Oregon (OSAA) 6A boys basketball state tournament: Matchups, what to know for each of Wednesday's quarterfinals
The OSAA 6A boys basketball state tournament begins Wednesday at the University of Portland's Chiles Center. Here is a breakdown of each quarterfinal matchup.
BRACKET
Photo by Naji Saker: Alonzo Hoff and Southridge take on Summit at the Les Schwab Invitational in December
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No. 8 Jesuit vs. No. 1 Central Catholic
Records: Jesuit 18-8, 8-4 Metro League (second); Central Catholic 24-3, 14-0 Mt. Hood Conference (first)
Time: 1:30 p.m.
It’s been five years since Jesuit last played a game at the state tournament, and what a game it was. The Crusaders knocked off Jefferson in the 2019 final for their seventh state championship — all under head coach Gene Potter. Jesuit also qualified for the 2020 tournament that was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senior Nico Rafalovich, the Metro co-defensive player of the year, junior Patrick Kilfoil and star freshman Isaac Bongen are three of the leaders for a balanced Crusaders team that will hope to beat its archrival in the quarterfinals.
Central Catholic is the most complete team at the state tournament with a strong mix of size, athleticism, experience and depth. Junior guard Isaac Carr is committed to Oregon, and senior swingman Marley Zeller — a Pepperdine signee — received Mt. Hood player of the year honors. Sophomore point guard Zamir Paschal also was voted first-team all-conference. The Rams, who haven’t lost to an Oregon team this season, ran the table in conference play for the second time in the past three years. Central Catholic hasn’t won a state title since 1994, and this group has all the necessary pieces to end the drought.
No. 5 Tualatin vs. No. 4 Barlow
Records: Tualatin 20-6, 9-1 Three Rivers League (first); Barlow 19-7, 11-3 Mt. Hood Conference (second)
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Tualatin’s dreams of a three-peat nearly ended in the round-of-16, but the Timberwolves played well down the stretch to defeat West Salem, 79-70. Just like he has all season, Jaden Steppe came to the rescue with 30 points against the Titans. Steppe, a Colorado State signee and the Three Rivers player of the year, has shouldered an enormous load all season for a Timberwolves team that has dealt with multiple key injuries. If Tualatin is going to win its third consecutive state title, Steppe and sophomore point guard Jemai Lake — the younger brother of former Timberwolves star and current Oregon State guard Josiah Lake — will need to have big tournaments.
Barlow is one of the best 6A boys basketball programs without a state title, and this group has the horses to get over the top. Just like Central Catholic, the Bruins had three first-team all-Mt. Hood selections in juniors Jalen Atkins, Brayden Barron and Mason Bierbrauer. Barlow has plenty of depth behind its big three as the team returns to the state tournament after a fifth-place finish a season ago. If Atkins can get going from beyond the arc, the Bruins are a threat to beat anyone at Chiles Center.
No. 11 Grant vs. No. 3 Roosevelt
Records: Grant 19-7, 13-3 PIL (second); Roosevelt 24-2, 15-1 PIL (first)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Under first-year head coach Sean Brownhill, Grant rallied back from a 3-5 start to reach the state tournament for the first time since 2019. The Generals blasted sixth-seeded Liberty in the round-of-16, 69-47. Seniors Charlie Kapranos and Vashon Hardges are the two leaders for Grant, which won the 2018 state title and placed fourth the following year. The Generals are 1-2 against Roosevelt this season, including a 67-65 home victory in the most recent meeting.
With eight seniors on the roster, Roosevelt is one of the most seasoned teams at the state tournament. The Roughriders also have plenty of talent. After spending last season at Arizona’s Compass Prep, Terrence Hill Jr. returned to Roosevelt to lead the offensive attack. Hill, a combo guard, is a Utah State signee. Fellow guards Utrillo Morris, Chance White and Owen Nathan are dangerous players with plenty of big-game experience. Roosevelt’s only losses this season are to Grant and Tualatin by five combined points. The Roughriders could have a chance to avenge both defeats as they chase the program’s first state title since 1949.
No. 7 Beaverton vs. No. 2 Southridge
Records: Beaverton 17-9, 7-5 Metro League (tied third); Southridge 24-3, 10-2 Metro League (first)
Time: 8:15 p.m.
Beaverton is making its third consecutive appearance at Chiles Center, and lead guards Max Elmgren and Aiden Rice have been key pieces during all three runs. Both players received first-team all-Metro honors, and senior center Chance Winter, a College of Idaho commit, has been playing some of his best basketball after missing more than a month with a wrist injury. The Beavers went 0-3 against Southridge during the regular season, but the senior-led group has the skill and toughness to make some noise.
Southridge won its first Metro title since 2018, which was also the last year the Skyhawks qualified for the state tournament. No. 18 West Linn had Southridge on the ropes in the round-of-16, but the offensive juggernaut squeaked out a 72-67 win to earn a spot at Chiles Center. Carter Fortune, Kaden Groenig and Alonzo Hoff are among the offensive leaders for a Skyhawks team that has topped the 100 points mark twice this season. Averaging nearly 75 points per game, Southridge has the ability to run away and hide from most teams.
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