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But here’s a secret: the players ALWAYS fully expect to be champions even while praising their opponent’s superiority. At the end of the day, they got two more points.”įor the past two years, Wilsonville has painted itself as the underdog in the battle with Summit. Summit played great and we went toe to toe with them. We have no regrets about the effort today. We didn’t get it done but I’m so proud of those kids. I don’t think many people thought we could beat them. “I thought we competed for sure,” Roche said about his Wilsonville team. The Summit buzzer beater ended an exceptionally-played game between two championship teams teams that were evenly matched on the court and gave the fans a show from the opening tip with both their skill and intensity. “To be able to go through this journey with these guys over the last four years is just a dream,” Frazier said. The fact that we accomplished it…I am just speechless.” “It’s been our dream since we were young. It’s sad to think that it’s over, but we did it.” We’ve been playing together since fourth grade. And what a flourish it was! Something they will always remember. For the eight seniors on the team, which grew up together and has been playing, and winning, since the fourth grade, this was the last shot to finish with a flourish. The Storm also lost in the 6A championship game in 2022. Summit’s win avenged a 43-37 loss to Wilsonville in last year’s 5A final. The refs instead gave Summit the ball just outside their bench and shaved another second off the clock, not a lot of time for a set play but plenty for a lob to the rim. Wilsonville coach Chris Roche advocated for returning the ball back to the baseline and resuming play with four seconds to go. The officials whistled play dead with 2.3 seconds showing on the clock and conferred. The game clock apparently did not start until Moore was already in the scoring zone at the top of the key. Summit took the ball out of the net with four seconds to play and Moore, the Storm’s athletic, speedy point guard raced the ball up court. The heart-stopping final play happened after confusion ensued following Gutridge’s second free throw. “Frazier just said throw it and I saw Mac,” Moore said. “We knew the back door lob was there and trust Mac with everything.” “We saw all the heads turning,” Pearson Carmichael said. This is everything we’ve worked for since sixth grade. The ball went through the basket as time expired, with Bledsoe falling hard to the court knowing the entire journey to the hardwood that he’d made his Summit team a first-time state champion. “Last minute coach points at the rim,” Bledsoe said. It’s fun to have great athletes who can make plays for you at the end.” That wasn’t something we’d ever practiced before but our kids were smart enough to recognize the opportunity and adjust on the fly. “I said, ‘Hey Collin! Throw it up to Mac.’ I pointed up to Mac. “I knew the way the defender’s head was turned - and Mac’s a leaper – that he wasn’t going to able to jump with Mac if he puts the ball up by the rim,” explained Storm coach Jon Frazier. The Storm had a set play drawn up, but noticed that Wilsonville didn’t have eyes on high-rising senior Mac Bledsoe. That set the stage for an extraordinary finish to an extraordinary game between a Summit team playing in its third straight state final yet still seeking its first-ever state title and the two-time defending champion Wilsonville Wildcats, playing for their sixth title over the past eight years.Ĭollin Moore was set to inbound the ball for Summit just outside the team bench with 1.3 seconds remaining. MCMINNVILLE – Wilsonville star Kallen Gutridge sank two free throws to tie up top-seeded Summit at 50-50 with four seconds left Saturday afternoon in the championship game at the 2024 OSAA / OnPoint Community Credit Union 5A Boys Basketball State Championships at Linfield University. Summit coach Jon Frazier with the seniors he's been on a titile hunt with for four years, including finals hero Mac Bledsoe (1)
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