Class 3A Tourney Day 1 Wrap & Semifinal Preview
In this article:
An exciting first day of action in Coos Bay, with some exciting semifinal match ups slated for Friday afternoon. Quarterfinal Wrap Ups: In the opener, Delasalle from Portland jumped out to an early first quarter lead, played even during the…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAn exciting first day of action in Coos Bay, with some exciting semifinal match ups slated for Friday afternoon.
Quarterfinal Wrap Ups:
In the opener, Delasalle from Portland jumped out to an early first quarter lead, played even during the middle part of the game, & then pulled away in the 4th for a 58-45 victory over Sutherlin. The Knights were lead by the guard tandem of George Sadi & Kadeem Nelson who scored 27 & 17 points respectively. Mason Gill lead the Bulldogs with 15 points & 11 rebounds in defeat, but they were unable to overcome a staggering 26 turnovers against Delasalle’s relentless defense. The second game saw Pleasant Hill from outside of Eugene dominate from start to finish as they cruised to a 52-30 victory over Nyssa, who traveled from the mountain time zone for the game. Max Smith scored 19 for the Billies & Logan Pruitt, a 6’5 senior forward scored 11 points to go along with his 12 rebounds. The first game of the evening session was a competitive match up for a half, as tournament regular Dayton took a one point lead to the locker room over Clatskanie, the smallest school in the 3A classification, in the quarterfinals for the first time in 35 years. The senior trio of Braeden Nowlin, Lukas Findley, & Jaysen Howard lead the way for the Pirates, scoring 14, 13, & 13 respectively as they pulled away in the 2nd half for a comfortable 52-35 victory. Coastal League MVP Cooper Blodgett lead the Tigers with 12. The final game of the day proved to be the most exciting, as Amity, the only road team to win in the round of 16 jumped out a fifteen point halftime lead & held off a furious rally from Santiam Christian to win 60-59 & advance to the semifinals. Tyler Parr was a beast for the Warriors, scoring 25 points on 9/17 shooting to go along with 8 boards. Leading the Eagles in defeat was guard Ben Galceran with 15.
Semifinal Previews:
Delasalle vs Pleasant Hill
In our opinion, probably the two teams playing the best over the last month, each with very different styles of play. Delasalle utilizes relentless pressure defense to jump start their offense that relies on depth & quickness and the explosive scoring ability of guards George Sadi & Kareem Nelson. Pleasant Hill would prefer to slow the pace of play and rely on the skill level & shooting of seniors Logan Pruitt & Stephen Parmenter.
Prediction: Delasalle comes in with a resume full of state tournament experience, having played in the last two state title games, including winning last year’s state crown. Pleasant Hill is talented and well coached group that plays to their strength. In the end, we think that the experience, depth, & unique style of play for the Knights will be enough to wear down Pleasant Hill and win a game that should come down to the last minutes.
Dayton vs Amity
These two long time rivals meet for the fourth time this season & we expect a barn burner in Coos Bay. As basketball fans know, it’s extremely difficult to beat a quality opponent three times & the Pirates will look to stretch that to four. Both teams feature talented players who played big in their respective opening round games. Amity sophomore Josh Wart has been a load for opponents on the inside this season & that’s a match up that the Warriors must exploit if they are to pull off the upset. Meanwhile, Dayton’s “Big 3” must continue the steady play & leadership you would expect from guys with so much experience.
Prediction: In an almost unheard of 4th match up, you can expect the play to be a little ragged as both teams will be completely prepared & ready for what their opponents are going to throw at them. Knowing that the game & flow may “bog down” a bit at times, we tend to favor the more experienced team with superior guard play and those seem to favor Dayton. We look for the Pirates to win a close rivalry game that will likely come down to the final possessions.