Sherman players prepared for Baker City challenge

As far as the mindset of the two-time defending state champion and No. 2-seeded Sherman Huskies (25-2 overall), all-state point guard Jacob Justesen said this team is going in fully focused on their first opponent, No. 7 Prairie City (21-3) at 8:15 p.m. Thursday in Baker City.

“We are just going to take it one game at a time,” said Justesen, the Big Sky Conference’s Player of the Year. “We are going to use a business approach just like we have in the last two years. All we need to do is take it one game at a time, play our style of basketball, do our thing and just win some ballgames.”

On Sherman’s side of the bracket, No. 14 Joseph (17-8) and No. 11 Jordan Valley (22-4) duke it out in a quarterfinal matchup at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Up in the top bracket, No. 1 Pacific (26-2) takes on No. 9 Hosanna Christian (24-3) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, and following that clash, No. 5 Nixyaawii (24-3) hits the hardwood opposite No. 4 Triad (21-6).

The winning teams play semifinal games at 4:15 p.m. (top bracket) and 6 p.m. (bottom bracket) Friday, while the losing teams lock horns at 8 a.m. (top) and 9:45 a.m. (bottom).

At 10:45 a.m. Saturday is the fourth and sixth place contest, and third and fifth place are up for grabs at 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

Championship action is slated for 8:30 p.m.

Of the eight teams, Sherman boasts the best scoring offense at 69.0 points a clip, followed by Nixyaawii (67.8), Prairie City (67.7), Hosanna (65.8), Jordan Valley (62.2), Pacific (59.5), Triad (57.1) and Joseph (53.0).

Defensively, Pacific has the best average of 37.7 and Triad is a close second with its 39.1.

Sherman (40.0), Jordan Valley (40.5), Hosanna (42.2), Nixyaawii (43.3) and Joseph (44.6) round out the field.

While the Huskies have eclipsed 74 points or more 10 times this season, senior forward Treve Martin is more interested in stopping the opposition.

“Instead of going 100 percent, we are going to go 110 for every single second,” Martin said. “I think it is really going to show on the court. It is all going to start on defense. We are going to play the hardest defense we have all year and it is going to be really exciting to see.”

In last week’s state game played against Grand View Christian Academy, Justesen said the Eagles had a scouting report of stopping him and Martin.

So, Luke Martin, Keenan Coles, Reese Blake and others will be thrust into prominent roles to shoulder some of the scoring duties.

“Right now, it is all about trust. Treve and I trust our teammates to make the passes, make open shots and play defense,” Justesen said. “To see those other guys play the way they have is extremely satisfying. It is awesome. It just goes to show the amount of work we have put in for the last four years and you can see with the improvement everyone has had made.”

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