By Steve Gress
Gazette-Times Sports Editor | Posted: Saturday, March 15, 2008 12:00 am
Spartans in championship game for first time since 1986
EUGENE - There has been a rich tradition of basketball excellence at Corvallis High over the years.
The boys basketball program has won five state title, but none since 1984. The Spartans last played for a state title in 1986, falling to Grant 56-54.
That can all change tonight.
The 2007-08 Spartans earned the right to play for the school's sixth state title with a gutty 46-39 victory over Thurston in the OSAA 5A semifinals on Friday afternoon at McArthur Court.
The third-ranked Spartans (26-1) will face No. 2 Jefferson at 6:30 p.m.
The Spartans came close to earning a chance to play for the school's sixth title last year, but fell to eventual champion North Eugene, 41-38, in the semifinals.
"It left a really bitter taste in our mouth from last year and we came out with some passion and (were) hungry this year," senior point guard Nadav Heyman said. "It feels really, really good to get past this game. We've got to stay focused and ready because Jefferson is going to be really tough."
Last year's loss was tough to swallow and the Spartans lost the third-place game to Mountain View.
"We definitely had a lot of pressure on us," said senior Alex Hendrickson, who scored 10 points and had a key rebound basket late. "It was a goal to get past last year. We would have been bummed but we would have still played hard in the next game.
"Luckily we won and we're moving on. We're going to play our game and rely on our defense to get it done."
That defense came up big on Friday as the Spartans limited Thurston to five fourth-quarter points and overcame a 34-29 deficit heading into the final eight minutes.
"The third quarter we were down a little bit but we stuck in there and things started going our way," Hendrickson said. "We played our hearts out and left it all on the floor. I'm so happy."
Last year's loss inspired the Spartans to return this year. They completed back-to-back undefeated Mid-Willamette Conference seasons, and lost just once entering the playoffs.
Ironically, that loss came at Thurston in the third game of the season. That made Friday's win a bit sweeter.
"It really hasn't hit me yet," senior forward Nick Eason said. "I have been jumping around and smacking people in there (locker room). We have wanted to play this since fifth grade, the state championship game."
But while the Spartans celebrated in the locker room, they know there is one more game to play.
"We haven't completed our goal," Heyman said. "We have to get that championship so we're staying focused and will keep working and moving on and get ready for (today)."
Heyman said he won't begin to think about what it would feel like to win a state title.
"I'm thinking about coming out (today), taking care of the ball and setting the pace and winning a state championship," he said.