JANUARY 7, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM
A6 WEDNESDAY,
SPORTS
PREP BASKETBALL • SCHEDULE
A look at Hermiston boys put away La Grande
area hoops
BY SAM BARBEE
HERMISTON HERALD
H
DSS\1HZ<HDU
everybody.
1RZWKDWLWLV
WKHQHZ\HDULWPHDQV
one thing, among others:
league basketball.
Let’s jump right into it.
$IWHUDVORZVWDUWWKH
Hermiston girls have
come on like gangbusters.
7KH/DG\%XOOGRJVKDYH
ZRQVWUDLJKWJDPHV
and look to be regaining
WKHLUWRSWKUHH¿QLVKHU
form from last season.
(DUOLHUWKLVVHDVRQ,
ZURWHWKDWWKH\PLJKW
be in a rebuilding year,
that it might take them
time to get back to that
level of basketball. Well,
,ZDVZURQJ7KH\FDQ
SOD\$VRI0RQGD\
WKH\ZHUH7KH
(XJHQHWRXUQDPHQW
VZLQJRSHQHGP\H\HV
and the thrashing of a
GHFHQW.HQQHZLFNWHDP
VROLGL¿HGWKHHJJRQP\
IDFH,¶OOWDNHLW,¶PDELJ
boy.
:LWKWKHZD\
Hermiston is playing, the
girls should roll through
OHDJXHQRSUREOHP7KH
remaining nonleague
JDPHV6XQQ\VLGH
DQG/D6DOOH3UHS
VKRXOGJRDORQJZD\LQ
telling head coach Steve
Hoffert and the players
ZKHUHWKHWHDPLVDW7ZR
ZLQVRYHUWKRVHWHDPV
ZRXOGGRZRQGHUV(YHQ
DVSOLWZRXOGEHJRRG
7KHER\VWKRXJKDUH
a different story — not a
bad story, just different.
We keep talking about
WKHQHZV\VWHPWKH
football players needing
more time to prepare for
EDVNHWEDOOHWF,IHHOEDG
ZKHQ,DVNKHDGFRDFK
-DNH0F(OOLJRWWDERXWWKH
ODWWHU,WVHHPVOLNHVXFKD
QRQIDFWRUQRZ7KH\¶YH
been playing basketball
IRUDPRQWKQRZ7KH\
VKRXOGEHLQVKDSH%XW
it is still a question.
Football and basketball
shape are different.
Football is a sporadic,
KHUN\MHUN\W\SHJDPH
that is played in spurts,
albeit intensely physical
VSXUWV%DVNHWEDOOLV
HORQJDWHG7KHSOD\
GRHVQ¶WVWRSEHWZHHQ
DFWLRQ,WFRQWLQXHV
almost unceasingly until
it merely pauses for a
number of seconds before
picking up again.
So, these guys are
just getting into shape.
:HNQRZWKDWVRUWRI
%XWZH¶YHEHHQDEOHWR
see improvement out of
SAM BARBEE
FROM THE SIDELINES
Sports reporter
WKH%XOOGRJV+HUPLVWRQ
WRRND.HQQHZLFN
WHDPWRWKHZLUHRQ
Saturday but still only
VFRUHGSRLQWV,WZDV
WKHVHFRQGVWUDLJKWJDPH
WKH%XOOGRJVZHUHKHOG
WROHVVWKDQSRLQWV
and the fourth time all
year. Regarding league
teams, keep in mind that
Pendleton is playing good
basketball. Hood River
Valley is performing
GHFHQWO\DQG7KH'DOOHV
DOZD\VJHWVXSWRSOD\
+HUPLVWRQ,¶PQRW
VD\LQJWKH%XOOGRJVZLOO
JRLQWKH&ROXPELD
River Conference, just
WKDWWKH\ZRQ¶WEUHH]H
WKURXJK%XWPD\EHWKH\
ZLOO7KDWUHPDLQVWREH
seen.
0RYLQJQRUWK
Umatilla basketball is fun
WRZDWFK
7KHJLUOVDUHZLWK
their only losses coming
WRXQGHIHDWHG$SRZHUV
Kennedy and Union
and to solid 4A team La
*UDQGH([FOXGLQJWKH
points they put up over
+DUSHU+XQWLQJWRQWKH
Lady Viks are averaging
SRLQWVSHUJDPH
:LWKWKDWKRZHYHU
LWMXPSVWR7KH\DUH
RQHRIWZRJLUOVWHDPVLQ
DQ\FODVVL¿FDWLRQLQWKH
HQWLUHVWDWHWRVFRUH
points, so far, and one of
WHDPVRYHUDOO7RSXWLW
in perspective, Hermiston
KDVSOD\HGJDPHVDQG
has scored just more than
SRLQWV8PDWLOODKDV
SOD\HGJDPHVDQGKDV
VFRUHG
Umatilla should roll
through its league slate.
$VRI0RQGD\9DOHLV
EXWKDVRQO\SOD\HG
a collection of mediocre
,GDKRVFKRROVDQG
VXIIHUHGDIRXUSRLQWORVV
to La Grande. Riverside
LVVPDOODQGZLOOVWUXJJOH
ZLWK8PDWLOOD¶VVL]H
and speed, and Nyssa
KDVDOUHDG\EHHQEORZQ
RXWE\8PDWLOOD,¶P
H[SHFWLQJWKH/DG\9LNV
WRWDNHWKH(2/FURZQ
7KH8PDWLOODER\V
are steadily improving.
,QWHUHVWLQJO\HQRXJK
they have actually scored
more points than the
VHYHQWKUDQNHG/DG\
Viks, but they’ve also
DOORZHG7KH\DUH
-DNH 0F(OOLJRWW JRW
KLV ¿UVW KRPH ZLQ DV WKH
head coach of the Hermis
ton boys basketball team
7XHVGD\ QLJKW DV WKH %XOO
GRJV UDOOLHG IURP DQ
¿UVWTXDUWHUGH¿FLWWRGRZQ
WKH WKUDQNHG $ /D
*UDQGH 7LJHUV EH
KLQG'LOORQ=LPPHUO\¶V
points and Keegan Craf
WRQ¶V
³,W IHHOV QLFH´ 0F(O
OLJRWW VDLG DIWHU WKH ZLQ
³,¶PSURXGRIKRZWKHER\V
IRXJKWJRLQJGRZQHDUO\LQ
WKH¿UVWTXDUWHUDQGFRPLQJ
RXWLQWKHWKLUGTXDUWHUÀDW
EXWWKHUHDUHVWLOOWKLQJVZH
QHHGWRZRUNRQ´
7KH ZLQ JLYHV WKH %XOO
GRJVDOLWWOHELWRIEUDJ
ging rights over the neighbor
WRWKHVRXWKDVZHOO
³(VSHFLDOO\
SOD\LQJ
DJDLQVW WKHVH JX\V´ =LP
merly said. “We’ve been
SOD\LQJ WKHP VLQFH ZH
ZHUH \HDUV ROG DQG LW¶V
nice to beat them for the
last time.”
After making all three
SRLQWDWWHPSWVLQWKH¿UVW
TXDUWHU DQG JRLQJ RI
in the second, La Grande
cooled considerably in the
second half, hitting 2 of 4.
Hermiston’s perimeter de
fense tightened up, forcing
7LJHU VKRRWHUV WR SXW LW RQ
the deck instead of taking
ZLGHRSHQV
³,W¶V NLQG RI EHHQ RXU
problem other games, too,
WHDPV PDNLQJ V´ =LP
PHUO\ VDLG DERXW WKH %XOO
GRJV¶SRLQWGHIHQVH³6R
ZH¶UH ZRUNLQJ RQ FORVLQJ
out better.”
7KH ¿UVW TXDUWHU ZDV DOO
La Grande.
7KH7LJHUVKLWWKHLU
¿UVWWZRVKRWV²ERWKV²
ZLWKRQHFRPLQJIURP'HU
ek Yohannan and the other
IURP -DNH 3RZHOO +HUP
iston didn’t score until
WKH PDUN WR PDNH WKH
SAM BARBEE PHOTO
Chase Knutz (21) of Hermiston
shoots over La Grande’s Blaine
Kreutz (22) as teammate Dillon
Zimmerly boxes out Brandon Dall
GXULQJWKHÀUVWKDOIRI+HUPLV-
ton’s 51-44 win Tuesday night in
WKH'DZJKRXVH
FRXQWEXW%UDQGRQ'DOO
KLWDDQG+HUPLVWRQFRP
mitted its third turnover of
WKHTXDUWHUDQGZDVEHKLQG
'DOO¶VEDVNHWZLWK
OHIWJDYH/D*UDQGHDQ
DGYDQWDJHDQGD=LPPHUO\
jumper brought Hermiston
EDFNWRZLWKDPLQXWH
left.
7KH %XOOGRJV PRXQW
ed a charge in the second
TXDUWHUE\VFRULQJWKH¿UVW
¿YH SRLQWV RQ DQ $XVWLQ
1DLOORQDQGDSXWEDFNE\
Landon Gammell. Hermis
ton and La Grande traded
baskets, and Hermiston
WUDLOHG ZKHQ =LP
PHUO\ KLW D OD\XS DQG ZDV
IRXOHG +LV SRLQW SOD\
EURXJKW +HUPLVWRQ ZLWKLQ
DSRLQWDWDQGDIWHU
D 3RZHOO EDVNHW WKH VFRUH
ZDV WLHG RQ D =LPPHUO\
ZLWK WKUHH PLQXWHV OHIW LQ
WKH¿UVWKDOI
³, ZRXOGQ¶W FDOO LW
VPRRWKHU´
0F(OOLJRWW
VDLG RI WKH VHFRQGTXDUWHU
RIIHQVH ³:KHQ ZH FDPH
EDFN = =LPPHUO\ KLW D
ELJ LQ D VFDWWHUHG FRXUW
:H GLG UXQ VRPH VHWV ZHOO
and got Keegan some good
ORRNVRQOREVEXWZHJRWD
ORQJZD\VWRJR´
+HUPLVWRQ WUDLOHG
at the half, partly due to bet
ter perimeter defense, but
partly from La Grande’s in
DELOLW\WRPDNHDIUHHWKURZ
RUHYHQJHWWRWKHOLQH7KH
7LJHUV ZHQW RI RQ WKH
night.
La Grande tried to take
control in the third quarter
and made three consecu
WLYHEDVNHWVZKHQ'DOODQG
3RZHOOKLWSRLQWVKRWVDQG
<RKDQQDQKLWDEXW*DP
mell, Naillon and Chance
Flores all had baskets to
SXOO +HUPLVWRQ ZLWKLQ WZR
DW <RKDQQDQ KLW DQ
RWKHU ² KH KDG IRXU RQ
the night, but Cole Smith
JRWDOD\XSWRJRZLWKDIRXO
to cut La Grande’s lead to
three. Smith missed the free
WKURZ EXW WKH PRPHQWXP
FDUULHG RYHU IRU WKH %XOO
dogs.
7KHIRXUWKTXDUWHUVWDUW
HGZLWKDQ+HUPLVWRQ
run that all but put the game
DZD\ IRU WKH %XOOGRJV
Crafton scored on a nice
VHW SOD\ WKDW HQGHG ZLWK D
OREIURP=LPPHUO\1DLOORQ
KLWDDQG&UDIWRQKDGWZR
more baskets to give Herm
LVWRQ D VHYHQSRLQW OHDG LW
ZRXOGQ¶WUHOHQW7KHEDOOV
WKDW ZHUH IDOOLQJ IRU /D
Grande earlier kept rattling
out, and Hermiston made
WKUHHRI¿YHIUHHWKURZVLQ
WKH¿QDOPLQXWHWRVHDOWKH
ZLQ
³,W¶VDIHHOJRRGZLQ´
0F(OOLJRWW VDLG ³<RX FDQ
FHOHEUDWHIRUKRXUVDQG
pat yourself on the back,
EXW ,¶P JRLQJ WR JR KRPH
tonight and get ready for
WRPRUURZ¶V SUDFWLFH DQG
move on. We need to get
better, OK? We played
ZHOO LQ WKH IRXUWK TXDUWHU
We need to build on that.
7HDPV DUH HLWKHU JURZLQJ
or they’re dying. We gotta
JURZIURPWKLV´
SEE HOOPS/A7
GO SEE IT
Wednesday, January 7
No events scheduled
Thursday, January 8
Swimming
Hermiston @ Hood River, 2:45 p.m.
Wrestling
Hermiston @ Yelm (WA), 7 p.m.
Friday, January 9
Wrestling
Hermiston @ Gut Check Challenge in Olympia
(WA), 9 a.m.
Boys Basketball
6WDQ¿HOGYV:HVWRQ0F(ZHQSP
(FKRYV-RVHSKSP
Girls Basketball
6WDQ¿HOGYV:HVWRQ0F(ZHQSP
(FKRYV-RVHSKSP
Saturday, January 10
Wrestling
Hermiston @ Gut Check Challenge in Olympia
(WA), 9 a.m.
(FKR6WDQ¿HOG#5LYHUVLGH7RXUQDPHQWDP
Swimming
+HUPLVWRQ#7KH'DOOHVLQ+RRG5LYHUDP
Boys Basketball
+HUPLVWRQ#6XPPLWSP
8PDWLOODYV9DOHSP
(FKR#1L[\DDZLLSP
Girls Basketball
Umatilla vs. Vale, 5 p.m.
(FKR#1L[\DDZLLSP
$OHHVKD:DWVRQOHIWLVDVRSKRPRUHRQWKH8PDWLOODJLUOVEDVNHWEDOOWHDPDQGLVWKHÀUVWRSWLRQRQRIIHQVH
SAM BARBEE PHOTOS
Dancing her way to the court
Umatilla’s
Aleesha Watson
trades slippers
for sneakers
BY SAM BARBEE
HERMISTON HERALD
%HIRUH PLGGOH VFKRRO
Umatilla’s Aleesha Wat
son didn’t even consider
playing basketball.
6KH ZDV EXV\ GRLQJ
something else that re
quires balance and foot
ZRUN DQG DWKOHWLFLVP ,W
too, requires a uniform
and special shoes and
SHRSOH WR FRPH ZDWFK
7KHFURZGDSSODXGVJRRG
performances and cheers
success.
7KDW WKRXJK LV ZKHUH
WKH VLPLODULWLHV HQG ZLWK
basketball.
,Q KHU RWKHU DFWLYLW\
WKHUHLVQRZLQQHURUORV
HU 7KHUH LV QR RSSRQHQW
Skill comes from muscle
memory after spending
KRXUV GD\V ZHHNV LQ D
studio.
:DWVRQ ZDV D EDOOHUL
na.
³,ZDVEXV\ZLWKGDQF
ing all the time,” the
Umatilla sophomore said.
³7KH EDODQFH KHOSV D ORW
7KDW WUDQVIHUV RYHU UHDOO\
QLFHO\ ,W KHOSV D ORW ,¶P
JODG,GLGEDOOHW,WUHDOO\
KHOSVZLWKEDVNHWEDOO´
7KHQ VHYHQWK JUDGH
came around for Watson.
Almost all of her older
siblings played basket
ball, and Watson said
WKHLU H[SHULHQFHV KDG
been positive. People told
her she should try out,
and she did.
7KUHH\HDUVODWHU:DW
VRQ LV D WZR\HDU VWDUWHU
for the Lady Viks and a
top option on offense.
“She’s different than
DQ\RWKHUJLUO,KDYHULJKW
QRZ´ 8PDWLOOD KHDG
FRDFK 6FRWW %RZ VDLG
³6KH¶V WKH RQH DOZD\V
ZLWKDEDOOLQKHUKDQG$V
DQ HLJKWKJUDGHU FRPLQJ
up, in her younger years,
VKH DOZD\V KDG D EDOO LQ
KHUKDQG6KHZDVDOZD\V
outside in the morning,
Umatilla sophomore guard Aleesha Watson (left) didn’t start
playing basketball until seventh grade because she danced
EDOOHWLQVWHDG
shooting outside in the
FROG 6KH MXVW KDG WKDW µ,
ZDQW LW¶ DWWLWXGH 6KH¶V
DOZD\V KDG WKDW DQG LW¶V
SD\LQJRIIULJKWQRZ´
Other than basketball,
Watson runs track and
cross country, but basket
ball is her love.
³,W¶V YHU\ YHU\ JRRG
for Umatilla for having
her, but basketball’s al
SEE WATSON/A7