Clackamas 62, Central Catholic 55: Top Performers
After dropping a heartbreaker to Barlow, Clackamas knew it needed to buckle down if they wanted to stay in the Mt Hood Conference title race. The Cavs had a tough matchup in enemy territory against Central Catholic, but in the…
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Continue ReadingAfter dropping a heartbreaker to Barlow, Clackamas knew it needed to buckle down if they wanted to stay in the Mt Hood Conference title race. The Cavs had a tough matchup in enemy territory against Central Catholic, but in the end Clackamas went to their big man in Ben Gregg and rode his back to a 62-55 victory on Friday night.
It was clear from the outset that this game would be a tight one – and one that would have more of a deliberate pace. Central Catholic was good from three in the first half but Clackamas had their own hot hand in junior Ryan Lewis and the Cavs led 27-25 at the half. In the second stanza, especially in the fourth quarter is where Gregg took over. The Cavs continually got him the ball inside and he scored eight of Clackamas’ last nine points to seal the win.
“It was an ugly game and I told my assistant at halftime if we can win an ugly game on the road it will give us huge confidence going forward,” said Clackamas head coach Cam Mitchell. “It was a big win for us as they are a really good team. That was a gut-wrenching loss on Tuesday so to come back and get a win like this, it shows the guys to have heart and not get too low after a tough loss. We’ve now to go to finish the next three games out and then hopefully make a run in the playoffs.”
Top Performers
Ben Gregg (2021 Clackamas) – Stats: 23 pts, 8 reb, 3 blk
Gregg was the MVP of the game and really turned it on late. He was just about unguardable down low and if he wasn’t getting the bucket he was getting fouled, where he made the Rams pay at the line shooting 9-for-10 from the charity stripe. After hitting his first deep three, the talented sophomore wasn’t as successful from deep but that’s when he took his game more to the hoop. Defensively, he was active with help on the weak side and he was solid on the boards as always. Coaches from Colorado and Utah were on the sidelines to watch him play.
Darius Gawaski (2021 Central Catholic) – Stats: 16 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast
It was a solid all-around effort for Gakwasi, who visibly looks as if he’s put on some muscle. The 6-foot-5 swingman shared point guard duties handling and passing the ball, and was really good about hitting open teammates with passes. Gakwasi was good on the defensive glass, which is key as he’s able to grab the rebound and immediately start the break up court off the bounce. His outside jumper was streaky but he showed the ability to score at all three levels.
Isaiah Amato (2020 Central Catholic) – Stats: 16 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast
With Eastern Washington head coach Shantay Legans looking on – the Eagles have been actively recruiting Amato – the senior guard had one of his better games of the season. He made some athletic moves to the basket, especially in the second half with the game on the line, converting a couple of impressive floaters near the rim. Amato knocked down a couple of catch-and-shoot threes in transition and did a good job of looking for open teammates with his passing.
Ryan Lewis (2021 Clackamas) – Stats: 12 pts, 3 reb, 3-5 3pt
Lewis was hot from the outside early, hitting some nice catch-and-shoot threes, two from the corner and one from up top. A couple of his threes were nicely contested by the defense. His action was limited in the second half as he only got one shot up and we didn’t see him crash the offensive boards as much as we’ve seen in the past but overall he had a very efficient game.
Damon Erickson (2021 Clackamas) – Stats: 9 pts, 3 ast
Erickson had a very efficient night and contributed in a number of ways. He’s one of the top guys on the Cavs that can create his own shot and he was able to get to the bucket for some points. But where Erickson also shined was the drive and dish as he found the open man for a couple of baskets. Defensively he added a steal and a block for good measure.
Jackson Jaha (2022 Clackamas) – Stats: 7 pts, 3 reb
Jaha really provided a boost off of the bench for the Cavs with his overal energy and aggressiveness, especially on the offensive end. In the second half, he made one impressive drive to the hoop where he took it baseline and then finished on the other side for a reverse layup. It was a key bucket late in the game.
Jordan King (2022 Central Catholic) – Stats: 9 pts, 2 reb
Head coach David Blue didn’t go to his bench that much but the reserve who got the most action was King, who certainly validated his time on the floor. The 6-foot-3 wing picked his spots, nailed a couple of threes, and played hard on the defensive end. His ability to play either wing or forward helps give the Rams some flexibility in their lineup.