Oregon 6A Title Game: 5 Things to Watch
As the Oregon class 6A basketball season wraps up this afternoon, we take a look at things to look for in today’s 3rd place and state championship games.
1. Who Can Stop Clackamas point guard Elijah Gonzalez?
So far the answer that question has been no one, as the 5’9 Portland State signee has exploded for 71 points in two Cavalier wins. If he is able to get into the paint against Jefferson like he has the last two nights, Clackamas will have a great chance of winning the first blue trophy in school history. Gonzalez is especially tough late in games with a lead, as he is a one man press break and has made 20-24 free throws in the tournament.
2. Does Clackamas have an answer for Jefferson’s athleticism?
Clackamas did a nice job of defending West Linn’s big man duo of Kieshon Dawkins and Khalid Thomas because they have good size and length of their own, namely senior Matt O’Brien and 2018 forwards Dane Agost and Cole Turner. Jefferson has decent size, but relies on a pool of talented guards who are all capable of attacking teams off the dribble. Expect Jefferson to challenge Clackamas’ ability to guard the perimeter without getting into foul trouble.
3. Who can best shake the December 30th hang over?
These two teams faced off in the 5th place game of the Les Schwab Invitational and the Demos playing without 2018 forward Kamaka Hepa, the #1 player in the class, pulled away in the 2nd half for a 80-54 victory. Jefferson was lead by 2017 guard Thomas Miles with 24 and senior guard Amari Stafford chipped in 18. Elijah Gonzalez lead Clackamas with 22 points. Essentially Jefferson easily beat Clackamas without their most talented player in the game and with fairly pedestrian nights from their other two leaders, Geno West and Marcus Tshonis. Do the Demos expect it to be easy? Does Clackamas have memories of a 26 point loss? The team that can best forget that first game will give themselves the best chance of cutting down the nets today.
4. Can West Linn bounce back?
Now that their quest for a historic 5th state title is over, it will be interesting to see how the Lions bounce back in this afternoon’s 3rd place game. Many times you see talented teams appear disinterested after their championship hopes have disappeared. With a victory, West Linn would have 6 straight seasons with a 3rd place or higher finish, something no other public school has accomplished in Oregon’s biggest classification.
5. Does a Beaverton win put them back on the map??
For much of the 1980s & 1990s, Beaverton was on the short list of schools when the conversation of elite programs in Oregon took place. Under the tutelage of legendary coach Nick Robertson, the Beavers routinely appeared at the state tournament and sent players on to D1 schools nearly every year. Changing demographics and the addition of new schools Westview and Southridge have made things much more difficult. However, back-to-back Metro League Titles and a strong state tournament finish, would be good indicators that 3rd year coach Andrew Vancil is on his way to restoring Beaverton’s proud basketball tradition.
Predictions:
3rd Place Game – #2 West Linn vs #4 Beaverton
We expect both teams to be very motivated to finish their season on a high note and look forward to a hotly contested match up. West Linn has a little too much fire power for the Beavers and wins in a game that is close till the end.
State Championship – #1 Jefferson vs #3 Clackamas
Jefferson has been unbeatable all season and possesses the combination of size, athleticism, and depth that most Oregon schools can’t match. Elijah Gonzalez appears to be in a zone rarely seen on Oregon’s biggest stage, having made it look easy against two good teams with D1 players of their own. Our mind says Jeff is just too good, but our heart tells us that Gonzalez has one more magical performance in him and will lead Clackamas to the very end. Ultimately though Jefferson wins in a close game to claim their first 6A state title.