Competing for the first time in 11 days, facing an opponent on the road for the seventh time in eight games to begin the season and having only nine players available for action with no head coach, the Philomath High School boys basketball team had a few challenges to overcome on Wednesday with a trip up to Portland to battle Riverdale.
The Warriors may have had a little rust to shake off — primarily at the free-throw line — but the team pulled out a 47-31 victory to improve to 5-3 on the season. Eddie Van Vlack, longtime varsity assistant and head junior varsity coach, was in charge with Ecker staying home because of illness.
“Coach Van Vlack did a fantastic job,” Ecker said. “I appreciate all he does for the program. All our coaches get that it’s more than us. It’s being humble and understanding that we are giving to a greater good for young men.”
Riverdale had a promising start by coming up with a steal and fast-break hoop on Philomath’s first possession but there would be few fireworks for the home team. The Warriors responded with an 8-0 run — tying the game on a Cole Beardsley hoop inside after a feed from Ty May and taking the lead on a Beardsley 3-pointer. Cameron Ordway later had a 3 to complete the run.
After that first possession, Philomath didn’t allow another Riverdale point until there were just 2-1/2 minutes left in the opening quarter.
A strong move inside by May gave the Warriors a 10-4 lead by the end of the first.
In the second quarter, Philomath extended its advantage into a double-digit lead. After the Mavericks pulled to within 10-7, Philomath scored eight straight on a basket by Jacob Peters, back-to-back hoops by Isaac Lattin — the latter on a reverse layup — and a fast-break bucket by Preston Kramer. A Beardsley basket and a couple of free throws led to a 23-9 lead by halftime.
In the third quarter, the two teams traded a lot of points with the home team actually having an advantage, 18-15, over that eight-minute stretch. Beardsley hit a pair of 3-pointers, Kramer also hit from long range, May was good on two hoops and Chad Russell scored to account for Philomath’s points.
Leading 38-27 going into the fourth quarter, the Warriors put the game away and ended up with the 16-point margin of victory. Philomath allowed just one basket in the final eight minutes and offensively, May scored seven of the team’s nine points — the other hoop by Beardsley.
Beardsley had a game-high 15 points and May finished with 13 for the Warriors.
Andrew Lamb scored 10 for Riverdale, a Class 3A school that falls to 3-4.
Other games in the tournament that had been planned were canceled, so Philomath came home having just played the one game. The Warriors will next play on Jan. 5 at home against Rainier before opening Oregon West Conference play on Jan. 7 at home against Cascade.
Philomath 47, Riverdale 31
Wednesday, Dec. 29, at Riverdale HS, Portland
TEAMS (RECORDS) 1 2 3 4 FINAL Philomath (5-3) 10 13 15 9 47 Riverdale (3-4) 4 5 18 4 31 PHILOMATH FG FT-FTA PF TP 10 Cameron Ordway# 1 0-0 1 3 11 Cole Matthews# 0 2-2 2 2 13 Ty May# 6 0-5 2 13 30 Cole Beardsley# 6 0-0 2 15 53 Chad Russell# 1 0-0 4 2 22 Preston Kramer 2 0-2 0 5 25 Jacob Peters 1 0-2 1 2 33 Isaac Lattin 2 1-3 1 5 32 Kaden Muir 0 0-0 1 0 TOTALS 19 3-14 14 47 # Starter RIVERDALE FG FT-FTA PF TP 3 Andrew Lamb# 2 5-5 3 10 13 Nathan Janke# 0 0-0 1 0 33 Dillon Wendle# 2 0-2 2 4 51 Owen Nauheim# 3 0-1 5 6 5 Anders Nielsen# 0 0-0 1 0 21 Max Ragel 2 0-0 1 6 23 Rocky Rockney 1 0-0 0 2 1 Liam Leba 0 0-0 0 0 11 Ian Lauritsen 1 0-0 0 3 31 Aidan Hurliman 0 0-0 0 0 42 Gabe Stevens 0 0-0 0 0 52 Eddie Bailey 0 0-0 1 0 12 Jack Cassie 0 0-0 0 0 TOTALS 11 5-8 14 31 # Starter 3-Point Goals: Philomath 6 (Beardsley 3, Ordway, Kramer, May), Riverdale 4 (Ragel 2, Lamb, Lauritsen)
Fouled Out: Nauheim
Total Fouls: Philomath 14, Riverdale 14
Technicals: None
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