Democrats Campaign For 5A Top Spot Against Spartans, are Elected 55-52!

The second ranked Jefferson Democrats (24-1), winners of the PIL, face the fourth ranked Corvallis Spartans (26-1), Champions of the Mid-Willamette Valley League, for the 5A title.

Only a 10 point loss to the 6A top ranked Oregon City Pioneers, who play next for the 6A State Championship, mars the Democrats' season. Jeff also knocked off 5A top ranked North Eugene to open the tournament. A PIL daily double isn't a good bet, but don't bet against the Jeff. donkey to win the fifth horse race on today's card.

Corvallis lost in early December to Thurston (who reached the final 4 as well, before the Spartans got revenge in the semis) by 3, and since then have run off 24 straight wins to get to the title tilt, including a tournament opening win over Hermiston, who captured 4th. place. Most 1 loss teams aren't much of an underdog, but the Spartans are in some folks' minds. However, the Spartans have some size, talent, and experience. Whether they can keep control of the pace of the game will be the entire key tonight.

The Spartan band gets the band of the year award, even over Hidden Valley, for basketball.

1st. qtr.

Spartans take the tip, and a minute off the clock. Takes seconds for Tyrone White to connect on a 3.

Jeff tieup to save a possession. Alex Hendrickson answers, and then the trading starts. Spartans need to be careful with that.

Jordan Black is held big time, and still scores for Jeff. Still, its 7-6 until a foul on Hendrickson @ 4:11. Close to a good block. 9-6 Jeff.

NIck Eason receivs a behind th back pass for the score; Black answers with 2 + 1, TV timeout @ 3:43, Jeff 12-8.

Extra set for the band!

Turnover Spartans. Kalonji Paschal for another gliding 2 + 1, but the 1 misses.

Travel Corv., can't have that.

Long White 3 misses; long Cace Hearing 3 good for CHS; Terrance Ross 3 the other way. Spartans hang tuff with 2, and lo and behold, Jeff travels.

Hendrickson makes it a 2 point game; White inside. He could be trouble at the rim, or 30' out.

Paschal fires a pass and even Terrance Jones asks "What was that?"

Nick Eason keeps CHS within 2 with fts; Jeff for the last shot, but Jones misses. Jeff 19-17 after 1. Corvallis should feel pretty good.

2nd. qtr.

Jeff ball, CHS steal, but out of bounds. Miss, but long jumping RB; Jones with a crosser.

Hendrickson answers. 6:30 and the Spartans can't convert a Jeff miss.

Jeff spreads it! Terrance Ross misses a 3. Big block, but CHS scurries for it; and they survive a tieup. Down to 5:10. Good clock mgt. so why take and miss a 3, just so Jones can run and score. Time out Spartans down 23-19 @ 4:52. And another time out!

Big miss Jordan Black off the turnover; CHS hangs around some more

Cade Hearing keeps it a 2 point game; 23-21 Jeff. Black at the line with hard work on the boards; makes both; TV timeout @ 3:52, Jeff 25-21.

CHS should NOT fire 60' cross court passes. Jeff spreads out again. Opens Jones for a jumper.

Eason for 2 + 1 on the block / charge ? Another 3 shooter on the floor with no call!

Steal and crossover layin! There are some linebacker without pads making hits out there.

Down to 1:50; Jeff 29-24, CHS airballs a 3. Charge on Jeff that was a block on the other end.

Jeff D job on Nadav Heyman not necessarily getting the notice due, but he's been shut out.

Paschal drives and scores, causes a turnover, and gets to the line @ 19.4 with a wild twisting move. Never could have hit the shot, but the foul makes it easy to get 1.

Last shot Sparty, but Heyman's 35' 3 misses. Jeff 32-24 at the half.

Eason leads CHS with 9 points; both Black and Paschal have 9 for Jeff. Boards are close; 3 more turnovers for CHS. Shooting mid 40s for both. 3's not a factor, except when missed; they can create transitions.

Corvallis should be getting nervous. Got to get more distribution of scoring, and get Heyman, who led CHS against Thurston, going. And make good decisions. Jeff's margin of error is so much larger.

Win or lose, I will say Sparty is having fun with their time here tonight.

3rd. qtr.

Jeff ball, White misses a right side 3. Hendrickson is way short from the key.

Henry Williams misses a Jeff 3 from the left side; foul Paschal.

Hearing for 3 from the left side starts it off for Sparty. Jeff miss, Jeff steal. Foul Heyman.

Down to 6 min. before White gets Jeff going. Hendrickson leaves a 5 footer a foot short!

Williams makes it 36-27 @ 5:14, time out Jeff. 4 point swing in the blink of an eye. That's what CHS can't have.

Hearing for 3 from the left side; huge for Sparty!

But Jeff's Black gets a putback, a foul on Hearing, and the ft to erase it. Ross skys for a board above the rim, Paschal charge the other way, 3 on him at the midway point.

Eason with 2 + Ross foul; Jeff 39-32.

Travel Jeff; TV timeout @ 3:52.

Eason for 2 more on the drive Jeff doesn't shut off. Big board Eason, but another wild long cross court pass turnover.

Ross makes it 41-34; CHS misses 2 long close ones. Charge again on Williams. Got to adjust.

Steal Derail Nelson. Ross drains one. Jeff on the verge of breaking away.

Heyman finally scores from the line twice with 1:47 left.

Ross miss, Hearing RB, tackle and fumble on the RB at midcourt. Recovery Jeff.

Foul Jones trying for the steal. CHS turnover, Jeff can take the last shot, but Hearing takes his 3rd. foul with 29.5 sec. left. Jeff misses inside 2x, Ross blocks the CHS jumper. No other call. Jeff 43-36 after 3.

4th. qtr.

Jeff can cook the clock if they want. Looong discussion between quarters out on the floor about charging and blocking.

Sparty ball, Hearing with a critical putback, but Jones answers; time out Jeff with 7:25 left.

Hendrickson rolls off a short good look CHS really needed. Scramble ball to Jeff.

Big miss underneath. Eason can't get the ball on the rim down in, but Heyman steps around the D for a 3, 45-41 now.

4th. foul on Hearing with 6:08 left; Ross makes 1.

Heyman misses a jumer, but Jones fouls, #4, coming in from the wrong area code on the RB. Hendrickson makes only the second.

Paschal's put back is blocked, but Jeff gets it back. Under 5 to go, really starting to rock nowGreat CHS D, but finally a foul on Camron Horrell. Hayman steal, 46-44!

Ross misses a 3! Foul Ross fighting thru the screen! 3:05 left.

Camron Horrell ties it up!! Time Out Sparty!

Reminds me of last night, Sutherlin coming from behind at the end on HV. Think free throw shooting is gonna matter?

Jones for Jeff answers! Turnover Hendrickson on he endline in traffic.

Jones misses, but foul on Hendrickson. Bonus Jeff @ 2:04. Jones makes 1,,,misses.

Heyman drives right down the middle, why don't they shut him off?

Block Hearing, he's gone with 1:45 to go. That fouls earlier at midcourt really hurt.

Paschal completes the 3 point combo.

Blocking foul on Jones, he's gone @ 1:32. Reset on D on Hendrickson's drive. Good call. Hendrickson hits both, 52-20. Time out Sparty!

Ross misses a 3, but another long Jefff RB. Miss again, CHS time out with 51.3 to go.

Hendrickson cuts clear underneath, but leaves it on the rim!

Paschal to the line with 29 sec. left. Swish! Time Out Jeff! Next one is for a 2 pos. game!

Hearing has become a cheerleader!

Paschal rattles it in! Turnover, but travel! CHS still alive with 18.6!

Foul Black! Double Bonus! Eason to the line, swish! Swish! Time Out Sparty with 16.6 left, down 54-52.

Jeff gets it in, time out with 14.5! No more time outs left!

Long pass, foul Hendrickson, Double Bonus Jeff with 13.4, Williams Miss, Make. Hayman's 3 is off the front of the rim JEFF WINS 55-52!

Kalonji Paschal, who led the Democrats with 14 points, attribute the win to defense. The Spartans' Nadav Heyman was held to 9 points, and as Paschal explained, "He had 32 points the other night. We had to stop that. We had to double team at all times."

That defense slowed the Spartans down just enough for an excited Coach Marshal Haskins to exclaim "This is the Greatest! What a great game, and what a great run!" (Referring to the streak since the loss to Oregon City.) "And you know what? We got the girls' title too! 2 is better than 1! I'm gonna celebrate right now!"

After several dozen more hugs, Coach Haskins agreed with Paschal's assessment about defense. "We had great defense all around! In the fourth quarter, Heyman finally went off, but it took that long."

Jordan Black added 12 points for Jefferson, and Terrance Jones 11.

Nick Eason led Corvallis with 15 points, and Cade Hearing had 13. Alex Hendrickson also was in double digits with 11.

Corvallis Coach Greg Garrison agreed with the situation, noting "Pretty disappointing. We didn't start playing smart until the middle of the 4th. quarter. And we had chances to tie and win, and didn't. We got what we deserved." Garrison did agree about the job on Hayden, "They did a great job. We didn't get the ball back into his hands well. We would do some things to address that if we had it to do over."

Coach Haskins handed out praise, noting "Jordan Black (who had 12 points) played his best game all year. And the free throws at the end! (Where Pascal made 2, and Williams 1.) Last year, we lost to Roosevelt twice at the end, and they missed the free throws. Tonight, they were the ones to step up and get it done."

Tyrone White explained "This is more than emotion! This means EVERYTHING to us. This is why everyone wants to be a Demo.!" White and Paschal are the Demo's 2 third year varsity player seniors, and have worked a long time for this. As White explained "Lots of folks didn't believe we could get it done. But me and Kalonji DID IT!!"

Coach Haskins summed up the evening, and the game that couldn't have been closer, exclaiming "It Can't be more exciting than this!"