De La Salle North 80, Westside Christian 59: Five Takeaways

<p>Some of the faces may have changed but some things remain the same - De La Salle North is going to be a 3A contender if not the favorite. The Knights took some lumps in the early going this year but now that league play has started they are coming together as a team and with returning 3A player of the year <strong>George Sadi</strong> leading the charge, De La Salle North took full control in the second quarter and ran past a tough Westside Christian team on Thursday night, 82-59.</p> <p>Westside Christian was by no means an easy out. The Eagles executed their offense well early on, finding the open man and hitting their shots and staying within distance of De La Salle North after the first quarter. But the Knights turned on the full court pressure and some Eagles turnovers led to quick buckets by the Knights - especially from the senior Sadi. In the end the defending state champs won going away as Sadi finished with 27 points and junior <strong>Ubedei McGautha</strong> added 18 points. Westside Christian was led by <strong>Justice Johnson </strong>and his 14 points.</p> <p>"We have some athleticism and we have some heart," said De La Salle North head coach James Broadous. "We were able to turn up the pressure when we needed to and it finally started to wear them down and it gave us an opportunity to build a lead."</p> <p><strong>Rough Non-League Slate Prepared the Knights</strong></p> <p>The start of the season certainly wasn't easy for De La Salle North. The Knights opened up the year with a loss to Santiam Christian and then after winning over tough squads such as defending 4A champ Banks and 2A contenders Columbia Christian and Santiam, there was a four-game skid that included losses to two Washington teams and then 6A squads Sunset and Sherwood. But that certainly prepared De La Salle North for Lewis &amp; Clark league action and it showed in their victory over Western Christian and have started conference play 4-0 where no team has gotten to within 15 points.</p> <p>"It was a really tough non-league schedule - by design," said De La Salle North head coach James Broadous. "We wanted to give our guys some exposure but at the same time challenge them. It prepared us for games like this. If we can match up with the talent in 6A we can match up with the talent at the 3A level."</p> <p><strong>Rebounding and Defense Wins Games</strong></p> <p>It's an old adage but one that certainly rings true and that was the main difference in the ballgame. De La Salle North was able to convert Westside Christian turnovers into points and they absolutely dominated the offensive glass for second chance points. In particular <strong>Ubedei McGautha</strong> was able to use his physical strength to bang down low.  The Knights may lack raw size but they have the athleticism and desire to go after boards and they were flat out hard to contain. Defensively there can be some improvements made in the half court, but Broadous was very happy with the way his team executed their full court defensive game plan.</p> <p><strong>Sadi is Special</strong></p> <p>To be brutally honest, <strong>George Sadi</strong> can probably score whenever he wants to. Off the dribble, his combination of speed, strength, and athleticism is unmatched at the 3A level - if not for most of the state - and his quick first step and multiple ways of finishing at the hoop are practically unguardable. But Sadi isn't just about himself as he was good about sharing the basketball and looking for teammates for open shots as well. And defensively, he turned things on in the full court pressure and grabbed at least five steals which led to easy buckets for himself and other Knights. We caught up with Sadi after the game for an update and we'll have it posted soon.</p> <p><strong>Eagles Aren't Bad at All</strong></p> <p>Despite the game's final margin, you could see that the Eagles are actually a good team. Playing without their leading scorer <strong>Landon Thorn</strong> - who's out for the season with an ankle injury - when Westside Christian did handle the pressure and get into their sets, they moved the ball very well and were able to get good looks at the basket both inside and out. <strong>Justice Johnson</strong> (14 points) is a tough competitor/scorer, <strong>Andrew Hollis</strong> (10 points, 11 rebounds) has a great motor and nose for the ball, <strong>JL Scales</strong> is tough underneath (9 points), and <strong>Luke Jun</strong> (9 points, 7 assists) is a creator for himself and others.</p> <p><strong>Future is Bright for Westside Christian</strong></p> <p>While the loss of Thorn hurts and it will be hard to match up with a De La Salle North, there's no question that Westside Christian can be a contender for the post-season and possibly make a run at the 3A State Tournament. But what's even more promising is the future for the Eagles as with the exception of Scales and wing Ethan Chung, everyone else will be back and there are some promising freshmen in <strong>Ben Lammers</strong> and <strong>Carson Snodgrass</strong>. And with a healthy Thorn, the sky could be the limit for this team in upcoming years.</p>