5A Playoffs: First Round Predictions (Part Two)

Jackson Naugle March 7, 2020 @ 04:03 PM

The 5A postseason is upon us, and 16 teams across the state are preparing to fight for a trip to Gill Coliseum in Corvallis. Headlining the field is a combination of established powerhouses and eager newcomers, both of whom have their sights set on a state championship. Here’s part two of our first round predictions: #14 La Salle @ #3 Crater Having to shake off a long drive, the Falcons will struggle to find their offensive rhythm as Nate Bittle has a monster night for the dangerous Comets. The shooting of [player_tooltip player_id="855987" first="Hunter" last="Chubb"] will provide an early spark as Crater races past [player_tooltip player_id="855935" first="Nic" last="Boyd"] and La Salle. Prediction: Crater, 71-43 #11 Parkrose @ #6 South Albany Behind the offensive skill set of [player_tooltip player_id="606253" first="Damontae" last="Burns"], the Broncos will lead for most of this game, but a strong home crowd will push the Red Hawks to a late comeback. Expect junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="855937" first="Isaiah" last="Gilliam"] to duel with Burns all night and fuel the South Albany offense. Nonetheless, Brian Bilbrew and the Broncos’ solid depth will hold off the Red Hawks’ second-tier players down the stretch, and Parkrose will pull off a thrilling victory. Prediction: Parkrose, 67-64 #10 Pendleton @ #7 Willamette [player_tooltip player_id="815599" first="Luke" last="Smith"] and the talented Wolverines will come out confidently on their home court and lead early. Expect senior point guard Joe Brown to play a big role guarding Buckaroo sniper [player_tooltip player_id="855945" first="Dakota" last="Sams"], while [player_tooltip player_id="855890" first="Ejim" last="Akuma"] and Elisha Thompson exploit mismatches on the offensive end to pull away. The Buckaroos should spend the second half clawing back, but Will-Hi’s talent and experience will hold them off down the stretch. Prediction: Willamette, 71-56 #15 Redmond @ #2 Silverton The Silver Foxes will come out shooting and never look back, riding MWC player-of-the-year [player_tooltip player_id="604215" first="David" last="Gonzales"] to a blowout victory. As the third-place finisher in the IMC, Redmond will simply be outmatched at every position. The Panthers had a great season, but Silverton’s abundance of solid role players will prove far too much to handle. Prediction: Silverton, 86-50