Document text
Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 7, 2006 Twins Daniel Shipley, left, and Andrew Shipley have helped guide Cascade Christian which is tied for first in the SCL. Twin Powered Daniel and Andrew Shipley have lit the fire for the first-place Challengers all season By KEVIN GOFF Mail Tribune Cascade Christian juniors Andrew and Daniel Shipley aren’t identical twins. The two brothers are in fact an hour and 12 minutes apart — Andrew’s the oldest. The Shipleys also differ in styles on the basketball court, with Andrew being a 3-point marksman and Daniel an in-your-face defender. But that’s where the dissimilarities end as both have played integral roles in leading the Challengers’ boys basketball team to a share of first place in the Southern Cascade League heading into tonight’s 8 o’clock showdown with rival St. Mary’s. Andrew Shipley is averaging 17 points per game in SCL play while Daniel, a starting point guard, is the primary defensive stopper. Advertisement "They’re both really good kids," says Challengers coach Brian Morse. "Andrew has always been a good 3-point shooter, but just this year he’s added a little more to his offensive game. "Daniel, he’s our defensive stopper. We always put him on the other team’s best offensive player and he shuts them down." Cascade Christian (16-5, 8-2 SCL) has rattled off six straight wins since a 53-48 setback against Lost River on Jan. 13. Since that time, Andrew Shipley has scored 20.2 points per game while leading Cascade Christian to hard-fought wins over Lost River, Lakeview and Bonanza to set up a three-way tie with St. Mary’s and Lost River atop the SCL. In a 52-47 victory over Bonanza on Jan. 26, Andrew Shipley scored 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and made seven 3-pointers for the second time this season to propel the Challengers. His two straight 3s in the fourth quarter tied, then untied the game as Cascade Christian staggered back for the narrow win. The recent scoring binge has left the modest 6-foot-1 guard praising teammates. "I think it’s just a matter of my teammates hitting me when I’m open," says Andrew Shipley, who poured in a career-high 29 points against Glendale earlier this season. "I’m just nailing down the shots when they come my way." Morse has a different theory. Andrew Shipley received time as a 3-point specialist off the bench as a freshman. His 5-5 frame at the time, however, limited his playing time due to size mismatches on the defensive end. "It’s really helped his game," Morse says of Shipley’s growth spurt. "He’s more lanky now and can go past people off the dribble. "I think it helped his confidence. Plus, he’s always staying after practice shooting extra shots." Daniel Shipley has helped the team in different areas. The 5-10 guard is a tenacious defender who has limited some of the top scorers in the SCL well below their averages. "It’s a lot of hard work to play defense," says the younger Shipley. "It’s tough to not get as much recognition because I’m not scoring very many points. But it’s just as good shutting the other team’s guy to like five points. That’s just as rewarding." Daniel Shipley’s defensive prowess prompted Morse to insert the point guard into the starting lineup midway through his freshman season. "He was such a tenacious defender," Morse says. "I thought, ‘This guy’s crazy, I have to get him into the game.’ "He takes it as a total mission to stop or contain the other team’s best player." While Daniel Shipley has no problem pulling the trigger when a shot is there, he would much rather get other teammates involved. "Right now, I won’t turn (a shot) down," he says. "I’d just rather be more of a passer that gives other guys great looks." That includes assisting his older brother’s SCL barrage on the scoring column and setting up 6-3 junior post Josh Heidegger, Cascade Christian’s second-leading scorer at 13.6 points per contest in league. The Shipleys’ success on the court hasn’t come overnight. The two have used each other to hone their strengths on game nights. "We have played a lot of one-on-one since we were younger," says Andrew Shipley. "He’s helped me with my offense, I’ve helped him with his defense. We really feed off of each other." The Challengers will need both ends of the Shipley Express clicking with tonight’s matchup at ninth-ranked St. Mary’s. Cascade Christian hasn’t beaten its rival since Jan. 25, 2000, and lost the first meeting this season between the two teams, 51-40. The winner has the inside track to the No. 1 or No. 2 seed out of league with three games to play. "We have all our focus on St. Mary’s," says Daniel Shipley. "We haven’t beaten them in a while. It’d be pretty sweet." "It’s a big one," adds Andrew Shipley. "We’re definitely pumped up for it." That’s common ground for two uniquely different, but effective, players. Reach reporter Kevin Goff at 776-4483 or e-mail Twin Powered ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s