OSAA 6A Playoffs: Sleeper Teams

<p>OSAA has released the 6A playoff bracket, and the stage is officially set for a tightly-contested postseason. Today, we take a look at a few talented rosters that could make an unexpected run to the Chile’s Center. In order to qualify as a "sleeper team," we deemed that a team must be seeded 12th or lower, as the top 11 teams have likelier paths to the quarterfinals. Here’s a look:</p> <p><strong>#12 Jesuit (16-8)</strong></p> <p>Coming off a red-hot February, the Crusaders are certainly a dark horse to contend for the elite eight, and ultimately, the state championship. The Metro League champions have won eight straight behind the steady play of junior combo guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1256714" first="Isaiah" last="Crane"]</strong>, who lately has blossomed as the go-to guy. Like clockwork, Head Coach Gene Potter has his Crusaders playing their best basketball heading into the postseason, with an impressive sweep over #8 Beaverton to show for it.</p> <p><strong>#13 West Salem (17-6)</strong></p> <p>Despite playing inconsistently in the Mountain Valley Conference, the Titans barreled through an impressive stretch of games at the Capitol City Classic in December, beating Silverton (5A #4), #8 Beaverton, and Wilsonville (5A #2). During this stretch, the balanced Titans proved they were capable of winning tournament basketball against top-notch competition. Behind the leadership of senior guard <strong>Jon Breyman</strong>, West Salem could see a similar run in the big dance. </p> <p><strong>#14 Lincoln (18-7)</strong></p> <p>With the size and talent to compete with the state’s best, the Cardinals could easily shake things up in their portion of the bracket.<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="962928" first="Moroni" last="Seely-Roberts"]</strong> has been one of the best scorers in the state this season, and his brother, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962929" first="Malachi" last="Seely-Roberts"]</strong>, has been similarly spectacular. These two, at 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-8 respectively, paired with the 6-foot-10 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="861088" first="Graham" last="Eikenberry"] </strong>at center, make the Cardinals one of the state’s lengthiest lineups, capable of flustering #3 Cleveland in the second round. </p> <p><strong>#16 Lake Oswego (13-12)</strong></p> <p>The Lakers have been somewhat inconsistent, but when <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1276627" first="Winters" last="Grady"]</strong> is hot, they can compete with anyone. Despite a 13-12 record, the Lakers are the lone Oregonian team to have beaten #1 Tualatin this season, who happens to be their theoretical second-round opponent. Additionally, Lake Oswego has proven themselves with a sweep of #18 Tigard and a big win over #12 Jesuit. The Timberwolves, current championship favorites, should definitely be on upset alert if they face the Lakers for a fourth time this season.</p> <p><strong>#18 Tigard (14-9)</strong></p> <p>As the 18th seed, the Tigers may be the most underrated team in the field. The dynamic duo of twin brothers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="861097" first="Malik" last="Brown"] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="861095" first="Kalim" last="Brown"]</strong> has been excellent while on the floor, while the deadeye shooting of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1256624" first="Sawyer" last="Wolf"] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1256638" first="Douglas" last="Bailey"] </strong>makes the Tigers even more capable of getting hot in a hurry. With the full strength of a lineup that somewhat struggled with injuries during the regular season, Tigard will look to make a run this March.</p> <p><strong>#21 Sherwood (16-9)</strong></p> <p>Once again, the Bowmen have made it look easy in the Pacific Conference, coasting to their fourth straight league title. Led by the tenacious trio of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1202059" first="Owen" last="Caudle"]</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1382408" first="Matthew" last="Verkamp"]</strong>, and <strong>Jared</strong> <strong>Sucher</strong>, the Bowmen picked up solid wins over #28 Ida B. Wells, #29 Sunset and #30 Century throughout the season. As the 21st seed, the Pacific Conference champions are criminally underrated and capable of pulling off an upset. </p>