5A State Title – Willsonville 67, Churchill 58: 10 Best
After jumping out to a 10-2 advantage and leading almost the entirety of the first three quarters, Wilsonville had to endure a 9-0 Churchill run that gave the Lancers a 46-44 advantage entering the fourth. Three pointers from Silas Bennion, Brian…
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Continue ReadingAfter jumping out to a 10-2 advantage and leading almost the entirety of the first three quarters, Wilsonville had to endure a 9-0 Churchill run that gave the Lancers a 46-44 advantage entering the fourth. Three pointers from Silas Bennion, Brian Goracke, and Isaiah Wallace gave the top-seeded Lancers the momentum entering the final period of play, but the Wildcats refused to back down.
A 23-12 fourth quarter made the difference for the two-seed, who dominated in the paint on Saturday to upset the youthful Lancers. Dakota Reber paced the Wildcats offensively with 21 points, and his presence was especially felt in the fourth, as he scored multiple buckets to help build the lead down the stretch.
Churchill fought back as expected, trimming the deficit to as little as five with less than two minutes left to play. Urgency then led to a couple turnovers and errant shots, and Wilsonville capitalized on the other end from the charity stripe.
Wallace, a junior shooting guard with tremendous offensive capability, led a Churchill offense that went cold early in the fourth with 17 points. His ability to shoot the three built momentum for the Lancers all afternoon, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the experience and poise of the second-seeded Wildcats.
Here’s the “10 Best” from Saturday’s championship game:
MVP: Dakota Reber (2020 Wilsonville)
The 6-foot-5 athlete was rightfully selected for first team all-tournament after a dazzling performance in the championship game. Reber recorded 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals in the victory, and his dominance inside was huge for the Wildcats all evening. The junior also acted as Wilsonville’s second level of defense, and although he didn’t record any blocks, his length and jumping ability allowed him to affect many shots around the rim. During the run that created Wilsonville’s fourth quarter separation, Reber was scoring buckets from the block with ease, rising and using soft touch to rattle home a few clutch layups.
Play of the game: Keegan Shivers and-one finish
Shivers, alongside Reber, dominated the paint battle throughout the game. With just 4:39 left to play and a three point lead, the 6-foot-4 forward fought through contact from Brian Goracke and put up a contested layup. As the shot rattled rattled down and the whistle blew, the Wilsonville crowd roared and the lead grew to five. After Shivers converted the free throw, the momentum of the game was clearly in the Wildcats favor, and Churchill never trimmed the lead below five for the remainder of the contest.
Best offensive performance: Dakota Reber (2020 Wilsonville)
The big man was 7-for-13 from the field on his way to a game-high 21 points in the state championship. No other player stood out offensively more than the junior, who was a lethal scoring option all weekend. His combination of athleticism, size, and finishing ability made him arguably the best player in the tournament.
Best defensive performance: Keegan Shivers (2020 Wilsonville)
Shivers collected a game-high 11 rebounds to go alongside two blocks for the state champs. The 6-foot-4 junior’s paint protection ability was superb, slowing Churchill’s offensive production inside time and time again. Shivers was also named to the first team all-tournament team largely because of his difference making on the defensive end.
Best guy off the bench: Samaje Morgan (2022 Churchill)
The freshman point guard was arguably Churchill’s best overall player. The quick 5-foot-8 speedster led the Lancers with four assists and earned secondary scoring honors with 13 points. Morgan’s most impressive trait was his composure. Despite being outsized in a huge game, the freshman continues to step up and make big plays. A lightning quick crossover from Morgan often opened things up offensively for the top-seeded Lancers.
Best intangibles: Jack Roche (2019 Wilsonville)
The coaches son didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but his ability as a playmaker was on full display during the championship. Roche recorded a whopping 13 assists and only two turnovers, and his facilitating was integral to Wilsonville’s victory.
Best under-the-radar performance: Zac Rivers (2019 Wilsonville)
Rivers, before getting injured during the first half, recorded a quiet seven points on 100 percent shooting. The smooth senior guard may have finished his season on the bench, but his multidimensional scoring provided a much needed boost for the Wildcats early on.
Best underclassman: Samaje Morgan (2022 Churchill)
See above for best player off the bench. Following next season, Morgan will be expected to step up tremendously for the Lancers, who have no other underclassmen in their regular rotation.
Best energy guy: Isaiah Wallace (2020 Churchill)
Wallace brings the energy every game, and his on-court antics make him one of the fiercest competitors in the state. The junior two guard recorded a team-high 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting, and his quickness and effort make him a solid on-ball defender. No player was as hung up on the loss than the spirited Wallace, who will no doubt be back at Gill next season.
Best aspect of the environment: Both fan bases
As each team had their moments throughout the game, both crowds could be heard loud and clear. Although Wilsonville’s side grew louder towards their impressive finish, Churchill still added to an electric state championship environment, and hats go off to everyone who made the trip to support their teams.