Sofia Bell, Abby Graham could have led St. Mary’s Academy on deep playoff run in a normal 2020-21 basketball season

Here’s our look at the St. Mary’s Academy Blues girls of the Class 6A Three Rivers League.

By Bob Lundeberg

Over the next two weeks, SBLive Oregon will break down more than 100 Oregon high school basketball teams. Here’s our look at the St. Mary’s Academy Blues girls of the Class 6A Three Rivers League.

Photo by Taylor Balkom

ST. MARY’S ACADEMY TEAM PAGE

HEAD COACH

Dewey Taylor III, seventh season (83-76)

2019-20 AT A GLANCE

Overall record: 16-11

League record: 7-7 (fifth place in 6A Three Rivers)

Playoffs: Lost in second round

ALL-LEAGUE PLAYERS DEPARTED

W Anna Eddy, honorable mention

PLAYERS TO WATCH

G Abby Graham, jr., 5-10

A first-team all-Three Rivers selection as a sophomore, Graham is one of the best pure scorers in the state. She is rated a four-star recruit by Prospects Nation. “She’s just a kid that has worked on her craft for so long,” Taylor said. “I thought she could be competing with Aaronette (Vonleh of West Linn) for player of the year. She’s that type of scorer, which is pretty special.”

G Sofia Bell, so., 6-1

Bell shared point guard duties with Anna Eddy as a freshman and made second-team all-TRL. She is one of the state’s most coveted recruits and recently has been playing for one of Nike’s top club teams. “She is just a phenomenal player,” Taylor said. “Last year, I think we had almost every school in the Pac-12 come to one of our basketball games to watch her.”

G Tyra Trimble, jr., 5-8

Overshadowed at times by Bell and Graham, Trimble is a solid all-around guard with excellent athleticism. “I think a lot of people see us as a two-man team, but we were going to be going into it with three super-talented guards,” Taylor said. 

OUTLOOK

In a normal year, St. Mary’s Academy would have been a dangerous team in the Three Rivers behind state title contenders West Linn and Tualatin. While the Blues are light on roster-wide varsity experience, their three returning guards are talented enough to will any team to a deep postseason run.

Because of the late start of the prep basketball season, though, Taylor isn’t counting on any of them playing for St. Mary’s Academy this spring.

“To be honest, I’ve advocated for them not to play St. Mary’s basketball and that club should be the priority right now,” Taylor said. “They are playing for recruiting, and I would be doing them a disservice telling them to put club to the side and come play right now when we’re not playing for a state championship and it’s not a normal season. Club is where the colleges are going to see them.” 

Taylor said nothing has been finalized and he will support every player’s decision. Even if all three guards do wind up playing for St. Mary’s Academy this season, there will be plenty of question marks throughout the rotation.

“A lot of the remaining pieces are really up in the air,” Taylor said. “Following those top three, everyone else will be incoming freshmen, JV or JV2 players, and it’s really a coin flip. I’m excited about Day 1, excited about open gym and getting to see some of these kids.”

Four years ago, a Blues team led by Bendu Yeaney — who recently played in the NCAA national championship game for Arizona — tied for fourth in the Three Rivers League and went on to place fourth at the 6A state tournament. The TRL prepared St. Mary’s Academy for the postseason, and Taylor wouldn’t have it any other way. The veteran coach loves going against the state’s best, and the Blues will be doing that again this spring.

“Our league just excites me,” Taylor said. “West Linn and Tualatin are probably in the top five, top three in the state, and I absolutely love that year in and year out in the Three Rivers, you play the best competition. …

“I think this was a group that could’ve finished anywhere from the top to fourth or fifth in the league, and there’s no telling where that propels you in the playoffs.” 

COACH SAID 

“Going into it, this is a chance to build some depth. Kids who maybe haven’t played varsity or were kids that were in that sixth-man, seventh-man role will get a lot of opportunities.” — Dewey Taylor III

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