HOOD RIVER — The Hood River Valley boys basketball team earned much-needed wins in the first two rounds of play at the Caldera Holiday Tournament Dec. 27-29 in Bend.
The Eagles beat Class 6A Forest Grove, 65-51, in their tourney opener on Dec. 27, snapping a five-game losing streak. There were hints the streak might soon end on Dec. 19, when HRV played reigning 6A state champion Barlow tough in a 55-52 loss at home. (The Bruins were 4-1 heading into the HRV game, with their lone loss to Oregon City — which was ranked No. 1 in 6A at the time.) Hood River beat Rex Putnam, 49-41, in its second tourney game on Dec. 28.
Once school resumes next week, Hood River will embark on what should be one of the most competitive 5A conference schedules in the state — something the Eagles’ nonleague slate should help them prepare for. The Northwest Oregon Conference includes Parkrose, Wilsonville and Hillsboro, who have all spent time in the top 10 of the OSAA rankings thus far this season. Canby, Centennial and Putnam were ranked 15-17 as of last week.
Hood River opens NWOC play on Jan. 5 at Wilsonville, the 2024-25 5A third-place state tourney team. Then the Eagles host Hillsboro on Jan. 7 and La Salle Prep — last season’s 5A state champion — on Jan. 9. La Salle’s 0-5 start includes four losses to Class 6A schools and a fifth to 5A Summit (7-1).
Coach Christopher Dirks’ Eagle team is at its best when it speeds up opponents, taking advantage of its quickness and outside shooting. Athletic co-captains Talon Britt and JJ Poole lead the HRV outside shooting and transition game, while senior co-captain Cooper Wells does a lot of the behind-the-scenes work (rebounding, setting screens, defense). Junior wing Grant Dunn has developed into a good outside shooter who can finish at the basket, as well. Dunn had 21 points and almost led HRV to a come-from-behind victory against Barlow two weeks ago.
The Eagles, who are scoring at a 65-points-per-game clip, also have shown a penchant for assists this season. Their dribble drive and kick-out passes helped them pull away from Forest Grove. The Vikings held the early lead, in part because of HRV turnovers. Dunn’s third-quarter 3-pointer helped spark an Eagle run. Poole hit 3-pointers — off assists from Britt and senior Deacon Ybarra — with the second trey pushing the HRV lead to an insurmountable, 57-49.
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