Day 4

* With only 1 overpriced concession stand, and 1 burrito bar, concessions at Gill leave several things to be desired. Including being open for breakfast.

* Too bad the Lion band never made it, and the Tiger band couldn’t bother to come out for morning games.

* Lets review. The hands are not part of the ball. Also, it should be ok to go over the back, or over the top, when you actually go OVER the back and top, and don’t touch the player. In a tournament where what would be assault and battery in the hall isn’t a foul, not touching anyone sometimes has been. ???

* The OSAA should hire Newport for the excitement value. No team has provided more entertainment than the comeback kids.

* The rebuilding project at Stayton, with 2 new coaches has to be considered a resounding success. Both Tal Wold and Jake Miller took the Eagles where even the giggliest of Eagle fans had no business hoping for. As Coach Miller put it, “The kids bought in to this. I can’t say how much that means to me. They didn’t have to, but they did.” That kind of attitude is what makes some programs the ones that are usually in the hunt. And makes coaches look good.

* No team has a more passionate community backing than Hidden Valley. Some will disagree with the views of some of their fans, but you can’t deny the passion from the herd. These people genuinely believe in their programs and kids.

* A lot of talk about whether some of these teams belong here, and I do feel for some good teams and kids who didn’t make it. But it’s upsetting some of the kids that did get here aren’t being better supported by their communities.

* Talent and heart are unrelated. Winning generally requires both. Only the heart part do you have much control over.

* After the majority of the games being double digit affairs, leaving the lightly attended weeknight tournament a disappointment in many ways, the final 4 games saved the week. All were tight, and the championship games had Gill shaking, and went down to the last shot. Just as the championships should.

* The future of 4A basketball is in good hands, given the array of young coaches leading teams to the tournament this season.

* With half of the players on the all tournament teams returning, the immediate future of 4A basketball looks bright as well.

* Anyone with an opening on next year’s schedule really want to fill it with the Sutherlin girls? Or the Brooking-Harbor boys?

* Sutherlin Coach Josh Grotting has an interesting take on the success these last 2 years in building the Sutherlin program, noting “It really started at Central Linn. Getting to the final 4 a couple times, but there we couldn’t get it done. But that’s what got the chance at Sutherlin.”

Day 3

* HV has the BIGGEST sousaphone player in the world! Maybe can’t run with the ‘Stangs, but could sure plug up the middle! Plays a mean horn though, so he’s earning his oats.

* Unclear why, seconds after a foul is called, some members of the crowd then yell “Call a foul!” Didn’t they notice that just happened?

* Talk about your obscure career path, how about Brooking-Harbor Coach Bryan Wood. I’m told he came to Brookings from Kansas. How many people in any line of work in Kansas have heard of Brookings, much less would consider the remote south coast location an upward career path?

* I know that playoff basketball is more physical. I wish more officials understood that 3A & 2A could play this was as well, and that the regular season should be played by playoff rules. But I’ve lost track of the number of times taking out a three point shooter has been treated as good defense.

* Post players matter. Ask today’s semi-final losers about today’s semi-final winners’ post players if you aren’t convinced.

* It is nice that I only remember 1 or 2 possible problems with the possession arrow. That number was exceeded in a number of games at Willamette.

* When will a female official get to work a game at a 3A or 4A tournament? I saw one at the Chiles Center.

* Has there ever been a more messed up set of brackets? Or a higher percentage of blowouts? Half the girls’ games, and 6 of 8 boys’ games have seen double digit margins of victory. That’s not building the crowd.

* Was nice to see North Marion Coach Melcher leading (actually following) a contingent at the Stayton games. Leagues produce a kinship, so you see normal rivals supporting each other at these events. And the Capital Conference has a reputation as one of the best at this tricky “friendly hatred” deal.

Day 2

* The theory goes that the early morning consolation games are the toughest to play. The top scoring game of the tournament, and the top 2 individual scoring performances of the week so far tend to dispute that.

* Size matters. Depth matters more. Depth with size is nice.

* This is a lot more fun than umpiring in the mud!

* So far, the oddly called game that popped up at Willamette a couple times hasn’t appeared here.

* In the whatever works category, for those that are wondering why Newport’s Jay Torland looks like he might belong on Digger mountain outside Toledo, with that beard, it’s simple. The last time he shaved, it set off a 3 game losing streak. He quit shaving, and the Cubs haven’t lost since. The team apparently has rounded up every razor in Lincoln county in order to protect their winning streak.

* The combination of an early start to spring sports, astronomical gas prices, distantly located teams, an additional day away from school, and work, and some mismatches, have killed attendance. The spring sports starting ever earlier, and finishing weeks before school is out, needs serious rethinking.

* Of all the tournament and playoff sites used on the west side, and most of those proposed, Gill is not only the best, but access and parking is so superior to the Mac Court mess, or the preposterous PGE park situation, that there isn’t even a discussion to be had. I do wonder, could the Chiles center be transported to somewhere near Woodburn or Albany?

Day 1

* Size matters. Already a better band tournament than the 3A show! It’s just not the same without sound! Here’s hoping the day comes when all schools can afford to support music and sports.

* Size matters. Having a big post advantage translated DIRECTLY into double digit wins the first two games.

* How is it possible for a premier program to reach this point, and not be able to supply an accurate roster?

* One thing Willamette could learn from OSU is what a public address system can (should) sound like.

* The extra early schedule might not have caused it, but it hasn’t helped attendance any either. And semi-finals on a school/work night surely won’t set any records.

* Oregon State could take a lesson from any number of high schools when it comes to the concession stand. Give me a Huskie Sausage dog, some Ranger nachos, and Cougar popcorn. And I’d even have gas money for tomorrow left!

* First year Eagle Coach Jake Miller has learned well from his Capital Conference mentors, such as former Eagle coaches Jamie McCarty and Chad Meadors, and the likes of Cascade’s Mark Stevens and Molalla’s Ray Williams. They could sell his seat to someone else, and he’s the latest in a long line of Capital Conference coaches working from baseline to midcourt. Some complain about this; I see it as actively coaching 110% of the time. Good job Jake!

* The first rounds raised questions about seeding, and saw some upsets. But come tournament time, the top two remaining teams both took a tumble. And defense was why. And after 3 blowouts, the last game made waiting around worth while.

* I’ve discovered that if you come down with the ball, you can’t go up again. When was that rule changed?

* If you have noticed some strange times on the stories this week, or you think you are seeing things when things disappear, then reappear, don’t adjust your laptop! You would think computers would know what time it is, but when you get several of them arguing with each other, it ain’t necessarily so!

CC

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