Beaverton 42, Jesuit 40: Five Takeaways

<p>When it comes to the Metro League, you don't take anything for granted. That was certainly the case on Friday night. With Jesuit hosting an emotional senior night and Beaverton missing arguably their top player, it seemed as if it would be a cakewalk for the league-leading Crusaders. Instead one of the most classic rivalries in all of the state came into play and Beaverton survived a late Jesuit run to pull off the upset on the road, 42-40.</p> <p>The Crusaders never really got rolling in the game as they struggled to get any kind of offensive rhythm against Beaverton's zone defense. Jesuit shot only 4-for-21 in the first half and trailed, 16-11 at halftime. Things got a little better in the second half and the Crusaders made a late run, but Justin Bieker missed a wide-open jumper in an effort to tie the game in the final seconds and Beaverton secured the win.</p> <p><strong>Senior Leads the Way</strong></p> <p><strong>Mason Stewart-Carothers</strong> might lack size but the senior definitely doesn't lack heart. The 6-foot (if that) guard is best known for his smooth outside jumper but instead of launching threes against Jesuit - he only shot one, he earned his points by attacking the basket. While not naturally a point guard, Stewart-Carothers also managed to take care of the ball when given the chance and on the night he finished with 4-for-7 shooting, 6-for-6 from the line for his 14 points.</p> <p><strong>Young Guns Emerging for the Beavers</strong></p> <p>While Beaverton has had a solid season, it's the future that head coach Andrew Vancil is certainly excited about as the Beavers have some young players ready to emerge. And if the game against Jesuit was any indication, some of them are ready now. <strong>Trent Walker</strong> is a 6-foot-3 sophomore who is very aggressive offensively, especially taking the ball to the hoop. On the night he ended up with 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting and he would have had even more if he had hit some free throws. <strong>Dane Erickstrup</strong> is a 6-foot-7 sophomore oozing with potential. There's no question he needs to get stronger, but he has a few post moves and in the game he was rock solid on the boards (nine rebounds) and even showed off a nice passing touch from the high post with three assists to guys cutting to the basket.</p> <p><strong>Levis Did His Best</strong></p> <p>With seniors <strong>Aiden Williams</strong> (3-for-15) and <strong>Justin Bieker</strong> (4-for-12) struggling from the field, junior <strong>Matthew Levis</strong> did his best to keep Jesuit in the game. In every quarter, the 6-foot guard showed a great motor on both ends and at times seemed like the only Crusader who could find the basket. He hit a couple of threes but also attacked with the pull-up jumper. On the night Levis finished with 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting (2-for-6 from three) while also pulling down five boards and tallying a couple of assists and steals.</p> <p><strong>Beaverton Stays Alive</strong></p> <p>With the win, Beaverton not only stays in good position to earn a post-season berth - their ranking stands at #26 going into the weekend - they also still have a chance at earning third place or even second in the league standings. The Beavers face Westview for their own senior night on Wednesday and then are at Southridge on Friday, and wins in both games would go a long way in determining their final post-season placement. Without senior guard <strong>Isaac Rosenthal</strong> - who is out for the rest of the season due to a torn labrum - it won't be easy, but given without him they've already beaten the best team in the league on the road, anything is possible.</p> <p><strong>Jesuit Still in Good Shape</strong></p> <p>Despite the loss, the Crusaders remain in the top four of the OSAA rankings and appear poised to still capture the Metro League title. Their final game of the regular season will be at Westview next Friday, which could have ramifications based on how the Wildcats play against Beaverton on Tuesday. Seniors such as <strong>Aiden Williams</strong> and <strong>Justin Bieker</strong> will bounce back from their shooting woes and will no doubt ready to grab the championship that eluded them last season.</p>