FOREST GROVE — In an emotional ending to the season Friday morning, the Philomath High boys basketball team had to soak in the realization that its hopes for a trophy at the 4A tournament had slipped away.
Eight seniors, a group that includes all five starters, had played their final game for the Warriors with Madras pulling out a 47-41 win in the consolation semifinal.
The contest came down to the final minute.
Gallery: PHS boys basketball vs. Madras in 4A tournament (March 8, 2024)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s 47-41 boys basketball loss to Madras in the 4A state tournament on Friday.
“We could have folded, I mean, easily could have folded and we didn’t,” PHS coach Blake Ecker said. “I thought we put ourselves in positions to win the game. I mean, we could have won it. The ball doesn’t go in a couple of times and they hit a big 3 at the end.”
A tough moment to absorb occurred early in the first quarter when senior Preston Kramer, the team’s top scorer, left the court with two offensive fouls. However, it quickly became obvious that he was sitting on the bench with more than foul trouble — he had suffered what turned out to be a game-ending elbow strain.
Kramer said he first noticed the injury when called for an offensive foul two minutes into the game.
“I kept playing and with the adrenaline, it was like I could feel something was wrong,” he said. “When I came out after the second foul, it got really bad sitting on the bench.”
When the team came out for the second half, Kramer tried to take a few shots during warmups.
“I was just telling myself that I’ll just play through the pain,” Kramer said, mentioning what he was told by the team’s trainer that ultimately led to a decision. “I would have played if I could have.”
Kramer’s absence had an impact and along with other players getting into foul trouble and senior post Owen Heiken fighting through a shoulder injury, the Warriors had to play significant stretches with three of its five players on the floor coming in off the bench.
“I just had to come in with confidence, knowing that I need to take over at point guard, handle the team and take control of what we do,” said PHS junior Caleb Russell, who took over for Kramer. “It’s not like I shouldn’t be able to go in there and handle it well.”
Down 20-10 after the first quarter, the Warriors limited Madras to a mere three points in the second quarter. That defensive effort opened up an opportunity for a comeback. Junior Hudson Raab hit a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in the half to send Philomath into the locker room on a high, trailing just 23-22.
The game remained close throughout the third quarter. Down 33-30 with 1:32 left, junior Logan Matthews scored on a layup and Russell hit a jumper to give Philomath a one-point lead going into the final eight minutes.
With the team’s situation with injuries and fouls, the Warriors had to work through the natural lack of continuity that can occur with five players on the floor having fewer minutes together.
“Everyone just worked their hardest and put in the effort,” Russell said. “We had a lot of bench players that needed to come in and try to step it up.”
The fourth quarter was a dizzying back-and-forth affair with the lead changing hands five times and the score tied four times. Down 40-38 with 2:20 remaining, senior Connor Harms found senior teammate Jacob Peters inside for a layup on a play that also drew a foul. Peters sank the foul shot to give the Warriors a 41-40 lead.
Madras regained the lead on a pair of free throws by senior Seneca Ball. Then the turnover bug hit the Warriors on the other end with Ball getting a steal on a pass attempt up top and he converted the fast-break layup to give his team a three-point advantage.
Philomath couldn’t break through on offense the rest of the way. Russell got the ball into Peters for an attempt inside but the ball bounced around and off the rim and the White Buffaloes came down with the rebound.
The Warriors still had a chance in a one-possession game coming out of a Madras timeout with 35 seconds left. Madras ran the clock down to 17 seconds and at the shot clock buzzer, Ball buried a long 3-pointer that put the game out of reach at 47-41.
Said Ecker of his team, “They really played hard and I appreciate that.”
Turnovers hurt with the White Buffaloes scoring 21 points after PHS miscues.
“We wanted it more than anything … really wanted it for the seniors,” Peters said when asked how Philomath had responded without its top scorer. “I feel like we should have won. It was just unforced turnovers.”
Peters had nine points and 13 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass, for the Warriors. Senior Kaden Muir added seven points and Harms had five boards. For the White Buffaloes, Bell scored 23 points and had three of the team’s eight 3-pointers. Teammate Skytus Smith also had three 3s.
Philomath’s season ends with a 19-8 record. The mood was heavy in the postgame locker room.
“It happens and you’ve got to move forward,” Ecker said. “I appreciate the seniors that spent all the time with what they do in the spring, the summer, the fall and then five months of the season. That’s a lot of work.”
Kramer was one of eight seniors that played in his final game with Philomath.
“I’m trying to find a college to go play for, so that’s the goal,” Kramer said when asked about what’s next for him. “Once this elbow heals up, it’ll be ‘let’s get back in the gym’ and trying to get better.”
Madras (19-7) moves on to the fourth/sixth trophy game and will face Crook County, a 14th-seeded team that defeated Henley, 63-56, to stay alive.
