Oregon awards small-school basketball titles, large schools near finals

Led by explosive junior Jordan Tebbutt, Horizon Christian (Tualatin) won its second consecutive boys 3A State title with a 58-44 win over West Valley League rival Dayton.

The 6-5 Tebbutt scored 20 points in the title game held at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay as HC defeated Dayton for the fifth time in eight games over two years. The title game's 14-point margin was the largest of the eight contests.

Tebbutt, named Player of the Game, also headed up the All-Tournament team that included Sheridan's Tre Hale-edmerson and Dayton's Travis Bernards, A.J. Hedgecock and 6-10 Maika Ostling, who has committed to Oregon State.

The celebration was short-lived, however, as Tebbutt said it was his final game with the No. 1 Hawks (27-4). Rated as one of the nation's top recruits for 2012, Tebbutt will transfer to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior year.



Oak Hill (27-3) is ranked No. 14 nationally by MaxPreps.

Sheridan (22-8) defeated Blanchet Catholic (Salem) (26-3), 41-29, for third to give the WVL a one-two-three finish.

3A GIRLS: DELONG LEADS VALE TO TITLE
Junior Amy Delong scored 18 and grabbed 13 rebounds as Valem (24-2) defeated Salem Academy (26-4), 49-36, to win the Girls 3A title. Strong rebounding (57-42 advantage) and slick ballhandling (seven turnovers) enabled Vale to survive cold shooting for the win. DeLong was named Player of the Game.

Third Place: Umatilla (24-4) 48, Portland Adventist Academy (23-6), 42.

All-Tourney – Delong, Brooke Hawkins (Vale), Danielle Vanderstoel (Salem Academy), Naomi Castanon (Umatilla) and MacKenzie Krieser (St. Mary's).

Also, in first round action, Vanderstoel scored 25 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as Salem Academy ended St. Mary's/Medford perfect season, 45-42. St. Mary's finished 24-2.



2A BOYS: ZOOK DOMINATES, MENNONITES WIN
Player of the Game Pierre Zook scored 31 points on 13-19 shooting to lead Western Mennonite (Salem) (26-5) over Central Linn (Halsey) (25-5) for the 2A championship, 58-52.

Zook scored 35 points to lead WM over Enterprise, 72-47, in a semifinal game. In the other semifinal game, Zach Holloway bucketed nine treys and scored 36 points as Central Linn defeated Knappa, 71-61.

Third Place: Knappa (Astoria) (27-3) 70, Enterprise (22-5) 56.

All Tourney – Zook, Bradley Branch (WM), Dalton Kelley (Knappa), Blake Nightingale (CL) and Holloway.

2A GIRLS: REGIS ROCKS SCIO ONE MORE TIME
Make it two in a row for Regis (Stayton). Last year, it was in 3A. This year, the 29-1 Rams defeated rival Scio (25-5) for the third time this season. None of those wins was bigger than Saturday night's 41-21 victory. The lone loss for the Rams this season was against 5A Marist, 55-48, back on Dec. 8. Since then, Regis won 27 straight.

Third Place: Pilot Rock 58, East Linn Christian Academy (Lebanon) 52.



All Tourney - Whitney Koehnke (Regis), Elizabeth Willingham (Pilot Rock), Haley Guest (Scio), Codi Shull (East Linn) and Pele Gianotti (Riddle).

* Gianotti scored 36 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as Riddle (26-3) beat Riverdale (21-8) in three overtimes, 73-66.

1A BOYS: FOUL SHOOTING ENSURES TITLE FOR SILETZ VALLEY
Siletz Valley (22-5) hits 15 of 16 free throws in the final 7 minutes and got 49 points from all-tournament players Jake Carr (27) and Erick Rice (22) in winning the 1A title over Triad (Klamath Falls) (23-5), 70-56. Siletz Valley reached the finals with a 50-42 win over No. 1 and previously unbeaten McKenzie as McKenzie (Finn Rock) scored just five points – 18 below his average.

Wiley rebounded with 29 points and 16 rebounds as McKenzie (Finn Rock) (28-1) took third place, 51-37, over Horizon Christian (Hood River) (25-6).

Joining Wiley, Carr and Rice on the All-Tournament team were Ryan Opie (Crane) and Garrett Powless (The Triad).

1A GIRLS: DEFENSE LEADS NIXYAAWII
Nixyaawii Community (Pendleton) forced Hosanna Christian (Klamath Falls) (24-5) into 30 turnovers and cruised to a 75-50 win to claim the Oregon 1A Girls title Saturday. Player of the Game Kanisha Perry scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the champions (28-3).



Third Place: Crane (25-2) 34, Perrydale (Amity) (19-11) 30, OT.

All Tourney - Jessica Simpson (Nixyaawii), McKenzie Endersen (Columbia Christian), Cali Cruickshank (Perrydale), Emily Gonzales (Mohawk) and Hannan Buermann (Crane).

* Endersen scored 36 points as Columbia Christian defeated Mohawk in the fourth place game.

Continue reading for large schools coverage{PAGEBREAK}BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SPOTLIGHT TURNS TO LARGE SCHOOLS
With six state championships decided the first weekend of March, the focus turns to Oregon's large schools with games March 8-12.

The 6A boys and girls will play at Portland's Rose Garden, the 5A event will take place at University of Oregon's Matt Court and the 4A teams will be spotlighted at Oregon State's Gill Coliseum.

6A BOYS: WILTJER RETURNS FOR NO. 1 JESUIT
After missing four weeks with an ankle injury, Kentucky-signee Kyle Wiltjer is back at full speed for No. 1 Jesuit (Portland) (23-2) as the Crusaders seek their third consecutive state title. If successful, they'll be the first Oregon team with three straight big-school titles. Jesuit opens play against Roseburg (19-6) March 9.



Unheralded West Linn (13-14) finished 6-9 in the Three Rivers League, but has peaked at the right time with four straight wins, the most recent 63-51 over TRL rival and champion Lake Oswego as sophomore Mario Shonkiller scored 30 points. The Lions open against North Medford (19-5).

Other quarterfinal games include:
* Central (Independence) (22-3) vs. Lincoln (Portland) (20-6);
* Westview (Portland) (19-6) vs. South Medford (22-4).

6A GIRLS: CLACKAMAS, JESUIT TEAMS TO BEAT
Top seeds Clackamas (25-1) and Jesuit (Portland) (24-1) are the favorites. Jesuit's lone loss this season was to Westview, 60-54, eight games ago, while Clackamas has won 23 straight since falling to a Florida team in December. Clackamas opens March 10 against St. Mary's Academy (Portland) (22-4) and Jesuit meets South Medford (Medford) (21-5).

Other opening games include:
* South Eugene (22-5) vs. Beaverton (21-6);
* Oregon City (22-4) vs. Tigard (23-4).

5A BOYS: LOSS WAS GOOD FOR NO. 1 CORVALLIS
No. 1 and favored Corvallis (24-1) opens state action against Mid-Wallamette League rival Woodburn (18-7) - the only team it lost to this season (74-70 in OT). Since that loss, the Spartans have won by an average of 20 points per game.

Other first round games include:
* Wilsonville (23-3) vs. Milwaukie (21-3);
* Benson Tech (Portland) (21-3) vs. Mountain View (Bend) (16-7);
* Bend (21-2) vs. Crescent Valley (Corvallis) (17-8).



5A GIRLS: SPRINGFIELD LEAVES THE DRIVING TO MERCEDES
Led by 6-3 Mercedes Russell, Springfield (24-2) looks to be the team to beat. Russell, the Midwestern League Player of the Year, averages 24 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks per game for the Millers. Winners of 10 straight since losing back-to-back games against 6A opponents, Springfield plays March 10 against Sherwood (19-5).

Other games include:
* Wilsonville (23-2) vs. Crescent Valley (Corvallis) (20-5);
* Hermiston (20-5) vs. Willamette (Eugene) (18-7);
* Mountain View (Bend) (17-7) vs. West Albany (Albany) (21-4).

4A BOYS: DEFENSIVE MINDED MAZAMA HAS WON 24 STRAIGHT
No. 1 Mazama (Klamath Falls) earned the top seed by virtue of its stingy defense (41 ppg). Their only loss this season was to Del Norte of Crescent City, Calif., on Dec. 4 by a 41-38 score. Since, they've won 24 straight.
Mazama (26-1) opened March 8 against Banks (17-9).

Other quarterfinal games include:
* Tillamook (21-3) vs. Cottage Grove (22-3);
* North Bend (21-3) vs. Roosevelt (Portland) (16-7);
* Phoenix (20-6) vs. Central (Independence) (17-6).

4A GIRLS: STATE'S ONLY UNBEATEN TEAM IS FAVORED
Led by senior point guard Brittaney Niebergall and 6-3 center Megan Hays (19.9 ppg), La Salle (Milwaukie) is the state's lone unbeaten team at 26-0. This will be Niebergall's third appearance in a state tournament. It will also be her third team and a third classification. As a freshman she played for 5A Bend, then led Portland Christian to the Class 2A title last year. Niebergall last suffered defeat in 2008, when she played for Bend. The Falcons open play March 9 against Mazama (Klamath Falls) (20-8). The Cinderella team is Crook County (Prineville). In 2008, CCHS lost all funding for athletics, but on Saturday night the Cowgirls defeated No. 2 seed Central, 47-42, to advance. They open against Henley (Klamath Falls) (20-5).

In other quarterfinals Wednesday:
* Madras (18-7) vs. Banks (19-6);
* Brookings-Harbor (Brookings) (24-1) vs. Cascade (Turner) (23-2).