The Philomath High School boys basketball team won its fifth straight game with Tuesday’s 53-30 victory at Sweet Home. The Warriors pulled away from the home team with strong defensive efforts in the first and third quarters.
Philomath came into the game ranked No. 4 in the OSAAtoday coaches rankings after last week’s thrilling victory over Cascade. The Warriors (8-3 overall, 2-0 Oregon West) will go up against Woodburn (9-2, 2-0) at 7 p.m. Friday in another battle on the road. The Bulldogs are a capable bunch and are unbeaten on their home floor at 4-0.
The Warriors shot out to a 14-2 lead over Sweet Home on Tuesday with junior Ty May scoring six of his team-high 12 points in the first quarter. The momentum shifted in the second quarter and the Huskies (2-12, 0-2) remained within striking distance with an eight-point halftime deficit.
But Philomath regained its swagger on defense and allowed just three points in the third quarter. The Warriors took a 35-20 into the fourth and over the final eight minutes, Philomath threw in 18 points. Sophomore Jacob Peters scored seven of his 10 points in the fourth. Senior Cole Matthews also found the touch late with all six of his game points coming in the final quarter.
All 12 PHS players available for action saw floor time in the game and all but one scored points.
Sweet Home senior Russ Holly scored half of his team’s points with 15. Holly got a hot hand in the second quarter during that Husky offensive outburst with three 3-pointers.
Philomath hasn’t lost since Dec. 17 against Redmond in a tournament game at Coos Bay. Two of the team’s three losses are against 5A opponents.
Philomath 53, Sweet Home 30
Tuesday, Jan. 11, at Sweet Home HS
TEAMS (RECORDS) 1 2 3 4 FINAL Philomath (8-3, 2-0) 14 11 10 18 53 Sweet Home (2-12, 0-2) 2 15 3 10 30 PHILOMATH FG FT-FTA PF TP 10 Cameron Ordway# 3 0-1 0 6 11 Cole Matthews# 2 1-1 2 6 13 Ty May# 5 2-2 0 12 30 Cole Beardsley# 1 0-0 1 3 53 Chad Russell# 2 0-0 2 4 4 Logan Carter 0 1-2 0 1 22 Justin Kramer 1 1-3 2 4 33 Isaac Lattin 2 0-0 0 4 23 Carson Gerding 0 1-2 3 1 25 Jacob Peters 4 2-4 0 10 32 Kaden Muir 0 0-2 0 0 42 Owen Heiken 0 2-2 0 2 TOTALS 20 10-19 10 53 # Starter SWEET HOME FG FT-FTA PF TP 1 Eddie Martinez# 0 2-4 3 2 2 Von James# 0 0-0 3 0 3 Vegas Maurer# 2 0-0 3 4 21 Russ Holly# 6 0-2 1 15 31 Nathan Aker# 2 0-0 3 4 4 Evan Towry 2 0-0 1 5 34 Tanner Waldrop 0 0-0 2 0 24 Riley Korn 0 0-0 2 0 5 Will Jewell 0 0-0 0 0 13 Dylan Luttmer 0 0-0 1 0 TOTALS 12 2-6 19 30 # Starter 3-Point Goals: Philomath 3 (Beardsley, Kramer, Matthews), Sweet Home 4 (Holly 3, Towry)
Fouled Out: None
Total Fouls: Philomath 10, Sweet Home 19
Technicals: None
JUNIOR VARSITY
Philomath 42, Sweet Home 14
Tuesday, Jan. 11, at Sweet Home HS
TEAMS 1 2 3 4 FINAL Philomath 15 9 11 7 42 Sweet Home 4 2 2 6 14 JV GAME NOTES Philomath’s JV goes to 4-2 on the season with the definitive victory over the Huskies. … The Warriors limited the opponent to single digits in each quarter. … Sophomore Conner Harms scored five of his seven points in the first quarter as the Warriors jumped out to a 15-4 lead. … Freshman Grant Niemann scored all nine of his points and all nine of Philomath’s points in the second quarter on a pair of 3-pointers and 3 of 4 on free throws. … Sophomore Kaden Muir scored six of his nine points in the third quarter. … The JV team’s next game is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday at Woodburn.
JUNIOR VARSITY 2
Philomath 35, Sweet Home 10
Tuesday, Jan. 11, at Sweet Home HS
TEAMS 1 2 3 4 FINAL Philomath 16 7 7 5 35 Sweet Home 4 2 2 2 10 JV2 GAME NOTES The JV2 team’s record goes to 5-3 with the win. … The Warriors limited Sweet Home to just two points in three of the four quarters. … Freshman Caleb Russell hit double figures with 10 points on two 3-pointers and 4 of 6 on free throws. … The Warriors had a 23-6 lead at halftime. … The JV2 team’s next game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday at Woodburn.