Wilsonville coach Chris Roche likes to say that no one game is bigger than any other.
“They’re all important,” he said. “They all count the same.”
He sure could have fooled anyone on hand to witness Friday’s tilt with La Salle.
Zach Reichle had eight of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, fellow senior Harrison Steiger also scored in double figures with 13, and the top-ranked Wildcats withstood a furious attack by the No. 5 Falcons and prevailed for a 50-46 road victory in an extremely physical and ultra emotional contest played in front of a raucous and spirited crowd in Milwaukie.
The win was the 15th in a row for the Wildcats (21-1, 12-0 NWOC), who clinched no worse than a share of their third consecutive Northwest Oregon Conference title. The four-point margin represents their closest league game this season.
“They’re a really good team,” Reichle said of the Falcons. “We knew it was going to be a tough game, coming over here to their place.”
Early indications suggested Wilsonville would roll to yet another lopsided win.
After beating La Salle 63-50 at home Jan. 20, the Wildcats opened the rematch with a bang. Reichle nailed a three-pointer and junior Caleb Larsen scored five points as Wilsonville built a quick 10-0 lead.
The Wildcats remained in control until an uncharacteristic third quarter opened the door for the Falcons (15-5, 10-2) to claw back. Wilsonville was whistled for 10 fouls, drew one technical and had a player disqualified in the period, and the Wildcats compounded their troubles with several missed shots on the offensive end.
“The game’s gonna go how the game’s gonna go,” Reichle said. “Lots of adversity and nothing we can control in that quarter besides our attitude and our effort.
“We just had to keep battling.”
The Falcons took the lead — their first of the night — midway through the fourth quarter, but Reichle, Steiger and junior Zac Rossetti eventually put it away with free throws, combining to go 9 for 12 from the line down the stretch.
Rossetti finished with nine points, and Larson added seven. La Salle senior Jason Burns led all scorers with 23.
Wilsonville’s lone loss this season was a one-point setback, on the road, against an upper echelon Class 6A squad in West Salem. The Wildcats likely will enter the Class 5A playoffs as the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year. They cruised to a state championship in 2016, and most outsiders consider them favorites to repeat next month.
“It’s nice of you to say that, but hopefully we’re not thinking that way,” Roche said. “There are a lot of good teams out there.”
The Wildcats will close the regular season with two home games next week: Parkrose on Tuesday, followed by St. Helens three nights later. The Broncos and Lions are a combined 14-27 this season.
With the La Salle showdown safely in the rear-view mirror, perhaps now the Wildcats can let their guard down … relax a little … catch their breath while they await their March 3 playoff opener?
Don’t count on it. Not this bunch.
“We’re not an entitled group or anything like that,” Reichle said. “We’re just a humble group of guys that want to come out and play hard and give our best effort every single game.
“It’s never too late to get better.”
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