McMinnville boys basketball has nowhere to go but up after rough 2019-20 campaign

Here’s our look at the McMinnville Grizzlies boys of the Class 6A Pacific Conference.

By René Ferrán

Over the next two weeks, SBLive Oregon will break down more than 100 Oregon high school basketball teams. Here’s our look at the McMinnville Grizzlies boys of the Class 6A Pacific Conference.

McMINNVILLE TEAM PAGE

HEAD COACH

Willie Graham, 16th season (210-181)

2019-20 AT A GLANCE

Overall record: 2-21

League record: 0-12, seventh in Pacific

Playoffs: None

ALL-LEAGUE PLAYERS DEPARTED

P Jarrett Boumann, honorable mention

PLAYERS TO WATCH

G Terrin Seibel, Sr., 6-1

An honorable mention all-Pacific selection who averaged 10 points and two assists per game as a junior, the returning team captain will be counted upon to provide leadership on and off the court. “He’s a skilled guard who can score beyond the three-point line and is the best finisher at the basket on the team,” Graham said. 

G Brandon Bomberger, So., 5-8

Bomberger began his freshman season as a JV swing player and finished it as a varsity starter at point guard, averaging five points per game and playing significant minutes. Graham believes he will be one of the most improved players on the team this spring “and possibly one of the most improved players in the league.” 

F Cody Dauterman, Jr., 6-3

Dauterman came off the bench last season to average four points and two rebounds per game. “He has shown potential to become a consistent rebounder, and he has the ability to finish plays at the rim,” Graham said. 

P Zach Donahoo, Jr., 6-6

Graham has high hopes for Donahoo, who averaged four points and three rebounds per game as a sophomore, seeing his development as a consistent inside scoring presence as critical to the Grizzlies improving on their 41 points per game average from last season. 

G Amani Wilkins, Jr., 5-10

The athletic wing has the potential to be an impact defensive player after receiving only spot playing time as a sophomore. 

OUTLOOK

It wasn’t that long ago (2018, to be exact) that the Grizzlies came within one win of advancing to the Class 6A state tournament. They made it back to the playoffs a year later before things cratered last winter with a two-win season, the program’s fewest since 1991, with a young squad that struggled to find scoring and shot just 25 percent from three-point range.

McMinnville again will be a young group this season, with two seniors potentially on the roster depending on who decides to turn out for the spring campaign. 

Besides the five returning varsity players, three others moving up from the JV team — juniors Aidan Desmond and Braden Woods and sophomore Max Saltmarsh — should receive significant playing time. Desmond led the JV squad in scoring at 12 points per game last season. Saltmarsh should provide immediate impact as one of the program’s best three-point shooters.

Woods started at point guard for the JV team. He was an all-Pacific receiver and cornerback during the football season and earned all-conference recognition in baseball as a freshman.

“He’s the best three-sport athlete in the school,” Graham said. 

COACH SAID 

“Our goal is to become a more aggressive and consistent team both offensively and defensively. We will be a guard-dominated team this season that is going to have to play aggressive defense to help generate scoring opportunities on offense. I’m not sure what it will look like as far as wins and losses go, but our biggest goal is to be able to look back at the end of the season and know that we are significantly better as we look forward to 2021-2022.” — Willie Graham

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