Canby's boys basketball team has had some big wins in its four seasons under coach Matt Taylor.
In his first season, the Cougars ended Wilsonville's eight-year winning streak in the 5A Northwest Oregon Conference. Last year, they won two playoff games to make the state semifinals for the first time in school history.
But Monday night's 62-61 double-overtime win at No. 1 Parkrose (17-3, 10-1), which pulled No. 7 Canby (13-6, 10-1) into a first-place tie in the conference, was as gratifying as any of those victories.
“It's definitely near the top, if not the top,” Taylor said. “I don't think anybody really gave us a chance. I've never seen a group of kids play so hard, play so together.”
Since losing at home to Parkrose 72-50 on Jan. 9, the Cougars had reeled off seven consecutive wins in the NWOC to stay within one game of first place. They arrived Monday night ready to make a better showing against the Broncos.
“Because Parkrose is very talented, I think you have to have played them already to really understand their quickness, their ability to score, their defensive pressure,” Taylor said. “I think it actually helped us. The kids have really grown over the past month-plus.”
Canby led by eight points at half but Parkrose came back and held a six-point lead with about three minutes remaining. The Cougars answered and had chances to win at the end of regulation and the first overtime, but could not convert.
In the second overtime, senior center Dane Edwards split two free throws to give Canby a 62-61 lead with 46 seconds left. The Cougars held on defense and Edwards went back to the line with seven seconds remaining, but missed both shots.
Parkrose rebounded and advanced the ball to half-court before calling timeout with 3.4 seconds on the clock. Broncos senior guard Fuzzy Montague drove to the rim but was unable to convert at the buzzer, setting off a wild Canby celebration.
“You would've thought we won the state championship,” Taylor said. “They were literally going crazy. Multiple people have said Parkrose, coming out of the Les Schwab Invitational, would not lose another game for the rest of the year. To do it on the road in double-overtime, it's really a feather in the cap for the kids.”
Senior point guard Jaxon Lawson led Canby with 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five steals and one block, shooting 3 of 5 from three-point range. Junior Cooper Cousin had 12 points and six rebounds, senior Danner Michel scored 10 points and Edwards added seven points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.
Senior wing Cohen Vandecoevering was “phenomenal on defense,” according to Taylor. The 6-foot-6 Edwards and 6-4 junior Ben Twitchell challenged shots inside and didn't allow second chances.
Sophomore guard Jayden Hall and junior guard Varryk Hardges scored 19 and 16 points, respectively, for Parkrose, which lost for the first time in 11 games. Montague made three three-pointers and scored 11 points.
Canby returned two starters from last year's semifinal team in Lawson, a first-team all-state selection, and Vandecoevering. The Cougars took their lumps in the first month of the season – dropping four games to 6A teams and another to a team from Georgia – but they believe they have found their identity.
Monday's win gave them a boost as they near the playoffs.
“I think Monday night needed to happen to galvanize that belief,” Taylor said. “You could see it in the gym in practice Tuesday.”
For the season, Lawson is averaging a team-high 13.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals. Twitchell (11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds) and Cousin (9.8 points, 3.1 assists) are next in scoring.
Benson repels Grant in OT
Benson forced a first-place tie in the 6A Portland Interscholastic League with a 88-76 overtime win over visiting Grant on Tuesday night.
The Astros could not hold a 14-point lead with 4:46 left in regulation as Grant sophomore Malik Mason made four three-pointers down the stretch. But Benson prevailed in the extra session, when freshman Kendall Hopkins-McGlothen scored seven of his 25 points.
In settling the score for a 92-84 home loss to Grant on Jan. 13, the Astros (15-6, 10-2) pulled even with the Generals (13-7, 10-2) atop the league standings. The teams each have four league games remaining.
The 6-3 Hopkins-McGlothen made two baskets and went 3 for 4 on free throws in overtime to help put Grant away.
“In my opinion, I think he’s the best prospect in the state,” Astros assistant coach Curtis Williams told Portland Preps about Hopkins-McGlothen. “My opinion, I think he’s PIL player of the year as a freshman, just making an impact. … Kendall, ice in his veins, he’s going to be a problem to deal with, comes from a great family and always looking to guard the best player.”
Junior guard Richad Hudson also had a big game for Benson, putting up 25 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals. Senior guard Robert Acelar added 15 points.
Mason led Grant with 28 points.
-- Austin White contributed to this report
Hull breaks 1A career scoring record
South Wasco County senior guard Jason Hull became 1A's all-time leading scorer Tuesday night with a 53-point outburst as the No. 3 Redsides routed Klickitat/Glenwood 95-35 in their Big Sky League finale.
The 6-4 Hull raised his career total to 2,348 points, surpassing the previous record of 2,344, set by Trinity Lutheran's Matt Eidler (2017-20). Hull now stands at No. 9 on the state's all-time scoring list.
In about 20 minutes of play Tuesday, Hull shot 19 of 25 from the field, including 12 of 16 from three-point range, and made all three of his free throws. He fell short of his career high of 60 points, set Dec. 30 against North Lake.
Hull is averaging 35.0 points per game this season for South Wasco County, which ended the regular season 23-2 overall, 13-0 in league.
No. 1 PC cuts down Loggers
No. 1 Portland Christian put a virtual lock on the outright 2A Northwest League title Tuesday by rolling past No. 6 Knappa 72-39 in a home game at Warner Pacific University.
With a win, the Loggers (19-5, 11-2) could have put themselves in position to share the league title with Portland Christian (22-0, 12-0), but the Royals were never threatened. They led 24-5 after one quarter, 44-13 at half and by as many as 39 points in the third quarter.
"I thought we played one of our most efficient and cleanest halves of the season in the first half,” Portland Christian coach Erik Lyslo said of his team, which extended its league winning streak to 43. “Our defense set the tone for how the game was going to be played with our pressure and ability to rebound and eliminate the second-chance opportunities they tend to get.
“And offensively, we shared and moved the ball really well and executed, which is something we talk about all the time."
Junior guard Keylon Kittleson (14 points, five assists, four rebounds, four steals) and senior guard Ethan Larner (14 points) led the Royals in scoring. Junior post Hudson Calhoun added 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.
Portland Christian has two league games remaining and Knappa has one. The Royals swept the season series between the teams, also defeating the Loggers 57-46 on the road Jan. 20.
jerryu@osaa.org
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