By the middle of the night, the 4A #1 Hidden Valley boys have been hidden from the rest of the state by Baker, 32-29, and there will be no double for Siuslaw, thanks to LaSalle. The Cowapa and Capital Conferences are sending 2 boys' teams to Corvallis, and the Valco is sending spectators only. The best game of the post season so far may be the long haul of the week, as Brookings (link error previously stole the Bruin's credit, and we mis credited North Bend) advanced, but only after playing 2 OTs to overcome LaGrande 57-52! 

The east side of Salem is still standing (barely) after the Oregon City war machine brought McKay's girls' season to an end, 80-55.

But most importantly (at least for those of us that work for him), the boss is happy after his Eagles put up 31 in the 4th. qtr. to come from behind to beat Astoria 68-55!

With 42 games today, there aren't enough hours in the day, and I don't care what media package you order!

Already, Damascus Christian's girls have defeated Perrydale 24-22 in another nail-biter, and as evening draws closer, the action will be as hot as the over-heated air-ways. 6A girls, 5A boys, and 4A boys all have 8 games with tournament trips on the line, on top of 6 games apiece in the 3A, 2A, & 1A tournaments. (In Baker, literally on top of.)

Another 4th. quarter comeback is in the books too. After Lost River lost their way in the 2nd. qtr. with only 4 points, a 24-14 4th. quarter turned a still 6 point deficit into a 52-48 win over Heppner.

Westside Christian overcame yesterday's disappointment big time, 58-31 over Creswell.

Myrtle Point won the Coastal Collision of the morning, 40-32 over Warrenton, while Salem Academy stayed alive with a 57-52 win over (nearly) home town Union, and Triad trumped Lowell, 68-57, in games not as close in the "brunch" round.

March Madness mounts on day 2, and if the first 2 days at Willamette were a wild start, today sounds like it will be even better, as the Nyssa band has the atmosphere in "high gear" already.

Watching Nyssa go 6-6 at the line early is reminiscent of yesterday, and is a lesson for high schools teams. Agressive play can have its rewards: lots of free throws. A lot of points of conversation arise in these games, but an old basketball axiom applys: "Making your free throws makes up for a lot of things!" History is repeating itself. Yesterday, the Bulldogs shot free throws early, and then their offense disappeared until the 4th. qtr. Today, they score on the first possession of the 2nd. qtr., but in 7:20 more, they get 1 ft & 1 3. And get caught up with. Will they do better than 1 pt. in the 3rd. today? The Vikings, by contrast aren't as much of a streak team.

Its better, but its still an offensive wasteland for the Bulldogs. A 3 10 sec. from the end breaks a span of over 5 minutes with only 1 Nyssa ft point. They are going to need another of Coach Fuentes' comebacks.

With 36.3 sec. left, he has used all his timeouts, and still is 1 back., but has the ball, though not for long. And a Katie Lutjens RB gives control to the Viks. Can they protect it for 16.8? Nope. Shaelah Musgrove gets the steal, the foul, and both the free throws. Viks have the ball and 6.3 to try to win it. A lob for a layin by Lutjens is wide open, but she misses! Game Bulldogs!

And tomorrow, the schedule is just as full!

CC

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