Churchill 75, Willamette 56: 10 Best

<p dir="ltr">A smothering 22-4 third quarter by the Churchill Lancers gave them their fourth league win against cross-town foe Willamette on Tuesday, another pivotal step toward a second straight league title. </p> <p dir="ltr">For the Lancers, <b>Brian Goracke</b> put on a show, lighting up the nets as he cemented himself as a primary offensive option. For the Wolverines, it was junior forward <b>Luke Smith’s</b> night, keeping the visitors within striking distance with 30 points including seven three-pointers.</p> <p dir="ltr">When both <b>Ejim Akuma</b> of Willamette and <b>Isaiah Wallace</b> of Churchill got ejected from the game in the second quarter, Churchill’s depth took control and stretched the lead for good.</p> <p dir="ltr">Here’s our “10 Best” from Tuesday:</p> <p dir="ltr"><b>MVP: Brian Goracke (2020 Churchill)</b></p> <p dir="ltr">Goracke’s stroke from downtown was an offensive focal point for the Lancers, scoring 31 points on 12-for-16 shooting including 5-for-8 from three. Additionally, the 6-foot-5 Point Loma commit was the best rebounder on either team, using his athleticism to collect 10 boards on the night. Although the Lancers have plenty of options, Goracke seems to be the current number one with his high-flying play style and repeatable shooting motion.</p> <p dir="ltr"><b>Play of the game: Samaje Morgan mid-court lob to Goracke</b></p> <p dir="ltr">During the third quarter, Churchill’s Star senior threw down a tomahawk jam on a perfect alley-oop pass from half court by sophomore stud Samaje Morgan. At this moment, it appeared Churchill was fully in control of the ball game.</p> <p dir="ltr"><b>Best offensive performance: Brian Goracke (2020 Churchill)</b></p> <p dir="ltr">Not only was Goracke the top scorer of the night, but his 31 came on terrific shooting as well. At an astounding 75 percent from the field, the 6’5” senior just barely edged out Willamette’s Luke Smith for this spot.</p> <p dir="ltr"><b>Best defensive performance: Silas Bennion (2020 Churchill)</b></p> <p dir="ltr">The senior point man was aggressive on defense as always, coming up with a game-high three steals. Additionally, Bennion continues to impress with his ability as a rebounder at just 6-feet tall. The Lewis and Clark State commit collected five boards on the night to go alongside 11 points and seven assists, effectively sprinkling in a little bit of everything. With quick feet and elite competitiveness, Bennion is an absolutely force on the defensive end in particular for the Lancers.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Best guy off the bench: Dylan Carson (2020 Churchill)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The 6-foot-6 Carson gives Churchill size and experience off the bench, tallying four points, four rebounds, and two assists in this contest. The Lancer’s starting lineup tends to do the heavy lifting offensively, but Carson is a valuable asset off the bench both defensively and as a decent passer from inside.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Best intangibles: Joe Brown (2020 Willamette)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Brown, despite lacking size, is one of the Wolverines best all-around players this season. The 5-foot-10 guard has a good feel for the game and is clearly a very coachable player. On Tuesday, the senior scored just four points, but led Willamette in rebounds and assists with five apiece, making him a low-key difference-maker for the Wolverines.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Best under-the-radar performance: Jose Yanez (2021 Willamette)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Yanez appears to be another steady-headed guard for Willamette this season, quietly earning secondary scoring honors on Tuesday with seven points. The 5-foot-9 junior has a crafty handle and can shoot the three, and although his numbers aren’t always eye-popping, he rarely makes mistakes and scores efficiently.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Best underclassmen: Samaje Morgan (2022 Churchill)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The 5-foot-8 guard continues to cement himself as one of the best sophomores in the state, with no exception coming on Tuesday. Morgan scored six points, grabbed three rebounds, and shared the basketball with five assists. The speedster’s production remains consistent due in part to his “fire” as a player. Morgan never takes plays off and causes issues on both ends of the floor for his opponents.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Best sneakers: Ejim Akuma (2020 Willamette)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">In his return to “the dome” Akuma broke out the “Lime Light” colorway of the Under Armour Curry 7. With an extremely bright green upper, the senior guards kicks were eye-catching to say the least.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Best aspect of the environment: Heated battling between former teammates</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Tuesday’s matchup was senior guard Ejim Akuma’s first game against his former team, and although Akuma still considers many of Churchill’s players friends, the tension of the situation was clear. During the second quarter, said tension finally boiled over when Akuma and Churchill guard Isaiah Wallace got into a heated altercation after a loose-ball foul, resulting in both players being ejected from the ballgame. Although no one enjoys seeing a double ejection, the storyline was very entertaining up to this point nonetheless.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>