Document text
GP looks to silence the cynics By Don Hunt There surely are more than a few skeptics up and down the state who aren�t convinced that the Grants Pass High boys basketball team is as good as its record. The Cavemen are 16-0, ranked No. 2 in the state and are coming off their most impressive performance of the season, an 83-32 romp over Ashland last Friday in which they sank an eye-catching 16 3-point baskets. This is a team that returns four starters from a year ago, including reigning Southern Oregon Conference player-of-the-year Ian Elseth. The 6-foot-7 Elseth gives the Cavemen a strong inside presence to complement a wealth of deadly outside shooters. But coach Bill Cowell knows that respect comes begrudgingly at this end of the state, simply because the track record of SOC teams at the state tournament over the past quarter-century has been downright dreadful. While South Medford has made some waves in recent years at the 4A state tournney � the Panthers finished third in 1996 � the fact remains that no team from the SOC has won a state basketball championship since Klamath Union in 1965. Cowell isn�t quite sure how well the Cavemen would match up to No. 1 Jefferson, No. 3 South Salem or No. 4 Churchill, but he�s certain of one thing: this is by far and away the best team he�s been around. "This is one of those groups that comes along maybe once every 20 or 25 years," says Cowell, who coached at three high schools in Idaho before coming to Grants Pass five years ago. "We�ve got a lot of talented players who are committed to doing everything it takes to win, but beyond that these kids get along better than any I�ve coached. "There�s no dissension, no petty jealousies about who scores the points and that sort of thing. "They�re so much fun to coach I wish this season would never end." To illustrate his point, Cowell notes that six different players have led Grants Pass in scoring during a game this season: Elseth, fellow post Craig Berg, starting wings Andy Dobner and Brant Minor, point guard Tyler York and sixth man Jerrod Dastrup. Elseth leads the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game, while Dobner is hitting at an 11.3 clip and has shot a very respectable 43 percent (35 of 81) from the 3-point line. Dastrup (9.1), York (8.8) and Minor (8.6) are all near the double-figure plateau. Berg, a second-team all-conference defensive end in football, defies his 6-foot frame with his great leaping ability and hustle around the basket. While opponents focused their attention on Elseth and Dobner at the Clackamas tournament in December, Berg went for 20 points one night and 18 another to earn tournament MVP honors. "Every one of these kids has improved a bunch from last season," Cowell says. "They played a lot of basketball over the summer and they�ve gotten in the weight room. "They weren�t very happy with the way last season ended." After tying Roseburg for the SOC title and then crushing the Indians in a playoff game to earn a direct trip to Portland, Grants Pass lost to McMinnville by two points and to Oregon City by 12 at the state tournament. The Cavemen have used that experience as a motivator in 2000-2001. To prepare his team for the 260-mile journey to Portland in March, Cowell took the Cavemen up north twice in December, once to Clackamas and once to Lakeridge High in Lake Oswego for another tournament. Had Cowell had his way, Grants Pass would have participated in the prestigious Les Schwab tournament that featured Jefferson and some of the top high school teams in the nation. "We tried to get into it last year before it filled up, and couldn�t," Cowell says. "I guess they didn�t think we were good enough." The Cavemen mowed down everyone at the two tourneys they were in, including a talented Clackamas High squad on its home court. The Cavaliers are 15-1 � their only loss was to GP � and are ranked 10th in the latest Associated Press poll. "We haven�t had a real tough schedule overall," Cowell admits, "but we beat Clackamas by 20 points, we beat a pretty good Sunset team and we beat a Grant team that�s doing well in the PIL." As important as anything, Cowell says, is the fact the Cavemen traveled to the Portland area twice in what amounts to dress rehearsals for state. "Those teams in the Portland area have an advantage (at the state tournament) because they sleep in their own beds and eat home-cooked meals," Cowell says. "If you�re at the tournament from Tuesday through Saturday it�s definitely something different. "But we�ve been up there a couple times and I think that�ll help us." Of course, the Cavemen have some unfinished business in the SOC before they can make their motel reservations for Portland. They�ve got tough games remaining against South Medford (at home) and Roseburg (on the road), as well as matchups against the other SOC clubs. But it�s not inconceivable the Cavemen will go 23-0 in the regular season and head to Portland seeking to silence the critics and gain some respect for themselves and the SOC. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.