Sherman finishes sixth in Class 1A boys basketball tourney

Sherman finished the 2024-25 season 24-7, including a 12-0 record in the Big Sky Conference. Four of the Husky seniors — Gabe Fritts, Jamie Phelps, Calvin Avila, Ben Avila — were part of a four-year varsity run that compiled a 67-34 record. More impressive was the improvement in the program over that span: 4-11 in 2021-22, 14-13 in 2022-23, to 49-10 the past two seasons. Coach Max Martin guided the varsity team the past two seasons. Seniors Isaiah Riggs and Michael Blagg joined the varsity squad three years ago as sophomores, teammate Josh Ward came on board last season, and Alvaro Ambriz was the eighth senior on the roster for the Huskies’ 2025 district title run.

At the state tourney, Sherman lost, 50-48, to North Douglas in the March 6 first round. The Huskies beat Big Sky rival, Dufur, in the consolation bracket, 64-50, on March 7, before losing to Nixyaawii, 66-50, on March 8 in the fourth-place game.

Sherman advanced to the final-eight state tourney with playoff wins over Pilot Rock (71-37) and Adrian (56-51).

Sherman’s opening-round loss to North Douglas came in overtime in a back-and-forth contest. Riggs sent the game into extra time, with a deep 3-pointer from straight on. Riggs, who was selected to the second-team, all-state tourney squad, finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds.

Sherman led by six points in the third period, but North Douglas had closed the gap to 32-31 heading into the final quarter on Jayden Montgomery’s 3-pointer with three seconds remaining. North Douglas eliminated Sherman from the playoffs in the 2023-24 season, preventing the Huskies from qualifying for the 2024 state tourney.

The loss last week dropped Sherman into the breakfast bracket and into a rematch against Dufur. Sherman, which defeated the Rangers once during the regular season and then for the district championship, jumped out to a 10-1 lead. It was 32-16 at halftime. The Huskies held an 18-point lead just before the break after Ward hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key and then assisted on a back-cut layup by senior Fritts.

Dufur pulled within six at 53-47 on a Bryson Cates 3-pointer with 1:46 remaining. But Fritts made two free throws and Phelps added two more to push the margin to 10 with a minute to play.

Fritts led Sherman with 26 points and Riggs added 18. Cates scored all 11 of his points in the second half; teammate Klayton Schanno led the Rangers with 16.

In the Saturday morning fourth-place game, Nixyaawii jumped out to a 21-6 first-quarter lead. The winners led by as many as 25 in the third period before Sherman made a mini, fourth-quarter comeback. Phelps had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead the Huskies.