SPORTS
THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
November 29,1989
Page 7
Merrill's abilities keep Cougars hopeful
by Mark A. Borrelli
Sports Editor
If the Clackamas Cougars
men’s basketball team is to be
successful this season they will have
to rely on leadership and scoring
from their returning players. One
person that will be relied on to
carry a big leadership role is so
phomore guard Troy Merrill.
Merrill, a guard from Canby
High School, will be the Cougar’s
biggest offensive threat this year.
Last year in limited action Merrill
turned in some solid performances.
His coach and his teammates alike
are hoping that Merrill can turn
in a solid year and help them make
the play-offs.
. “We’ve got a very good team
this year. We haven’t put every
thing together yet, but when we
finally mesh together we will be
that much better. We’re improv
ing everyday,” said Merrill.
Last year’s early loss to Lane
in league play-offs left a sour taste
in Merrill’s .mouth. This year he
hopes to help guide his team to
the regional 'championships in
Bellevue.
“We’re going to make the play
offs and get to Bellevue,” stated a
very confident Merrill. “I want to
bring this team leadership and
toughness-whatever it takes to of high school. Obviously thp
win.”
classes are harder, but the transi
The weakest part of this sea tion from high school basketball
son’s Cougar team is its size. to college ball was the hardest of
Clackamas could have problems all.
battling the boards with some of
“The college game is just a
the league’s bigger teams.
dramatic change from high school.
“We’re a small team, but we’re It’s a lot harder than high school.
scrappy. We have a lot of talent. A lot of people who come to
We need to maintain our inten Clackamas were the starters of
sity, play solid defense, and hit the their high school basketball team
boards hard,” said Merrill.
and everything centered around
Coaching also has a lot to do
with the success of a team, and "Fan support is
Merrill feels that the Cougars are something that we
fortunate to have a great one.
“CoachKiser is a great coach. always got in high
He always gets the most out of a school, but never
player; he never lets anyone lay
get at Clackamas.
down. He’s helped my game a lot.
He gives you a lot of freedom to The fans don't know
work, but at the same time he
what they're missing,
keeps your structure,” said Mer
because college ball
rill.
Merrill began his basketball is the best game
career at an early age under the
tutelage of his father, and hopes around."__________
to carry on to OSU next year where them. In college, you’re just an
he hopes to study physical ther equal and atreated the same as
apy. In his free time he enjoys everyone else,” said Merrijl.
playing basketball, studying, and
Another change that Merrill
being with friends.
has noted since leaving Canby is
Becoming a good student as the lack of fan support.
well as a quality athlete at the
“Fan support is
college level is a transition that
something
we always had in high
Merrill had to make coming out
school and never have at
Clackamas.'
Clackamas Sophomore guard Troy Merrill hopes to do anything
possible to help get his team to Bellevue, and a regional
Championship.
Cougars disappointing at tournament
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by Mark A. Borrelli
Sports Editor
The Clackamas men’s basket
ball team has gotten off to a slow
start. The Cougars dropped 2 of 3
games in a pre-season tournament
at Lower Columbia.
Clackamas got a great star t as
they got the tournament rolling
by cruising to an easy 102-80 vic-,
tory over Yakima Valley. The
Cougars jumped out of the gates
early and grabbed a 56-35 half
time advantage. It was all down
hill from there, as the Cougars
eased to the 22 point win. Troy
Merrill led Clackamas .with 26
points. Todd Spencer scored 13,
while Jason Taylor and Brett
Neisland each added 12 points.
“In the first half we played
really well. In the second half we
didn’t play very well, we didn’t
play very good defense,” said Coach
Royce Kiser.
The play of Merrill, and the
tenacious board play of the Cou
gars according to Kiser were-keys
to the game.
“Troy played really well, and
we really hit the boards offensive
boards welL”
Clackamas 85, Clark 91.
The Cougars dropped their.
t firstgameofthetournamentwith
tough loss to the Clark College
Penguins, 85-91. The contest was
I close throughout as Clark led by
I only 4 (40-36) at the half-time
4 |
J
f
break. Clackamas rallied in the
second half, but could never quite
overcome the Penguins.
Todd Spencer was the big gun
for the Cougars as he tossed in 33
points. Jason Taylor added 17 in
the losing effort.
Clackamas
committed only 10 turnovers in
the game, but were out rebounded
40-34 and that proved, to be the
difference.
“Were didn’t hit the boards
very well, but we used this tourna
ment as chance for everyone to
play. We used 10 guys in the Clark
game, and 11 people scored in the
Yakima game. We want to get a
look at everyone right now,” said
Kiser.
Kiser’s mood was less than
genial, as the Cougars lost a game
they should have won in their
tournament finale. A three point
bomb by Shoreline with 9 seconds
to play lifted the Samurai’s to a
96-93 victory.
Coach Kiser was less than
pleased with his team’s perform- ‘
ance against the Samurais.
“That’s'a poor team that just
beat us. Points mean nothing if
you let the opponents score more.
thanyou. Unless we play smarter,
unless we learn how to play bas- .
ketball, we’re in for a long sea
son,” said Kiser. Kiser was fumed
by the performance of his squad in
the tournament.
“We fast break well, but we.,
have no judgment what-so-ever
when it comes to setting it up. We
don’t execute our offense well at,
alL We don’t go to the defensive
boards well, we’re too worried
about going down to score. Until
we learn how to do these things,
were not going to be a very good
basketball team,” steamed Kiser.
The Cougars will be in action
tonight when they host Willam
ette’s JV team.
Photo by Mark A. Bonwli
Back at practice, the men's basketball team is hard at work,
getting ready for their league opener in Janurary.