EUGENE – Saturday’s “Return of the Mac” showdown between Pleasant Hill and Ridgeview was the two-week tournament’s featured attraction because of the coaching matchup: former University of Oregon stars Luke Jackson and Maarty Leunen were revisiting the scene of their climb to notoriety.
In the end, this one could have been dubbed “The Son Also Rises,” as Leunen’s son, 6-foot-7 junior center Gavin Leunen, scored 33 points – more than half of the Ravens’ point total – as Ridgeview rolled to a 62-47 victory at McArthur Court, where his father averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds during a four-year career (2004-08) with the Ducks.
During one stretch, Gavin scored 19 consecutive Ravens points.
“It felt great, the atmosphere, the court, what it’s like, what he got to play through,” Gavin said after the game. “It was a really special feeling, honestly, getting to carry the legacy, just to try my best out there.”
“I haven’t really been back in 16, 17 years. Matt Knight Arena was built about two years after I left, so there was never a reason to come back,” Maarty said. “I kind of got goosebumps when I walked back in. This is where I played and practiced and hung out and had so many good times and so many memories. It was cool to be on the sidelines coaching my son.
“He’s really come a long way and worked hard on his game. He can shoot the ball and he has continued to push this team to get better.”
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Leunen didn’t need a whole lot of help. Teammate Chase Swanberg added 13 points. No other Ridgeview player scored over 4 points.
For Pleasant Hill, Landen Melvin led the way with 16 points while Doug Green and Luke Melvin contributed 10 apiece.
After trailing 15-5 early, the Billies (2-1) fought back behind Landen Melvin’s three straight 3-pointers to make it 30-27 at halftime.
A sluggish third quarter, however, proved to be Pleasant Hill’s undoing, as the Ravens went on a 14-2 run to take a 44-29 lead into the final period.
The lead reached 19 at one juncture, but the Billies never kept scrapping, and at one point they were a missed dunk away from slicing the lead to single digits.
“Pleasant Hill played us very tough,” Maarty said. “They’re a well-coached team. They were doing a bunch of things – they were trapping at halfcourt, 2-3 zone, they play hard and tough – and as a coach you want to see the true colors.”
The “Return of the Mac” featured eight games Saturday, Dec. 3, and will continue with three more on Friday, Dec. 12 before wrapping up on Saturday, Dec. 13 with eight games. Sheldon squeaked past Thurston 67-64 during that first batch of games.
This Saturday, Creswell takes on Trinity Christian at 10 a.m., followed by the Pleasant Hill girls facing Bandon at 11:30. At 2:30 p.m., the Springfield girls go up against Crook County.
Part of the appeal about Saturday’s Pleasant Hill-Ridgeview matchup was that both coaches would be watching their sons play – in Jackson’s case, son Cole, a 6-4 freshman, was getting his first taste of varsity basketball, playing sparingly.
Gavin played a limited role himself as a sophomore, when Ridgeview had a guy named Brady Muilenburg who’s now playing for Irvine Valley College. Gavin says he’s eager to take over that leading role.
“I’m ready for it, I was born ready,” he said. “I’m 6-7 now, I’ve grown about 1 1/2 inches since last year and I’m supposed to get a little taller. I’m trying to get stronger, keep my agility going – work on my speed and my ball-handling. Just adding to my game, everything needs to get better.”
Maarty, who has the physique of an NBA power forward, says he’s not worried about his son’s slender frame.
“I was the same way when I was his age so I tell him not to worry,” Maarty said. “My parents told me when I was young, be patient, it will come. Just keep putting the work in.”
