Cottage Grove Lions
Address: 1375 S. River Rd.
Online: slane.k12.or.us/cghs … Facebook @CGHSAthletics … Twitter @cgathletics
Head coach: Seth Hutchison … 5th year at Cottage Grove … 26-57 overall record
2021 season: 13-10 overall … 4-6 in conference play … 4th in Sky-Em League … Ranked #19 in Class 4A … Lost in play-in game
History: Last appearance in 2016-17 … League titles 5 … State championships 1 (1991)
Returning athletes: 7
Top returners
■ Brennen Murphy: 6-foot-5 senior wing … 2021: 11.3 PPG and 8.4 RPG … 10 in-game dunks last year
■ Brayden Crump: 6-foot-0 senior point guard … 2021: 1st team all-defense in Sky-Em. … Averaged 4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 3 SPG
■ Cole Kishen: 6-foot-2 junior forward
Team strengths
■ Depth
■ Shooting ability
■ Determination/hustle
Top games
■ vs. Stayton: Dec. 28
■ vs. Cascade: Jan. 6
■ vs. Marist: Jan. 31
■ at Marist: Feb. 17
■ Senior Night Feb. 10, 7:15 p.m.
Springfield Millers
Address: 875 7th St.
Online: www.springfield.k12.or.us/shs … Facebook @shsmillers
Booster club: www.shsboosters.net
Head coach: Crosby Green … 4th year at Springfield … 24-42 overall coaching record
2021 season: 3-21 overall … 2-14 in conference play … 8th in Midwestern League … Ranked #27 in Class 5A
History: Last playoff appearance in 2019-20 … Last league title 2014-15
Returning players: 3
Top returners
■ Isaiah Navarrete: 6-foot-2 junior post
■ Davonte Peterson: 5-foot-10 junior guard
■ Tanner Colter: 5-foot-9 junior guard
Team strengths
■ Gritty
■ Hard-working
Top games
■ vs. Ashland: Jan. 13
■ at Ashland: Feb. 10
■ at Churchill: Feb. 14
■ Senior Night: Feb. 24, 7 p.m.
Pleasant Hill Billies
Address: 84455 N Enterprise Rd.
Online: pleasanthill.k12.or.us … Facebook @BilliesAthletics … Twitter @BilliesAthleti1
Booster club: www.pleasanthillboosters.com
Head coach: Darwin Terry … 3rd year at Pleasant Hill … 22-17 overall record
2021 season: 18-8 overall … 6-2 in conference play … 3rd in Mountain Valley League … Ranked #8 in division 3A … Lost in quarterfinals
History: Last playoff appearance in 2021-22 … League titles 23 … State Championships 4 (1947, 1962, 1965, 1999)
Returning athletes: 5
Team Strengths
■ Chemistry
■ Quickness
■ Shooting
■ Defense
Top games
■ at Junction City: Dec. 6
■ vs. Westside Christian at Harrisburg HS, Jan. 16
■ at Creswell: Jan. 10
■ vs. Creswell, Jan. 31
■ Senior Night: Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Top returners
■ Gavin Inglish: 6-foot-2 sophomore guard … Team captain and a returning All-State academic player, scholar athlete and first team all-league. Plays a great inside/out game, solid defender and can score from anywhere.
■ Matthew Dutton: 6-foot-3 senior post/guard … Great leader on and off court, team captain and returning All-State academic player and scholar athlete. Balanced scorer and defender.
■ Matthew Nguyen: 5-foot-8 junior guard. … Can get to the basket quickly, solid defender and versatile scorer.
Coaches comment
“In my third year we’ve had our biggest turnout of 40 students at tryouts. … We graduated seven seniors last season, but with a strong skilled group of competitive JV players moving up to fill big shoes will be a tough task this year to repeat going to state.”
– Coach Darwin Terry
Thurston Colts
Address: 333 58th St.
Online: springfield.k12.or.us/THS … Facebook @thurstonathletics … Twitter @thurstonathlet1
Head coach: Blaine Liberatore … 8th year at Thurston … 88-79 overall coaching record
2021 season: 9-15 overall … 7-9 in conference play … 7th in Midwestern League … Ranked #19 Class 5A
History: State championships 1 (2018) … Last playoff appearance in 2018-19 … League titles 2
Returning players: 5
Top returners
■ Nate Stiffler: 6-foot-4 sophomore wing/forward … 2021: 7 PPG, 3 RPB, 1.5 APG last season as a freshman. Started most of the season and shot 30% from 3-pt, 50% from 2-pt. Great range as a shooter who’s improved his skill set to be a better penetrator and playmaker.
■ Walker Bonar: 6-foot-1 junior wing/guard … 2021: 4 PPG, 3 RPG, 2 APG, 1 SPG. Shot 43% from three last season. Had a great summer season establishing himself as one of Thurston’s go-to scorers and players
■ Hunter James: 5-foot-11 senior guard … 2021: 6 PPG, 2 RPG, 1 APG, 2 SPG. Tied school record for steals in a game (7) on two different occasions last year. Great athlete and instinctual player. Shot 50% from two and 30% from three last season
Team Strengths
■ Multiple players who can score from all levels
■ Ability to create transition opportunities
■ On-ball defense
Top games
■ at Barlow: Dec. 29
■ at Ashland: Jan. 6
■ vs. Ashland, Feb. 3
■ Senior Night Feb 17, 7 p.m.
Creswell Bulldogs
Address: 33390 Niblock Lane
Online: creswell.k12.or.us/chs/ … Facebook @creswellathletics … Twitter @Creswellhigh
Booster club: www.creswellhsboosters.org/
Head coach: Jesse Thomas … 7th year at Creswell … 75-57 overall coaching record
2021 season: 11-11 overall … 2-6 in conference play … 4th in Mountain Valley League … Ranked #16 in division 3A … Missed playoffs
History: Last playoff appearance in 2019-20, finished 3rd in state … Recent League titles 2 (2018, ‘20) … State Championships 3 (1969, 2000, ‘04)
Returning players: 8
Top returners
■ Connor Hanson: 6-foot-0 senior guard … 2021 1st team all-league
■ AJ Hodge: 6-foot-4 senior forward … 2021 2nd team all-league
■ Max Velarde: 6-foot-4 senior guard/forward … 2021 honorable mention all-league
Team strengths
■ Depth – team returns all starters from last season
■ Speed/pressure defense
■ Perimeter shooting
Top games
■ vs. Junction City: Dec. 13
■ vs. Dayton at Harrisburg: Jan. 16
■ at Marshfield: Dec. 23
■ vs. Marist Catholic: Dec. 28
■ Senior Night: Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Boys basketball schedule
Friday, Dec. 2
■ Creswell vs. South Umpqua at Douglas HS, 3:45 p.m.
■ Pl. Hill at Douglas, 6:45 p.m.
■ Milwaukie at THS, 6:45 p.m.
■ CGHS at Sw. Home, 7 p.m.
■ SHS at Centennial, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 3
■ Pl. Hill vs. South Umpqua at Douglas HS, 1:45 p.m.
■ Springfield vs. Hillsboro at Centennial HS, 2 p.m.
■ CHS at Douglas, 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 6
■ Newport at CGHS, 7 p.m.
■ Pleasant Hill at Junction City, 7:15 p.m.
■ THS at Lebanon, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7
■ SHS at Ridgeview, 6:30 p.m.
■ Glide at Creswell, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 8
■ Pleasant Hill vs. Monroe at Santiam Christian HS, 6 p.m.
