Banks 54, Seaside 53 (OT): 10 Best
Earlier in the year, Banks couldn’t quite get it done against Seaside. But in the regular season finale for both teams, the Braves were looking to get back at the Seagulls. In a game as tight as we have seen…
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Continue ReadingEarlier in the year, Banks couldn’t quite get it done against Seaside. But in the regular season finale for both teams, the Braves were looking to get back at the Seagulls. In a game as tight as we have seen all season long at any classification, Banks got some clutch play from senior post Blake Gobel on both ends as the Braves survived to capture the win in overtime, 54-53.
Banks got off to a quick lead, 20-10, in the first quarter but you knew that Seaside wasn’t going to fold. The Seagulls fought back in the second quarter to cut it to three, 33-28 at the half. From there, the teams were never separated by more than a few points. And when Chase Januik missed a half-court shot at the buzzer, the game went into overtime.
Seaside took their first lead of the game when Payton Westerholm hit two free throws with 1:30 left on the clock. But Banks took it right back. After working the clock down, the Braves got the ball to Gobel who hit a runner while getting fouled, with the three-point play giving the Braves a 54-53 lead. After a timeout with 11 seconds left, Seaside got the ball to their leader Januik. But as he made a drive toward the basket, Gobel reached in and stripped the ball away and as he threw the ball up high into the air, the clock expired and Banks had avenged their loss to Seaside earlier in the year.
“It was senior night and it was awesome that we had a lot of energy and got off to a good start,” said Banks head coach Marcus Roche. “But we knew they weren’t going to fold and they came back and made a run and from there it was pretty even. I was really proud of our guys – basketball is a game of ebbs and flow and momentum – they stayed collected and focused and took care of the next play. It was fun to get rewarded with a ‘W’ and all the hard work we’ve been putting in but we have more to accomplish.”
Banks and Seaside will meet up again on Saturday in Tillamook to determine who will be the number one seed in the league playoffs.
MVP: Blake Gobel (2019 Banks)
Sure, Gobel made the game-winning plays on both ends at the end, but overall he had a tremendous game. In the post-game interview, coach Roche indicated that he saw a fire in his 6-foot-7 senior’s eyes that showed extreme focus and determination – and it certainly showed. Gobel was flat out unstoppable going to the basket and around the hoop in scoring his 21 points, and he was dominant on the boards (13 rebounds) and on defense (four blocks) – and he even dished out a couple of assists, beautiful interior passes finding a teammate for an open layup. Sure, the Eastern Washington signee’s college future is in football, but he’s a darn good hoops player as well.
Play of the game: Gobel’s Last Second Deflection and Steal
What else could it have been than the play that sealed the victory? A close second would have been Gobel’s layin and-one on the other end that gave Banks the lead for good.
Best offensive performance: Chase Januik (2019 Seaside)
With Gobel the MVP, the nod for best offensive performance goes to the Seaside senior. It wasn’t necessarily the best shooting night for Januik as he ended up 6-for-15 from the field with only one three, but it was clear that he was Seaside’s biggest offensive threat. With the outside shot not quite working, he took the ball strong to the basket and he was able to draw some fouls. Januik also dished out three assists and kept the ball moving as Seaside attacked the Banks zone in the second half.
Best defensive performance – Blake Gobel (2019 Banks)
In addition to the steal at the end, Gobel also affected the game with his presence inside. He finished the game with those four blocked shots, including one in overtime as Seaside was threatening to take the lead. In general, Seaside really didn’t get many hoops around the basket and Gobel was the reason why.
Best guy off the bench – Dakota Bunn (2019 Banks)
Both teams largely stuck with their starters for most of the game, so the reserves didn’t register many stats. But one guy that did make an impression was Bunn. The 5-foot-10 guard showed a lot of energy and hustle on both sides of the ball, helping give the starting guards a few minutes of rest here and there.
Best intangibles – Ryan Hague (2020 Seaside)
Hague did end up as the team’s second-leading scorer with 12 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists. But what didn’t show up in the stats is the amount of effort he put in on both ends. While the stats will show that he was only 2-for-10 from the field, it was because he was one of the few Seagulls who wasn’t afraid of taking it to the hole – even if he did get blocked. His effort
Best under-the-radar performance – Payton Westerholm (2019 Seaside)
Westerholm didn’t have gaudy numbers on the night – he ended up with nine points – but he was in full control of the offense, handling the ball turnover free by racking up three assists while also using his quick hands on defense. He was also a force on the boards, quietly grabbing eight rebounds.
Best underclassman – Tyler Exline (2021 Banks)
Exline was the only freshman or sophomore who got into the game, and he registered a rebound in a couple of minutes of playing time. Both Banks and Seaside have largely junior and senior dominated rosters.
Best Gut-It-Out Performance – Jacob Slifka (2020 Banks)
Slifka has been sick and Thursday night was the first time he touched a basketball the entire week. It was clear that he was lethargic, but he was hit all three free throws after getting fouled in the first and canned a couple of jumpers in the second half. It’s not easy to perform when you’re not feeling well, but Slifka gave it a great effort.
Best aspect of the environment – The Entire Scene
Banks has one of the smaller 4A gyms in the state so it was completely packed and the noise certainly reveberated throughout. Both student sections were raucous and when the game was tight in the end, everyone was on their feet watching the action. Add in the fact that the game was extremely close and competitive, and you had a high school basketball environment that was about as good as it gets.