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Hornets change styles to get win
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| H&N photo by Andrew Mariman Henley’s James Nygren pulls down a rebound in the Hornets 37-30 OSAA playoff win over Junction City on Friday. |
March 5, 2007
Friday night's OSAA Class 4A state playoff game between the Henley Hornets and the Junction City Tigers was a prime example of one thing - Oregon basketball needs a shot clock, badly.
After Henley missed its opening shot of the game, the Tigers grabbed the rebound and held the ball from the 7:23 mark of the period until the 4:15 mark.
The amazing part was that they did not take a single shot in those three minutes.
The Henley student section had it right when it started to chant: “Shoot the ball!”
But, apparently, the Tigers did not want to heed their advice and decided the only way they were going to beat the second-ranked team in the state was to not give the Hornets any chance to get the ball.
Henley has been one of the best teams in the state and coaches always say that good teams need to have the ability to adapt to any style of play.
In their win over the Tigers the Hornets did just that.Henley is used to playing a faster-paced game.
But the Tigers did not allow them to do so.
It's obvious that Junction City coach Craig Rothenberger knows how to coach basketball. He has been at it since 1980, but it would have been a travesty if he would have beat the Hornets to advance to Corvallis.
Basketball is meant to be a fast-paced sport, and the way the Tigers played the game is a disgrace. What was even more amazing was that in the span the Tigers held the ball, their fans were cheering for them.
Henley players said after the game that it was hard for them to change from the uptempo style they are used to playing.
“It's very tough to change styles,” junior Mike D'Olivo said. “But we have to have that ability if we are going to win games.”
Granted, it was good strategy for the Tigers to try and slow down the tempo of the game because, if they would have tried to keep up with the regular style the Hornets normally play, they would have been run out of the gym.
But it was not a fun game to watch. Maybe if the Tigers would have had their second-leading scorer, Ryan Patterson, who missed the game with a separated shoulder, they would have tried to shoot the ball.
Still, at the end of the game, it was a great moment to see the jubilation on the faces of the Hornet players. Henley has been one of the top teams in the state all season, and they have had the inside track to go to Corvallis since they wrapped up the Skyline Conference title.
Henley stepped up to the occasion against the Tigers.
It is not easy to win games when you have a target on your back. Ask any defending champion how hard it is to get back to the playoffs, let alone the championship two years in a row.
Henley did not go to state last year, but coach Jack Lee said it is never easy to win when people want to beat you.
“Everyone is going to give you their best effort,” Lee said. “Teams want to be able to say they beat one of the best teams in the state.”
When Friday's game ended, the Hornets gathered around one of the people recording the game and said “Gill” as they broke their huddle, in reference to the final site for the state tournament,, where the Hornets play next.
In the Henley weight room after the game senior James Nygren and juniors D'Olivo and Winston Mueller could not stop smiling.
Mueller said he has been going to Corvallis to watch games, but is excited to go as a player for the first time.
“It's going to be fun,” he said.
Things don't get any easier for the Hornets in their quest for the first boys basketball championship in school history: they have a tough game ahead of them against Stayton, at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.
The final eight teams in the 4A tournament include five teams ranked in the top 11 of the most recent statewide poll.
The top-ranked team in the state, defending champion Hidden Valley, who the Hornets beat in two out of three games this season, will not be in Corvallis. They fell, 32-29, in their game with Baker.
The wins over Hidden Valley should show Henley fans that they have the ability to compete with the best teams in the state.
At a tournament in Anaheim, Calif., Henley stayed with the Kentridge (Wash.) Chargers, a school with 1,700 students, which is more than two times the Henley student population.
The Chargers lost in the state championship, in double overtime, in the highest
classification in Washington.
- Ross L. Timbrook
Friday night's OSAA Class 4A state playoff game between the Henley Hornets and the Junction City Tigers was a prime example of one thing - Oregon basketball needs a shot clock, badly.
After Henley missed its opening shot of the game, the Tigers grabbed the rebound and held the ball from the 7:23 mark of the period until the 4:15 mark.
The amazing part was that they did not take a single shot in those three minutes.
The Henley student section had it right when it started to chant: “Shoot the ball!”
But, apparently, the Tigers did not want to heed their advice and decided the only way they were going to beat the second-ranked team in the state was to not give the Hornets any chance to get the ball.
Henley has been one of the best teams in the state and coaches always say that good teams need to have the ability to adapt to any style of play.
In their win over the Tigers the Hornets did just that.Henley is used to playing a faster-paced game.
But the Tigers did not allow them to do so.
It's obvious that Junction City coach Craig Rothenberger knows how to coach basketball. He has been at it since 1980, but it would have been a travesty if he would have beat the Hornets to advance to Corvallis.
Basketball is meant to be a fast-paced sport, and the way the Tigers played the game is a disgrace. What was even more amazing was that in the span the Tigers held the ball, their fans were cheering for them.
Henley players said after the game that it was hard for them to change from the uptempo style they are used to playing.
“It's very tough to change styles,” junior Mike D'Olivo said. “But we have to have that ability if we are going to win games.”
Granted, it was good strategy for the Tigers to try and slow down the tempo of the game because, if they would have tried to keep up with the regular style the Hornets normally play, they would have been run out of the gym.
But it was not a fun game to watch. Maybe if the Tigers would have had their second-leading scorer, Ryan Patterson, who missed the game with a separated shoulder, they would have tried to shoot the ball.
Still, at the end of the game, it was a great moment to see the jubilation on the faces of the Hornet players. Henley has been one of the top teams in the state all season, and they have had the inside track to go to Corvallis since they wrapped up the Skyline Conference title.
Henley stepped up to the occasion against the Tigers.
It is not easy to win games when you have a target on your back. Ask any defending champion how hard it is to get back to the playoffs, let alone the championship two years in a row.
Henley did not go to state last year, but coach Jack Lee said it is never easy to win when people want to beat you.
“Everyone is going to give you their best effort,” Lee said. “Teams want to be able to say they beat one of the best teams in the state.”
When Friday's game ended, the Hornets gathered around one of the people recording the game and said “Gill” as they broke their huddle, in reference to the final site for the state tournament,, where the Hornets play next.
In the Henley weight room after the game senior James Nygren and juniors D'Olivo and Winston Mueller could not stop smiling.
Mueller said he has been going to Corvallis to watch games, but is excited to go as a player for the first time.
“It's going to be fun,” he said.
Things don't get any easier for the Hornets in their quest for the first boys basketball championship in school history: they have a tough game ahead of them against Stayton, at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.
The final eight teams in the 4A tournament include five teams ranked in the top 11 of the most recent statewide poll.
The top-ranked team in the state, defending champion Hidden Valley, who the Hornets beat in two out of three games this season, will not be in Corvallis. They fell, 32-29, in their game with Baker.
The wins over Hidden Valley should show Henley fans that they have the ability to compete with the best teams in the state.
At a tournament in Anaheim, Calif., Henley stayed with the Kentridge (Wash.) Chargers, a school with 1,700 students, which is more than two times the Henley student population.
The Chargers lost in the state championship, in double overtime, in the highest
classification in Washington.
- Ross L. Timbrook
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||
| Antlers take home second trophy |
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Bill Hoffman wrote on Apr 10, 2008 10:07 AM:
" Long live Matt Miles! He was the "Billy Kilmer" of Semi Pro Football: tough, gritty, fiery leader, winning mentality. I will never forget this "young gunslinger", he made this league better for being in it.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Hoffman
CO Stampede, #45 "
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Hoffman
CO Stampede, #45 "
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Ken Karnes wrote on Oct 3, 2008 4:23 PM: