4A State Tournament First Day: Night Session Top Performers
The 4A State Tournament kicked off at the Stoller Center on the campus of Pacific University on Thursday and similar to the 5A and 6A tournaments, the top four seeds all advanced to the semis. We got to attend the…
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Continue ReadingThe 4A State Tournament kicked off at the Stoller Center on the campus of Pacific University on Thursday and similar to the 5A and 6A tournaments, the top four seeds all advanced to the semis. We got to attend the evening session where Stayton and Seaside marched on to the next round.
In the first game, Stayton survived a tight battle with Henley, 57-53. In the second game, Seaside used a huge second half surge to run past North Marion, 75-50.
Here’s a quick look at the top performers in the two games played.
Riley Nichol (2019 Stayton HS) – Stats: 23 pts, 12 reb, 9-for-16 fg
There have been games where Nichol has faded more into a supporting role but that wasn’t the case on Thursday night. The 6-foot-7 senior stepped up in a big way offensively, posting up strong and finishing underneath but also stepping out and hitting perimeter shots, including a key three in the second half. Nichol held his ground on the boards on both ends and simply brought toughness to every possession. Nichol is waiting until after the season to do anything with his recruitment but continues to get sought after by Puget Sound and a number of NWAC programs.
Kaleb Anundi (2019 Stayton HS) – Stats: 23 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk, 7-for-14 fg
Anundi really asserted himself inside early in the game and was near unstoppable around the basket. As the defense adjusted and he got the ball less, he adjusted and started to face the basket more to find his shots. He was a major factor on the boards – especially on the offensive glass – and on defense, he helped protect the lane by coming over with a few help-side blocks. Anundi recently picked up some scholarship offers and we’ll have an update posted on him soon.
Ryan Hague (2020 Seaside HS) – Stats: 29 pts, 10 reb, 14-for-18 fg
Hague had likely one of the best games of his young career as he was simply money with his shooting all night long. With North Marion setting up in a zone, Hague camped out in the elbow area and found spots for quick turnaround jumpers or one-dribble pull-ups. He also took advantages of holes in the zone to penetrate and finish strong around the hoop. Defensively, he worked hard and really got things done on the boards, especially on the offensive glass. Things were working so well for him, there was one play where he hit a running one-handed scoop shot with his off-hand on one play, a shot he joked after the game that was reminiscent of something he’d do in middle school.
Chase Januik (2019 Seaside HS) – Stats: 16 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 6-for-12 fg
Januik really didn’t have the long ball working for him on Thursday night. He really didn’t need it though as he was able to easily use his strength and power dribbles to get into the lane for pull-up jumpers and he got out and finished a number of buckets on the break. Januik was more of a secondary offensive player against North Marion but that was fine with him as his legacy has been about doing what it takes to win.
Beau Johnson (2020 Seaside HS) – Stats: 9 pts, 3 reb, 4-4 fg
Seaside graduates some key guys but the future remains bright because there are several players coming back with a lot of experience – and it’s not just Hague. Johnson was rock-solid all night long for the Seagulls on both ends, hitting all four shots given to him including a three and helping out with rebounding and defense. Johnson ended the night playing the most minutes (29) out of anybody on the floor which goes to show the confidence head coach Bill Westerholm has in his wing.
Andrew Reynolds (2019 Henley HS) – Stats: 19 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 8-for-13 fg
We saw a little bit of Reynolds in the summer when he played with Team Fly and were impressed then but we were even more impressed with his performance against Stayton. The 6-foot-1 guard showed a great feel for the game playing both on and off the ball, taking what the defense gave him whether it was for his own offense or dishing it out to teammates. He has a nice frame and smooth jumper from long range, the pull-up, or floaters to the basket. Reynolds is currently receiving D-III/NAIA interest and we will have an update posted on him soon.
Sergio Jimenez (2020 North Marion HS) – Stats: 14 pts, 7 reb, 5-for-11 fg
North Marion hung around in the game in the first half and a lot of it had to do with Jimenez. The 6-foot-2 wing/forward utilized his body and strength to create baskets off the dribble and really fought hard underneath for offensive boards and put-backs. Jimenez also has the ability to step out and hit perimeter shots but mainly focused on taking it strong to the hole. He didn’t get many touches in the second half unfortunately but he continued to contribute with rebounding and defense.