Sports Zone

Creswell High hoops teams on opposite paths

RON HARTMAN/CHRONICLE PHOTO – Creswell’s Kendyl Whitson goes in for an easy basket at Pleasant Hill on Friday night.

CRESWELL – As the high school basketball season heads into the homestretch, both Creswell teams have been focused on that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

For the girls team, that pot of gold is almost reachable now. The Bulldogs (8-7) improved to 4-1 last week with two victories and are tied for first place with three league games remaining. 

“We’re going to finish in the top three, whether it’s first, second or third, but one way or another we’ll have an opportunity to go to state,” Creswell girls coach Tyler Hollingsworth said.  

Things aren’t looking so optimistic for the boys team. Their latest loss was a 60-56 setback at Pleasant Hill in double overtime. 

The Bulldogs (10-7) dropped to 1-4 in league play with league games against Harrisburg (home), Santiam Christian (away) and La Pine (away) remaining. 

The boys had lost 62-61 to Pleasant Hill in the league opener, and the return match was another barnburner in the Billies’ building. After trailing most of the game, Creswell’s Jack Nguyen, Max Velarde and Connor Hanson scored baskets early in the fourth quarter, giving the Bulldogs a 45-41 lead. Pleasant Hill (14-4, 4-1) answered with a bucket by Braedyn Cantrell and a three-point play by Matthew Dutton to go back in front, 46-45, with 1:38 remaining. 

Caleb Lee had an answer for Creswell, converting his own three-point play to make it 48-46 with a 1:02 to play. Then the Billies tied it again on Gavin Inglish’s two free throws with 35.7 seconds left. 

Then it was “Hanson Time.” 

This time, Hanson made a steal and calmly sank two free throws with six seconds left to give Creswell a 50-48 lead. But the Billies’ ensuing three-quarter length pass was deflected by Velarde, and it bounced to a Pleasant Hill player who grabbed the loose ball and scored at the buzzer.

The week started out much better for Hanson and the Bulldogs. He scored 27 points, connecting on 7-of-8 shots – including all three of his 3-pointers – as Creswell crushed La Pine, 76-54.

Creswell’s girls started their week with a 49-15 thrashing of La Pine as Emme Whitson led the way with 21 points and 6 steals. 

Then against Pleasant Hill, Emme Whitson scored 15, and Emma Maness added 11. 

“We’re 4-1, and you can’t complain about being tied for first place with a chance to win the league title,” Hollingsworth said.

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