Oregon (OSAA) 5A boys basketball state tournament: Matchups, what to know for each of Wednesday's quarterfinals
The OSAA 5A boys basketball state tournament begins Wednesday at Linfield University in McMinnville. Here is a breakdown of each quarterfinal matchup.
BRACKET
Photo by Leon Neuschwander: Jack Snyder and Redmond take on Mountain View at the 2023 state tournament in Corvallis
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No. 9 Mountain View vs. No. 1 Summit
Records: Mountain View 16-10, 8-7 Intermountain Conference (third); Summit 21-4, 15-0 Intermountain Conference (first)
Time: 1:30 p.m.
After going two-and-out at last year’s state tournament, Mountain View is looking for a trophy this time. The Cougars closed strong in the difficult Intermountain and knocked off No. 8 Crater on the road in the round-of-16, 59-55 in overtime. Senior guard Quincy Townsend is one of 5A’s most dynamic scorers, and senior center Ian Prictor is a tough matchup down low. The Cougars haven’t fared well against Summit this season, but the fourth time could be the charm at Linfield.
Summit is on a mission after back-to-back runner-up state finishes. The Storm went 27-1 two seasons ago with its lone loss coming to Tualatin in the 6A title game. Last year, Summit rolled to the final before stumbling against Wilsonville. Pearson Carmichael — a Boise State signee and the reigning 5A player of the year — Collin Moore and Mac Bledsoe are among the returning stars for a Storm team with championship-or-bust aspirations. A final rematch with Wilsonville could be one for the ages.
No. 5 West Albany vs. No. 4 Woodburn
Records: West Albany 22-4, 16-2 Mid-Willamette Conference (second); Woodburn 21-4, 17-1 Mid-Willamette Conference (first)
Time: 3:15 p.m.
In another intraconference quarterfinal, West Albany will get a third crack at Mid-Willamette champion Woodburn. West Albany was competitive in both regular-season losses, including a 61-60 defeat at home Feb. 2. Senior forward Brysen Kachel is a dominant two-way player who can score at all three levels. West Albany will be competing in the state tournament for the first time since 2020.
Woodburn brought back three starters from last season’s team that went two-and-out at the state tournament. Those three starters — Cruz Veliz, Brody Hawley and 6-foot-9 Liam Slattum — are dangerous players with ample big-game experience. Woodburn scored a huge early-season victory over Wilsonville at the Capitol City Classic and has won 18 games in a row entering the state tournament. With Veliz leading the offense, Woodburn could be the most likely team to spoil a Summit/Wilsonville championship rematch.
No. 6 Putnam vs. No. 3 North Eugene
Records: Putnam 21-4, 14-2 Northwest Oregon Conference (second); North Eugene 22-4, 10-2 Midwestern League (tied first)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Putnam picked up its first postseason win since 2002 in the round-of-16, taking down South Albany 52-42 to earn a trip to McMinnville. The Kingsmen have been a bit under the radar this season, but the senior-led group played a couple of competitive games against Wilsonville and hung in against North Eugene at the Abby's Holiday Classic, falling 51-46. Putnam plays ferocious defense and is heavy on perimeter players with Tyler Adams, Chase McDonald, Jaiden Pickett and others.
North Eugene placed fourth at last year’s state tournament during a breakthrough season under head coach Blake Gee. The Highlanders dropped two Midwestern games down the stretch to settle for a share of the league title this winter, but Gee’s veteran group bounced back strong with a rout of Silverton in the round-of-16. Senior captains Joey Banry and Jonas Spencer — whose status is questionable because of an injury suffered late in the regular season — are dangerous scorers for a team that averages 67 points per game. With 10 seniors on the roster, North Eugene is looking to claim the program’s first state title since 2007.
No. 7 Redmond vs. No. 2 Wilsonville
Records: Redmond 18-8, 10-5 Intermountain Conference (second); Wilsonville 23-3, 16-0 Northwest Oregon Conference (first)
Time: 8:15 p.m.
Redmond erased a 19-point second-half deficit to storm back and defeat La Salle Prep in the round-of-16, 75-70. It’s the third consecutive state tournament trip for the Panthers, who placed fifth the previous two seasons. Wyatt Horner, Ian Pearson and Jack Snyder have become leaders for a Redmond team that had to replace several key pieces because of graduation. The Panthers weren’t competitive in an early-season loss to Wilsonville, but Redmond is playing with house money after its comeback win over La Salle Prep.
The gold standard for Class 5A boys basketball, Wilsonville has appeared in seven consecutive state finals and won five of the past six championships. The Wildcats have a great chance to make it eight straight title game appearances with four starters back from last season’s team, including Northwest Oregon Conference player of the year Kallen Gutridge. Gutrdige is headed to Oregon State to play quarterback, but the left-handed guard is just as good on the basketball court. Wilsonville has ample depth behind Gutridge with Kyle Counts, Emmitt Fee and others. Wilsonville tends to play its best basketball in March, and there’s no reason to expect anything different this year.
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