Photo courtesy of God’s Gifts Photography
Four Basin high school basketball teams saw their seasons come to a close after losing postseason games this weekend. Take a look at how things unfolded.
Friday
Western Christian 67, Bonanza 23 (Girls)
No. 3 seed Western Christian (23-3) held No. 14 seed Bonanza (15-12) to its fewest points of the season to advance to the 2A quarterfinals.
The Pioneers led 15-2 after the first quarter, 38-12 at halftime and 55-18 after the third quarter.
Junior Maggie Ackley led the Antlers with 11 points (including three triples), junior Briza Garcia had 4, senior Mary Schooler had 3, senior Vashti Arata and sophomore Hadley Woods both had 2, and sophomore Abby Hill had 1.
For Western Christian, senior Runon Muroya had 18 points (16 in the first half, including two threes), freshman Kylie Sommer had 15 (11 in the second quarter), senior Haley Ferry had 12 (6 in the third quarter), sophomore Savannah Newman had 11 (including two threes), senior Grace Chastain had 6 (on two threes), junior Kali Ellis and sophomore Allison Chastain both had 2, and sophomore Kinsey Wark had 1.
Bonanza’s senior class–Schooler, Arata, Grace Kness, Haley Wierleske and Manon Deleage–finished with a four-year record of 63-38, the most wins since the class of 2018. They helped the Antlers to four playoff appearances (two in 1A and two in 2A) and won the East Cascades Conference tournament this season.
Western Christian faces No. 6 seed Central Linn (19-6) in the quarterfinals of the OSAA 2A state championships at Pendleton High School at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Junction City 62, Klamath Union 37 (Girls)
Junction City (15-9) scored its most points since the 2022-23 season in a 4A play-in round win over Klamath Union (12-13).
The host Tigers led 21-6 after the first quarter, 33-17 at halftime and 48-28 after the third quarter.
Sophomore Lisette Watah led the Pelicans with 15 points (12 in the second half), senior Farrah Zumwalt had 6, senior Andi Harmon had 5, senior Jazzi Wilson had 4, and senior Leah Segura and juniors Bella Armijo and Winnie Hsieh all had 2.
For Junction City, senior Ophelia Johnson had 14 points, senior Kate Dickson had 12, senior Reigan Defoe had 11, senior Elise Hartle had 10, junior Eva Buenau had 6, junior Riley Plumlee had 4, and junior Makayla Croce and sophomore Allie Farrald both had 2.
Klamath Union’s senior class–Zumwalt, Harmon, Wilson and Segura–amassed a four-year record of 49-40, the most wins since the class of 2015. They helped the Pelicans to four postseason appearances as well as one of the best campaigns in program history in 2023-24. That year, Klamath Union won a share of its first Skyline Conference title and made its first state tournament appearance since 1990. The Pelicans finished fourth–their best finish ever–and won 19 games, the second-most since the team’s inaugural season in 1974-75.
Junction City received the No. 12 seed in the 4A playoffs and will travel to No. 5 seed Cascade (17-6) at 7 p.m. Friday.
Saturday
East Linn Christian 79, Bonanza 62 (Boys)
A 30-point second quarter helped No. 8 seed East Linn Christian (20-5) book its fourth consecutive 2A quarterfinal appearance and eliminate No. 9 seed Bonanza (19-6).
The Eagles led 17-12 after the first quarter, 47-28 at halftime and 60-46 after the third quarter.
Senior Tristan McGann led the Antlers with 27 points (22 in the second half, including four threes), senior Victor Gonzalez had 11, junior Garrett Gallagher had 10, sophomore Colby Medeiros had 9, sophomore Dominick Lamboy had 3 and senior Alex Renzetti had 2.
Bonanza’s senior class–McGann, Gonzalez and Renzetti–amassed a four-year record of 72-31, the most wins since the class of 2007. They helped the Antlers to four playoff appearances (two in 2A and two in 1A), including a 2A state tournament appearance in 2022.
East Linn Christian faces No. 1 seed Western Christian (24-3) in the quarterfinals of the OSAA 2A state championships at the Pendleton Convention Center at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Days Creek 73, Crosspoint Christian 63 (Boys)
No. 10 seed Days Creek (20-7) led wire-to-wire, denying No. 7 seed Crosspoint Christian (22-6) its first 1A quarterfinal appearance.
The Wolves led 23-14 after the first quarter, 37-30 at halftime and 53-45 after the third quarter.
Sophomore Caden Moritz led the Warriors with 25 points and 8 rebounds; junior Davis Hartwell had 18 points (including three triples), 2 rebounds and 2 blocks; senior Kody Sparks had 8 points (including two threes), 8 rebounds and 2 assists; sophomore Trey Johnston had 4 points and 3 rebounds; junior Brock Throne had 4 points and 2 rebounds; junior Clayton Turnage had 2 points and 3 rebounds; and junior Collin Kleinjan had 2 points.
For Days Creek, senior Keegan Stufflebeam had 23 points, junior Xane Hopkins had 16 (7 in the first quarter), junior Cam Stufflebeam had 13, senior Aiden Denson had 11 (9 in the second half) and junior Trenton Ladd had 10.
Crosspoint Christian shot 24-of-53 (45%) from the field, including 6-of-19 (32%) from 3-point range, and made 9-of-13 free throws (69%).
The Warriors’ seniors–Sparks, Chase Knecht and Paul Casson–represent Crosspoint Christian’s second four-year class (the school opened in 2020). They went 63-41 during their tenure and contributed to the program’s first 1A playoff appearance (2022), playoff win and Mountain Valley League championship (both this season).
Days Creek will return to the OSAA 1A state championships for the first time since 2019 (excluding the 1A tournament held during the delayed and shortened 2020-21 season). The Wolves face No. 2 seed and three-time defending champion Crane (27-0) in the quarterfinals at Baker High School at 8:15 p.m. Thursday.