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CLOUDY Temp: 38 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, April 2, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend March 13, 2003 Grants Pass comes up short The Cavemen can’t contend with Clackamas in their tournament opener By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune PORTLAND — Although he goes by "Junior," Clackamas senior Adonal Arrington was anything but secondary Wednesday night in the first round of the Class 4A state boys basketball tournament. Arrington, who stands 6-foot-11 and 310 pounds, proved to be the difference for the Cavaliers in sending Grants Pass to the consolation bracket with a 51-40 triumph over the Cavemen at Memorial Coliseum. Grants Pass, which had its seven-game winning streak snapped, faces second-ranked Lincoln at 10:30 a.m. today. Lincoln lost to seventh-ranked Southridge, 59-52, in double overtime Wednesday night. Arrington went 7-for-8 from the floor in tying senior teammate Tyson Papenfuss with a game-high 15 points, while also adding 15 rebounds and countless altered shots. "Kory (Mahr) did a good job on (Arrington)," said Grants Pass junior Mike Pollock, "but he’s just so big and powerful, it’s hard to stop everything." Even more impressive, the gentle giant played all but 1.9 seconds of the game as the Cavaliers (24-3) methodically pulled away from the Cavemen (20-6) for their fourth straight victory. "It’s pretty phenomenal how a man that size can get up and down the court like him for so long," said Papenfuss, who entered the game as the state’s third-ranked scorer at 24.3 points per game but was held in check by Pollock and Royce Mace. Papenfuss converted only four of 12 shots on the night, scoring most of his points late in the game from the free-throw line. "I just tried my hardest to not let him touch it," said Pollock, who also had 11 points and three steals. "I didn’t want him to get the good looks he was getting for most of the season." Despite one of the team’s worst shooting efforts of the season (16-for-45), Grants Pass still had a chance at victory with a one-point deficit and five minutes to play. But as soon as the opportunity presented itself, Clackamas took it away as senior Jake Liebman converted a three-point play on the ensuing series to put the Cavs ahead 40-36. With GP growing ever colder from the field, the Cavemen continually came away empty from that point, while Clackamas started a seemingly non-stop stroll to the free-throw line. The Cavs went 11-for-12 from the charity stripe in the final three minutes, 40 seconds to seal the victory. "We just never could get into an offensive flow," said GP coach Bill Cowell. "They did a good job of slowing the tempo and defending us." Mahr managed 12 points in the first half as one of few Cavemen able to find the range, but was shut out in the second half with only one field goal attempt. The 6-6 senior also contributed team-highs in rebounds (9), assists (5), blocked shots (3) and steals (3). "I just didn’t get the looks that I had in the first half," said Mahr. "They started sinking out a little more and forcing some other guys to shoot and that’s fine, we just didn’t knock them down as much as we normally do and we didn’t get many second-chance rebounds." Nowhere were GP’s struggles more pronounced than from 3-point range, with the Cavemen going 2-for-10 in the first half and 3-for-14 overall. Typically steady from the outside, GP’s shooters found themselves spotting up from NBA range more often than not. "That stinkin’ black line out there just drives me crazy," Cowell said of the NBA designator. "I can’t believe we’re out there for a state tournament and they have that out there. The kids see that line and think they’re in range, and that’s not the case." Although Wednesday’s loss was disappointing, Grants Pass still has a chance of placing at state for the third straight year. "This team has had so much heart throughout the season, I don’t think they want to end going into the tank," said Mahr. "I think we’re going to come back and play hard and show everybody what we’re made of and try to get as far as possible (in the consolation bracket)." GRANTS PASS (20-6) — Cowell 3-10 2-2 9, Heater 0-3 0-0 0, Pollock 4-12 2-2 11, R. Davidson 3-7 0-0 6, Mahr 5-8 1-1 12, Higgins 0-1 0-0 0, Mace 0-0 0-0 0, Dastrup 0-1 0-0 0, Chamberlain 0-1 0-0 0, Lathen 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 16-45 5-5 40. CLACKAMAS (24-3) — Isse 0-3 0-0 0, Papenfuss 4-12 7-8 15, Eldridge 2-9 0-0 6, Liebman 2-6 7-7 11, Arrington 7-8 1-4 15, Nisenfeld 0-0 0-0 0, Griffin 0-0 0-0 0, Gossett 0-0 0-0 0, Sullivan 0-0 0-0 0, Storms 2-3 0-0 4. Totals: 17-41 15-19 51. Grants Pass..................................14 7 11 8 — 40 Clackamas..................................14 12 9 16 — 51 3-point goals — Grants Pass 3-14 (Cowell 1-4, Heater 0-2, Pollock 1-3, R. Davidson 0-2, Mahr 1-1, Higgins 0-1, Dastrup 0-1), Clackamas 2-8 (Eldridge 2-8). Rebounds — Grants Pass 26 (Mahr 9), Clackamas 31 (Arrington 15). Assists — Grants Pass 7 (Mahr 5), Clackamas 11 (Papenfuss 6). Personal fouls — Grants Pass 16, Clackamas 5. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S