Madras High School’s boys basketball team secured a spot in the semifinals of the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 4A tournament with a 49-43 win over St. Helens on March 12. The game took place at Forest Grove High School, where Madras held off a strong comeback attempt by St. Helens in the second half.
The victory is significant for Madras, as it moves them closer to a potential championship and highlights their ability to maintain composure under pressure during high-stakes games.
Matthew Suppah-Scott led Madras with 27 points and 13 rebounds, while teammates John Buffalo-Ball and Angelo Perez-Perez each contributed seven points. “It’s good to start the tournament off on a good note,” Suppah-Scott said. “With a tough crowd in here and against a tough opponent, it was good to get a win. It feels good going into the second day on the right side of the bracket.” Coach Nick Brown praised his team’s execution, saying, “I thought we did a great job… Those last couple of minutes, I thought we executed really well and we got enough defensive stops when we needed them. We just kind of held on for dear life, but got it done when it mattered.”
St. Helens was led by Andrew Waite with 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Noah Bigham and Tykiem Kearse added 11 points each. St. Helens coach Trenton Minich reflected on his team’s performance: “We went down double digits, fought back, and got it tied late in the fourth… When you play in the tournament, the margin for error is very small, and Madras just executed at a higher level at times.” He also noted that early mistakes made it difficult to recover: “In the tournament, you can’t come back too late. You’ve got to make sure you’re ready to play from the start.”
Other quarterfinal results included La Grande defeating top-ranked Scappoose 61-50; Marist Catholic overcoming Molalla 57-48; and Estacada winning an overtime battle against Hidden Valley 61-56. Each game featured standout performances from players such as Beckett Hutchins (La Grande), Aarav King (Marist Catholic), and Gavin Gates (Estacada). Coaches from these teams emphasized teamwork, resilience, and focusing on fundamentals during critical moments.
Looking ahead, Madras will face La Grande in Friday’s semifinal matchup as all four advancing teams aim for a spot in the championship game.
