Culmination Week: Blue Bracket Tuesday Predictions

Culminating Week starts on Tuesday and with the varsity boys, the Blue Bracket is considered one of the top two in terms of the teams participating. Here’s a look at how we see the games playing out on Tuesday, all of them taking place at Milwaukie HS.

Mountainside over Barlow

This will be the first-ever matchup between these two schools and it should be a good game to kick off the Blue Bracket as it should be fairly high scoring. Barlow is led by gritty point guard Connor Hills Connor Hills 5'6" | PG Barlow | 2022 State OR and in recent games, the brother tandem of Nathan Jones and Jesse Jones has really come into their own on the offensive end. The Mavericks have done things largely by committee, but junior point guard Dimitri Cohen Dimitri Cohen 5'11" | CG Mountainside | 2022 State OR is the one to watch. It will be a nail biter but we see Mountainside coming out of this one.

Jefferson over La Salle

Out of all the games in the Red and Blue brackets this one looks on paper to be a total blowout but don’t discount the Falcons. Senior Nick Boyd won’t be afraid of the pressure and others like senior Jake Owens Jake Owens 6'0" | CG La Salle | 2021 State OR and sophomore Nick Robertson will be poised as well. But it’s hard not to see Jefferson as a big favorite here as they will be led by arguably the two top players in the state in Lamar Washington Lamar Washington 6'4" | CG AZ Compass Prep | 2022 State #128 Nation AZ and Marquis Cook Marquis Cook 6'6" | SF AZ Compass Prep | 2023 State #6 Nation AZ . Look for both to put up big numbers as the Demos win going away.

Clackamas over Cleveland

This should be an outstanding matchup between two teams that have shown tremendous teamwork, balance, and defense all year long. Despite losing a close one to Roosevelt late, the Warriors are one of the PIL’s best and have tremendous seniors such as Elijah Kruger and Eli Mesulam Eli Mesulam 5'10" | PG Cleveland | 2021 State OR and young talents like Jackson Cooper Jackson Cooper 6'5" | SF Cleveland | 2023 State OR and Christian Green. Clackamas is senior led by the quartet of Ryan Lewis Ryan Lewis 6'4" | SG Clackamas | 2021 State OR , Damon Erickson Damon Erickson 6'4" | SG Clackamas | 2021 State OR , KJ Horsley KJ Horsley 5'10" | PG Clackamas | 2021 State OR , and Izzy Baker Izzy Baker 6'4" | PF Clackamas | 2021 State OR . In the end we see the Cavs eeking this one out.

Jesuit over Newberg

Jesuit ended the season on a cold streak, losing their last couple of games. The Crusaders didn’t shoot well (10-for-54 for three) yet only lost by two and three points. Seniors James Lang James Lang 6'0" | CG Jesuit | 2021 State OR and Liam Ruttledge Liam Ruttledge 6'2" | CG Jesuit | 2021 State OR will be determined to go out on a high note, so even though Newberg features some solid seniors in their own in Spencer Lanier Spencer Lanier 6'5" | SF Newberg | 2021 State OR and Corban Muthiah, it’s hard not to see head coach Gene Potter and Jesuit dropping their first game in their bracket.