Churchill 86, Thurston 58: Top Performers

Jackson Naugle March 4, 2020 @ 08:00 AM

On Churchill’s senior night, the Lancers celebrated one of the best graduating classes in the state of Oregon by dismantling Thurston 86-58. In what was only a twelve point game at halftime, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/samaje-morgan/">[player_tooltip player_id="857343" first="Samaje" last="Morgan"]</a> and company began scorching the nets after the break on their way to a perfect MWL season. Although inside presence of [player_tooltip player_id="964538" first="Jake" last="Newell"] as a shot-blocker, rebounder, and scorer kept the Colts in the ballgame for a while, the Lancers’ array of offensive weapons was sure to catch fire and pull away before things got interesting. With the win, the Lancers finish the regular season 21-3 and clinch the number one overall seed in the state tournament. Meanwhile, the Colts drop to 9-14 and finish sixth in the MWL. Here’s our top performers from Tuesday: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/samaje-morgan/">[player_tooltip player_id="857343" first="Samaje" last="Morgan"]</a> (2022 Churchill) - Stats: 21 pts, 2 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl The MVP of the game was Morgan, whose ability to sprint out in transition paid dividends against the slower-paced Colts. The sophomore point guard buried three deep-balls to go alongside his handful of fast break finishes, and as per usual, his presence was also felt on the defensive end. With tremendous footspeed and smart instincts, Morgan picks off steals at an astonishing rate. [player_tooltip player_id="964538" first="Jake" last="Newell"] (2022 Thurston) - Stats: 27 pts, 14 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk Although he wasn’t clearly the best underclassmen, sophomore sleeper [player_tooltip player_id="964538" first="Jake" last="Newell"] certainly proved himself as a big-time ball player on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3 forward is the definition of a rebounder, and his tenacity and athleticism on both ends make him an absolute handful inside. At one point, Newell made a crowd-pleasing block on Eastern Washington commit <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kaelan-oneil/">[player_tooltip player_id="625615" first="Kaelan" last="O’Neil"]</a> and proceeded to let him know about it, proving his unwillingness to back down from a tall order. Although the Colts are done for the time being, Newell and his ridiculous motor are certainly ones to watch moving forward. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/isaiah-wallace/">[player_tooltip player_id="841404" first="Isaiah" last="Wallace"]</a> (2020 Churchill) - Stats: 19 pts, 1 reb, 4 ast (4-for-8 3pt) The goggled guru continues to impress coming off his early-season injury, pouring in threes at will as the Lancers march through wins. On Tuesday, the 6-foot-1 guard made the most of his senior night, burying four from downtown to lead the game. Although he does his fair share as a deadeye sniper, Wallace also quite simply has a great feel for the game, constantly understanding of his role and how to play it. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kaelan-oneil/">[player_tooltip player_id="625615" first="Kaelan" last="O’Neil"]</a> (2020 Churchill) - Stats: 13 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk The 6-foot-4 swingman was able to get his in a winning effort on Tuesday, scoring thirteen points with a mixed bag of offensive tricks. Making great use of angles off the dribble-drive, O’Neil can get inside and rise up for an easy two or step back and bury a three on command it seems. As an athletic forward, the Eastern Washington commit collects rebounds at a high rate, scores efficiently, and continues to defend well at a wide range of positions, making him a dynamic player for the Lancers.   Photo: ShotsbyChubbs