Capitol City Classic: Monday Morning Standouts

<p>The second round of the Capitol City Classic took place on Monday and many of the state’s top teams were in attendance at Willamette University in Salem. We had the opportunity to take in a full day’s worth of games - the first such holiday tournament in almost two full years. Here’s a look at the top performers in the morning session, the consolation bracket.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1315407" first="Kellen" last="Sande"] (2022 Cascade)</strong></p> <p>Sande had the steady hand in the day’s opening game. The 6-foot-1 guard calmly handled Jefferson’s full and half court pressure to not only get his teammates involved but also create space for his own shot. He was hot from three early, hitting three in the first half, but focused more on getting to the basket to create for himself and others in the second. He finished with 15 points and four assists.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1005080" first="Dominic" last="Ball"] (2022 Cascade)</strong></p> <p>Ball continues to develop as a big man. Defensively at 6-foot-10 he effectively uses his height and length to challenge shots around the basket - he had three blocks - and offensively, he got a lot of his points off offensively putbacks. He ran the floor fairly well too. He finished with a double-double of 13 points and ten rebounds.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1085781" first="Jeremiah" last="Stigler"] (2023 Jefferson)</strong></p> <p>Stigler recently became eligible to play at Jefferson after transferring in from Grant and it’s clear he’s going to make a huge difference for the Demos. The 6-foot-1 lefty can knock down open jumpers as well as create his own shot off the dribble and finish around the basket. He finished with 17 points and was also a presence defensively.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="964552" first="Noah" last="Dewey"] (2022 Crescent Valley)</strong></p> <p>The versatile and talented Dewey put on an all-around show for the Raiders. He hit open jumpers and converted drives to the hoop, including one impressive two-handed flush that highlighted his athleticism. At 6-foot-7, he used his length to snare rebounds and block a couple of shots. Also a baseball standout, he noted that he’ll be taking an official visit soon to Cal State Northridge. Dewey wound up with 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists.</p> <p><strong>Kellen Sullivan (2022 Corvallis)</strong></p> <p>We only got a chance to catch the very end of Corvallis’ win over Salem Academy but we liked what we saw from Sullivan. He’s a hard-working 6-foot guard who’s a gamer and willing to take - and make - big shots. He was clutch down the stretch with his free throw shooting and finished with a game-high 28 points in the victory.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962928" first="Moroni" last="Seely-Roberts"] (2023 Lincoln)</strong></p> <p>You’d figure Seely-Roberts would have been tired after posting 38 points in an almost upset against Cane Ridge, and it kind of looked that way early as he missed a number of easy shots. But he picked things up in the second half, not only getting buckets as usual but also contributing on the boards and with his passing. He finished with 20 points.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="861088" first="Graham" last="Eikenberry"] (2023 Lincoln)</strong></p> <p>It was pretty quiet in the first half, but things picked up in the second for Eikenberry. For one, he got some touches while in the paint and used his height advantage effectively in hitting 5-for-6 shots from the field. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, we continue to be impressed with the basic fundamentals the junior has, likely simply keeping the ball up high and not bringing it down. 12 points, five rebounds, and three blocks on the day.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962929" first="Malachi" last="Seely-Roberts"] (2023 Lincoln)</strong></p> <p>South Salem was hoping to use their speed to their advantage on the defensive end, but Seely-Roberts handled the pressure well with his ball-handling and passing. He got loose and showed off some of his accuracy from long range, draining three threes, and ended up posting 15 points.</p> <p><strong>Greg Comer (2024 South Salem)</strong></p> <p>The Saxons are young but there are blocks to build around including Comer. The 6-foot guard has a strong build and is crafty with the basketball, and can either hit catch-and-shoot threes or use the dribble to set up his pull-up jumper. He did a good job against Lincoln’s press and finished the game with 15 points.</p>