LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. — It turned out, Evergreen and Skyview were no longer on a direct collision course at the Nike Interstate Shootout girls basketball tournament.
The two teams will not face each other unless they mirror each other’s results for the first three days of the tournament.
The Columbian did not receive the revised schedule and reported in Monday’s paper that Evergreen and Skyview were in the same bracket and easily could have played each other in the second day of the four-day tournament. After both teams lost Monday’s openers, they would have faced each other today in the consolation bracket.
But tournament officials agreed to make a change when the coaches explained the rest of the 2010-11 schedule.
Evergreen and Skyview will be playing each other three times in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League’s regular season. No need to play each other in a non-league game in December.
Still, there is a chance it could happen. Evergreen fell into the consolation bracket with a 44-29 loss to Central Catholic of Portland in the 8:30 a.m. game. Seven hours later, Skyview lost 50-38 to Barlow of Gresham, Ore.
But the soonest the two rivals could face each other would be Thursday, and only if the teams win or lose together on the same days.
The Shootout features two 16-team brackets, featuring programs from Oregon and Washington as well as a nationally ranked team from Arizona.
Both Evergreen and Skyview coaches said this tournament is to get some quality competition to prepare for league play.
“I wanted to give the kids the opportunity to compete at a higher level,” Evergreen coach Jay Foreman said. “Hopefully it prepares us for the future.”
By the end of the season, teams that make the state tournament in Washington will play three days in a row. This tournament is four games in four days.
“We wanted to get in this tournament to play the best competition in the area,” Skyview coach Jennifer Buscher said. “It’s one of the most renown tournaments out there. And we want to use it to just get better.”
Central Catholic 44, Evergreen 29 — Kailee Johnson scored 13 points and was dominant on defense, leading the Rams to a start-to-finish victory. The Plainsmen were held to two points in the third quarter.
“I realize playing at 8:30 in the morning that it’s sometimes difficult to get yourself to compete,” Foreman said.
Still, he was furious with his team after the game. His booming voice could be heard from the hallway outside of the locker. He said he wanted to send a message, but he acknowledged he went overboard.
“I’m going to apologize to them later,” Foreman said. “I wanted to give them a shot in the arm, but I let myself go a little too much.”
Jessica Chatman led Evergreen with 13 points.
The Plainsmen had seven active players Monday, including Shamerica Scott who is not fully recovered from shoulder surgery. Scott then went down with an ankle injury in the third quarter and did not return.
Justine Joudrey, the region’s leading scorer last season, is expected to return to the lineup today after missing a few weeks with a knee injury.
Barlow 50, Skyview 38 — Andrea Gloss had 24 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bruins.
Skyview scored the first six points of the third quarter to tie the game, but Barlow scored the next eight to take control again.
The Storm then had eight turnovers in the fourth quarter.
“We collapsed under pressure,” Buscher said.
But, she added, this is why the Storm are in this tournament, to learn from their mistakes to prepare for league play.
The Storm also hope to use this tournament as a chance to get to know each other better. The players were expected to go home to Vancouver on Monday night, but they are planning to stay in a hotel tonight and Wednesday night.
“It’s like a vacation,” said sophomore Larissa Hamilton, who led the Storm with eight points. “I love our team. They’re a great group to be around. We have a lot of fun with each other.”
They might get to learn things about their new head coach, too. Many of the players already knew Buscher, but this is the first time she has been their head coach for varsity basketball.
“The girls are taking to her really well,” Hamilton said.
As far as the “road trip” to Lake Oswego, that’s just part of the high school basketball experience.
“These are the memories that athletes remember the most. It’s what they’re looking forward to,” Buscher said.
Three more days of basketball await Skyview and Evergreen this week in Lake Oswego. They hope to have fun, improve, and — no offense — avoid each other.
