Class 4A Round of 16 Preview
Eight teams will punch their ticket to the state tournament tonight, as games are contested around the state to see who will advance to the 4A state quarterfinals which begin next week in Forest Grove. We take a look at…
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Continue ReadingEight teams will punch their ticket to the state tournament tonight, as games are contested around the state to see who will advance to the 4A state quarterfinals which begin next week in Forest Grove. We take a look at the key players, the match ups, & take a stab at predicting the winners of the games.
#1 Banks (23-3) vs #16 Newport (12-13)
Banks enters on the short list of contenders to win the 4A state title next week. Their only losses are to #2 Seaside, twice, & 5A playoff team Pendleton with a short handed roster. The Braves are lead by the duo of senior post Blake Gobel and junior wing Jacob Slifka. The 6’8 Gobel, the Cowapa Co-MVP recently signed with Eastern Washington to play football, is a physical presence who can also step out and knock down shots. Slifka a 6’4 wing is a knock down shooter who has improved his all around game this season. Newport the 6th place team in the Oregon West Conference will have to find a way to score against a Banks team who 17 points or less in a game 3 times this season.
Prediction: The Braves enter the playoffs on a roll & we don’t see Newport capable of slowing that momentum. Expect Banks to jump out early & cruise to an easy victory.
#8 Baker (17-5) vs #9 Marist (16-8)
The Spartans from Eugene qualified for the state playoffs in their first season back in 4A & are rewarded with an 8 hour road trip to eastern Oregon to take on the Greater Oregon League Champions. It’s always tough to gauge teams from the east side of the state when the bulk of their non league games come against Idaho & Washington schools.
Prediction: The road trip & home court advantage should prove crucial as Baker wins in a game that should come down to the last few minutes.
#5 Marshfield (20-5) vs #12 Gladstone (17-7)
Marshfield the champs of the Sky Em league host this match up of teams that made it to last years state tournament. The Pirates feature a trio of talented seniors in 6’7 Grant Webster, 6’6 senior Corey Stover (an Oregon State football recruit), & 6’2 guard Jordy Miles the coaches’ son. Gladstone finished 2nd in the Tri Valley Conference and is lead by Jude Ashpole, one of the better sophomores in 4A.
Prediction: Marshfield is too big, too physical, & too experienced for the young Gladiators who should be on the short list of preseason favorites in 2020.
#4 Woodburn (20-4) vs #13 Mazama (12-10)
A lot of things went right for Woodburn in the off season. First the OSAA moved them from class 5A to class 4A, then in July, all state guard RJ Veliz decided to transfer for his senior year to play for his dad (Raul) who had been named head coach earlier in the summer. Adding Veliz to a group of talented returners has pushed the Bulldogs to their best season in over 20 years. They host the Vikings from Klamath Falls who finished second in the Skyline Conference and are hoping to return to Forest Grove after making the state quarterfinals last year.
Prediction: Woodburn athletics are having a great year with the OSAA realignment and hope to carry that momentum to a victory in front of an energized home crowd. The scoring ability & leadership of Veliz along with the overall team quickness should prove too much for Mazama.
#3 Stayton (19-3) vs Mac Hi (16-9)
The Eagles feature the most talented front court in 4A in 6’8 lefty Kaleb Anundi & 6’6 Riley Nichol, both of whom are receiving significant college recruiting interest. The duo helped Stayton to their first league title in over 10 years and poised to make a strong push for a state title. Mac Hi from Milton Freewater finished second in the Greater Oregon League & is having their best season in quite some time.
Prediction: The size & talent of Anundi & Nichol along with a solid supporting cast should prove too much for Mac Hi as Stayton punches its first ticket to state in over a decade.
#6 Henley (16-7) vs #11 Philomath (13-11)
The Hornets reclaimed the Skyline League title and hope to make it to state after missing last year. Philomath is hoping that a talented group can put it all together for a late season push after finishing 5th in the tough Oregon West League.
Prediction: Philomath has proven to be one of the most inconsistent teams at the 4A level this season with a mix of quality wins and puzzling losses. Henley has remained rather consistent throughout the year. We expect the home court to be enough of an advantage as Henley pulls out a close game to advance to state.
#7 North Marion (15-9) vs #10 Valley Catholic (18-9)
On paper, this game appears to be between two evenly matched teams with North Marion defeating Valley early in the season. The Huskies finished the season as the Tri Valley Champions while the Valiants finished 3rd in the always tough Cowapa League.
Prediction: Coach Sobotka’s teams at Valley Catholic have a history of getting better & better as the season goes on, plus they have the experience of playing in playoff like atmospheres at Banks & Seaside. We wonder how battle tested North Marion is coming out of a Tri Valley League that seems a little down this year. We look for the Valiants to over come the home court advantage and win a low scoring game and move on to Forest Grove.
#2 Seaside (21-3) vs #15 Sisters (14-11)
The Seagulls’ quest for a third straight state title starts on Saturday night when they host the Outlaws. Seaside features a starting group with no real post players, but an assortment of skilled players that can all handle, shoot, and pass the ball effectively. Senior guards Chase Januik & Payton Westerholm form the most experienced back court in the state, both with two starts in state title games. Sisters emerged as the 3rd place team from the Oregon Coast Conference and is hoping to make it back to Forest Grove after losing several key pieces from last season’s team.
Prediction: Sisters head coach Rand Runco is a master at controlling the tempo and inducing the opponent in to a slow down game. Seaside on the other prefers to play an up & down style feature a fast paced motion offense and full court pressure defense. We expect Sisters to have a difficult time getting the pace to a speed that will allow them to slow down the Seagulls & we expect the home team to pull away for an easy victory.