Tualatin stuns top-ranked West Linn to repeat as Oregon Class 6A boys basketball state champions

All season lengthy, the West Linn Lions dominated Class 6A boys basketball, going unbeaten in opposition to Oregon competitors. Three of these wins got here in opposition to the Tualatin Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves acquired their final revenge in Saturday’s championship recreation at a sold-out Chiles Middle, racing out to an 11-point lead within the first quarter and by no means trailing in a 60-47 upset victory to win their second consecutive state championship.

Tualatin held West Linn with no level for the primary 6:39 of the sport and led 12-1 by one quarter. In Friday’s semifinal win over Lincoln, West Linn scored 17 factors within the first 4 minutes.

“That gave us some confidence immediately,” mentioned first-year Tualatin coach Bubba Lemon, who was an assistant for final yr’s 66-49 win over Summit within the title recreation. “That was most likely the lowest-scoring first quarter they’ve ever had. One level is unprecedented.”

Lemon mentioned the championship is “unbelievable.”

“I’m simply so grateful,” he mentioned, struggling to seek out the fitting phrases. “I thank God for this, I’m so blessed by the gamers we now have.”

The shellshocked Lions tried to shake off the nightmare begin, however by no means significantly threatened to take management of the sport.

Tualatin senior Josiah Lake, the one returning starter from final yr, scored 20 factors to guide Tualatin (24-5), which had come near beating West Linn in two of their earlier conferences. Junior Jaden Steppe had 19 factors and 10 rebounds, and junior Jayden Fortier dominated the paint with 9 factors and 15 boards.

Tualatin got here out flying and scored the primary 10 factors of the sport whereas West Linn faltered.

The Lions lastly scored their first level on a Sam Leavitt free throw with 1:21 left within the first quarter. West Linn missed all 10 pictures it took within the quarter.

Nick DiGiulio hit West Linn’s first basket 15 seconds into the second quarter.  West Linn acquired inside 5 quickly after, however the Timberwolves answered with seven straight factors as Steppe began to seek out his shot.

Jack Wagner, who scored eight factors, nailed a three-pointer on the first-half buzzer to present Tualatin a 30-16 lead. The benefit ballooned to 19 within the third quarter because the Lions began to hurry on the offensive finish, however West Linn buckled all the way down to make one final push.

The Lions trailed 50-42 with 2:40 left within the fourth quarter and had the ball, however Lake stole a cross-court cross and sailed uncontested to the opposite finish for a two-hand slam, placing the punctuation mark on back-to-back state titles.

Lake went 12-for-16 from the foul line, salting the sport away from the stripe.

“He’s simply so poised,” Lemon mentioned of his level guard. “I wouldn’t need the ball in anyone else’s palms at that time.”

“We made some huge performs to start out the sport,” Lake mentioned. “Our protection was actually stable.”

When requested if he thought the Timberwolves shocked the Lions, Lake was affirmative:

“Oh yeah,” he acknowledged. “We had them on their heels for positive. We talked earlier than the sport that we misplaced three to them however this was the one which issues, and we acquired it accomplished.”

Steppe, who made 9 of 23 pictures, mentioned the Timberwolves “needed it extra.”

“I may see it of their eyes, they have been content material,” he continued. “They gained the (Les Schwab Invitational), they have been joyful. We weren’t and we have been able to win.”

A 6-foot-8 junior, Steppe bursts with confidence that could possibly be seen from the surface as bordering on conceitedness, however he says it’s all about his ardour for the game:

“Should you develop up loving the sport and put in sufficient work, how may you probably have any doubt? It comes from that work and having belief in your teammates.”

Fortier mentioned he was challenged earlier than the sport by Lemon to seize 15 rebounds and he hit that proper on the quantity. West Linn had been the bodily aggressor all season in opposition to taller groups, however not Saturday.

“I do know they’re bodily and my objective was to return in and be that drive, crash the offensive and defensive boards and have one of the best vitality I can,” Fortier mentioned. “Shedding 4 starters from final yr, dropping to West Linn in soccer and 3 times in hoops, to get this championship means the world.”

Senior Jackson Shelstad, who will transfer on to play at Oregon subsequent season, was spectacular in his remaining highschool recreation for West Linn (28-2) however didn’t get sufficient assist from his teammates. Shelstad scored 24 factors on 11-for-20 taking pictures however the remainder of the Lions have been 9-for-30. West Linn made simply two three-pointers in 19 makes an attempt, with Shelstad lacking all seven of his tries.

Junior Max Juhala was West Linn’s second-leading scorer with seven factors regardless of enjoying simply 11 minutes. Senior starters Adrian Mosley, Drake Gabel, Mark Hamper and Adrian Mosley mixed to make 4 area objectives and rating 12 factors.

“We acquired seems, we simply couldn’t convert,” mentioned West Linn coach Robert Key. “I at all times inform the children the sport is manufactured from runs and we’re gonna make a run however we simply by no means acquired over the hump.”

Saturday was a surprising finish for West Linn, which beat nationally ranked Sierra Canyon and Duncanville to win the Les Schwab Invitational in December. Whereas that they had just a few shut calls the remainder of the season, together with two slender wins over Tualatin and a quarterfinal grind in opposition to Central Catholic, the Lions appeared destined to chop down the nets. West Linn got here up simply wanting turning into the reigning champs in baseball, soccer and boys basketball.

“I’m simply in shock due to the caliber of crew that we now have and the gamers we now have, I simply didn’t see that one coming,” Key acknowledged. “Particularly after I regarded up and noticed their 12-1 lead, I used to be simply caught off-guard.”

Secret is no stranger to the feat Tualatin pulled off. In 2018, Key’s Grant crew beat Jefferson within the championship recreation after dropping all three regular-season conferences.

“It’s a actuality now,” Key mentioned. “That was one thing I didn’t wish to take into consideration. However you may inform that Tualatin got here out with a want to not go down 4 instances. They most likely acquired each 50-50 ball and transformed loads of performs and Steppe was huge.”

Third-place recreation

Moroni Seely-Roberts had 32 factors, 12 rebounds and 5 assists as No. 4 Lincoln shot 56% from the sector and routed No. 2 Barlow 94-74 to earn the third-place trophy.

Malachi Seely-Roberts added 20 factors, eight rebounds and 9 assists for Lincoln (25-5). Graham Eikenberry contributed 13 factors and 10 rebounds

Jalen Atkins led Barlow (25-5) with 28 factors, whereas Mason Bierbrauer had 18.

The sport had a free really feel from the beginning as each groups performed a free, fast-paced fashion. Barlow led 22-21 after one quarter and pushed the result in as a lot as 9 within the second quarter earlier than the Cardinals took over. Lincoln completed the primary half on a 14-4 run to guide 44-43 at halftime, then began the third quarter with a 16-4 spurt to push the result in 13.

Lincoln ran away within the fourth quarter and led by as many as 22 down the stretch. The 94 factors was a season excessive for the Cardinals. Lincoln beforehand had overwhelmed Barlow 71-60 on Jan. 16.