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New-look Bulldogs set for playoffs
By Joe Hansen, Sports Writer
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 | 1 comment(s)
As the newly-mohawked members of the North Bend boys basketball team joked and laughed with one another just before hopping on a bus for Baker City Monday morning, coach John Olson realized something.
“You haven’t always seen these smiles, this camaraderie,” Olson said. “That’s been the difference.”
A week ago, the Bulldogs’ season seemed unsalvageable. A Feb. 23 loss to Siuslaw made a playoff run for North Bend unlikely. But back-to-back wins over Far West League rival Sutherlin — at home Thursday in the league finale and on the road Saturday in a Far West playoff game — have given the Bay Area Bulldogs a state playoff matchup on the road at Baker and a new lease on the season.
The win also gave North Bend’s teammates a reason for a new hairdo — with a couple exceptions, everyone on the squad sported dyed mohawks as a show of solidarity.
“Last week, people didn’t even want to play anymore. Now they’re very excited,” said North Bend senior guard Sean Jany. “We’re on a roll. A two-win stretch doesn’t seem like a lot, but it means a lot to us. We’ve won two games straight, we don’t even want to practice — we want to play another game.”
Jany and his teammates get that game today in a Class 4A first-round playoff matchup on the road against the Baker Bulldogs, a team about which the North Bend Bulldogs know almost nothing.
Baker, located in Baker City, 75 miles from the Idaho border on Interstate 84, was the second-place team in the Greater Oregon League with a 7-2 league record and was ranked eighth in last week’s media poll and ninth in this week’s coaches poll. From what Olson knows of his team’s opponent, the Eastern Oregon Bulldogs are broad and physical down low, but not too tall.
Media reports from Eastern Oregon newspapers suggest balanced scoring for Baker, although explosive guard Derek Blankenship regularly scores in the double figures and has logged several 20-plus-point games.
After that, it’s a mystery.
Playing ballclubs from Eastern Oregon usually presents a scouting problem for teams west of the Cascades, since schools like Baker play their nonleague games against Idaho opponents because it makes sense geographically.
But North Bend does know for sure that Baker doesn’t have anyone who can stand as tall as 6-foot-8 senior forward Trae Collins, who’s set to play a crucial role in today’s contest. Collins is coming off a 20-point game against Sutherlin on Saturday.
“We just need to play hard, have fun and pass the ball,” Collins said. “And give me the rock.”
Collins and Jany, the team’s only two seniors, will need to continue to step up as leaders for younger players, as well.
With the team trailing 36-25 to Sutherlin at halftime on Saturday, Collins, who’s towering form is tough to disregard, ignited the squad with an inspiring halftime speech and North Bend went on to the 66-61 victory.
“I basically jumped on the guys,” Collins said of the motivational talk. “I made sure (Thursday’s win) wasn’t a fluke.”
Olson thinks the team will need more of that kind of leadership to win today. And not just from Collins.
“Sean (Jany) is becoming the emotional, senior leader I knew he could be,” Olson said.
The team likely will need all the leadership it can get to shake off the effects of Monday’s 9-hour drive and a game against what’s sure to be a tough opponent in a hostile gym.
But no matter what, said the team’s seniors, they plan to enjoy the ride.
“We’re ready to make our mark. I don’t think anyone thought we’d make it this far,” Jany said. “It’s important to put everything into this.”
Collins felt the same way.
“This is something I am always going to remember,” he said.
It’s hard to tell how this battle of the Bulldogs will shape up. After all, North Bend is playing an enigmatic, under-scouted squad from the opposite end of the state. But Olson and company think if the team can stick together, move the ball well and use its low-post game, the coastal Bulldogs will have a shot.
We have to pass the ball, and get the ball inside to Trae (Collins). And we need to play with great awareness defensively and contest their shots. And, of course, we need to win the battle of the boards,” Olson said. “We feel it’s a team that, if we play extremely well, we have a chance.”
The winner of today’s game advances to face Hidden Valley on Friday, with the winner of that game going on to the state tournament.
“You haven’t always seen these smiles, this camaraderie,” Olson said. “That’s been the difference.”
A week ago, the Bulldogs’ season seemed unsalvageable. A Feb. 23 loss to Siuslaw made a playoff run for North Bend unlikely. But back-to-back wins over Far West League rival Sutherlin — at home Thursday in the league finale and on the road Saturday in a Far West playoff game — have given the Bay Area Bulldogs a state playoff matchup on the road at Baker and a new lease on the season.
The win also gave North Bend’s teammates a reason for a new hairdo — with a couple exceptions, everyone on the squad sported dyed mohawks as a show of solidarity.
“Last week, people didn’t even want to play anymore. Now they’re very excited,” said North Bend senior guard Sean Jany. “We’re on a roll. A two-win stretch doesn’t seem like a lot, but it means a lot to us. We’ve won two games straight, we don’t even want to practice — we want to play another game.”
Jany and his teammates get that game today in a Class 4A first-round playoff matchup on the road against the Baker Bulldogs, a team about which the North Bend Bulldogs know almost nothing.
Baker, located in Baker City, 75 miles from the Idaho border on Interstate 84, was the second-place team in the Greater Oregon League with a 7-2 league record and was ranked eighth in last week’s media poll and ninth in this week’s coaches poll. From what Olson knows of his team’s opponent, the Eastern Oregon Bulldogs are broad and physical down low, but not too tall.
Media reports from Eastern Oregon newspapers suggest balanced scoring for Baker, although explosive guard Derek Blankenship regularly scores in the double figures and has logged several 20-plus-point games.
After that, it’s a mystery.
Playing ballclubs from Eastern Oregon usually presents a scouting problem for teams west of the Cascades, since schools like Baker play their nonleague games against Idaho opponents because it makes sense geographically.
But North Bend does know for sure that Baker doesn’t have anyone who can stand as tall as 6-foot-8 senior forward Trae Collins, who’s set to play a crucial role in today’s contest. Collins is coming off a 20-point game against Sutherlin on Saturday.
“We just need to play hard, have fun and pass the ball,” Collins said. “And give me the rock.”
Collins and Jany, the team’s only two seniors, will need to continue to step up as leaders for younger players, as well.
With the team trailing 36-25 to Sutherlin at halftime on Saturday, Collins, who’s towering form is tough to disregard, ignited the squad with an inspiring halftime speech and North Bend went on to the 66-61 victory.
“I basically jumped on the guys,” Collins said of the motivational talk. “I made sure (Thursday’s win) wasn’t a fluke.”
Olson thinks the team will need more of that kind of leadership to win today. And not just from Collins.
“Sean (Jany) is becoming the emotional, senior leader I knew he could be,” Olson said.
The team likely will need all the leadership it can get to shake off the effects of Monday’s 9-hour drive and a game against what’s sure to be a tough opponent in a hostile gym.
But no matter what, said the team’s seniors, they plan to enjoy the ride.
“We’re ready to make our mark. I don’t think anyone thought we’d make it this far,” Jany said. “It’s important to put everything into this.”
Collins felt the same way.
“This is something I am always going to remember,” he said.
It’s hard to tell how this battle of the Bulldogs will shape up. After all, North Bend is playing an enigmatic, under-scouted squad from the opposite end of the state. But Olson and company think if the team can stick together, move the ball well and use its low-post game, the coastal Bulldogs will have a shot.
We have to pass the ball, and get the ball inside to Trae (Collins). And we need to play with great awareness defensively and contest their shots. And, of course, we need to win the battle of the boards,” Olson said. “We feel it’s a team that, if we play extremely well, we have a chance.”
The winner of today’s game advances to face Hidden Valley on Friday, with the winner of that game going on to the state tournament.
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