense.”
The junior power forward
6-foot-4 junior Levi Nielsen said after the game: “We each have a defined role.” The Foxes do. Nielsen’s role? To get the ball and also to attack and score. “I really enjoy doing the dirty work,” Nielsen said. “I love getting on the floor, going after balls, doing that type of stuff.” He’s a capable scorer, too, knocking down two three-pointers and putting back offensive rebounds twice in the first quarter. Also the Foxes quarterback in the fall, Nielsen finished with an impressive stat line: 15 points and 12 rebounds.
The senior scorer
Silverton’s great trio is completed by 6-foot-5 sharpshooter Cade Roth, arguably their best player. Roth connected on 6 of 8 three-point attempts to finish with 20 points, plus four rebounds. “Our focus is never ‘Get the ball to Cade.’ But, when we do, Cade does his thing and he goes off. That’s what we love about him,” Gonzales said. Roth could get his shot off in a a phone booth. With a wide wingspan and a high release, Roth is able to catch and shoot with ease. He doesn’t do much ballhandling and penetrating, so he can appear one-dimensional, but it’s a terrific dimension. He might be the best offensive player in the Mid-Willamette Conference. “He’s our go-to. He’s a senior. He’s our scorer. He’s one of the best scorers I’ve ever coached,” McCarty said. He’s receiving interest from D-II and NAIA schools.
The other quarterback
While Nielsen plays quarterback for Silverton, Jake Costello was South Albany’s quarterback in the fall. A terrific scorer, Costello wasn’t quite as effective as usual, but still led the Rebels with 12 points. Before the season, coach Justin Smith said Costello has a “very high motor, is hard to defend (and) can score in multiple ways.” A first-team all-conference player as a junior, Costello has interest from D-II and D-III schools.
Strong seniors
South Albany starts four seniors: Costello, Jaden Guilford, Seth Cullison, and Ivan Rodriguez. Guilford, a four-year starter, ran the point effectively and took care of the ball against a tough Silverton press. He finished with 8 points. Cullison, who defended guards at times, but is 6-foot-6, scored all his points in the first and fourth quarters, finishing with 10 points. Rodriguez played solid throughout.
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