Don’t sleep on Beaverton: Defending 6A champion Beavers show they’re still a force with win over South Medford at Holiday Classic

“We don't really talk about that stuff. Our goal is just to be the best version of ourselves every day and do the best we can.”

By Bob Lundeberg | Photos by Soobum Im 

PORTLAND — With so many formidable teams in Class 6A girls basketball, defending state champion Beaverton is somehow flying a bit under the radar. 

The Beavers, who returned state player of the year Lainey Spear and three other starters from last season’s title team, dropped a mid-December game to Clackamas and went 0-4 at the pre-Christmas Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona. Sitting at 4-5 entering the Holiday Classic, the preseason No. 1 dipped to fourth in the most recent 6A coaches poll.

The No. 4 ranking should be short-lived as Beaverton is off to a 2-0 start at Franklin High School. The Beavers routed Sherwood in their Platinum Bracket opener and scored their biggest win of the young season Thursday, coming back to defeat No. 3 South Medford 52-44.

Beaverton (6-5) will face either No. 6 Benson or California’s La Jolla Country Day in Friday night’s Platinum Bracket final.

“I think this gives us more confidence because obviously that’s a really great team,” senior Zoe Borter said. “That’s a great win for us.”

By taking down an athletic South Medford (9-2) team led by Oregon State signee Donovyn Hunter, Beaverton sent a clear message to the rest of the state: 

We’re still here.

Head coach Kathy Naro doesn’t mind that the Beavers are receiving less early-season attention than No. 1 Jesuit and No. 2 Clackamas, which could face off Friday in the Holiday Classic’s Diamond Bracket. 

“Most of the strong teams in the state added people, and we didn’t,” Naro said. “We have who we had and lost a couple people, where everyone else had everyone back and added transfers. So, I’m OK with us being under the radar. The talent in Oregon is at such a high level. There are some amazing teams.” 

Added Borter: “I think there’s a lot of great teams and that’s just kind of where it’s at. We don't really talk about that stuff. Our goal is just to be the best version of ourselves every day and do the best we can.”

In a game with several Division I talents, Borter was a standout performer at both ends of the court.

Borter, a UC Santa Barbara signee, led all players with 23 points and 10 rebounds. She also dished out a team-high four assists and participated in a strong defensive effort that saw the Panthers shoot 19 of 55 from the field (35 percent) and 0 of 8 from long range.

“I thought she was amazing all-around,” Naro said. “Zoe is such a crafty, intelligent player. She doesn’t get sped up — she goes at her speed and she looks at what’s there and takes advantage of what she sees. She did a tremendous job.”

Spear also recorded a double-double, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and three steals. The 6-foot-2 Spear will play college basketball for Portland.

Hunter led the way for South Medford with 16 points, five rebounds and three steals. The Panthers are working through some growing pains with a roster that includes five returning players and six freshmen.

“Losses need to happen to grow,” Hunter said. “Just like you learn things from wins, you learn things from losses. … We have a lot of young ones. So, to see this and experience playing Beaverton for the first time with the new people we have, it was good for us.”

Beaverton controlled the tempo in the opening quarter, but fast-paced South Medford briefly sped up the game during a 12-0 second-quarter run. The Beavers, who trailed 26-17 at one point, trimmed the deficit to 26-20 by the break. 

The pace remained slow in the second half as Beaverton surged in front and took a 37-34 lead to the fourth. Borter and Spear were clutch down the stretch to close it out.

“We had a lapse in the third quarter, and Beaverton is a good enough team where if you don’t make adjustments quick enough, you can find yourself on the other end of a run,” South Medford head coach Tom Cole said. “We couldn’t surge past that point.”

Hunter was impressed with the Beavers’ composure in the fourth quarter.

“They are very disciplined, they know each other well, and they have good team chemistry,” she said. “When it comes to close games, they know how to work well with each other.”

Naro said controlling the pace was critical against a Panthers team that excels at running and pressing.

South Medford had 18 steals and forced 25 turnovers in its opening-round win over Lakeridge. The Panthers still had 11 steals and 14 forced turnovers against the Beavers, but they rarely came in spurts.

“They are so long and they’re so athletic — they’re just long at every position,” the coach said. “I knew if we got into a running match and were turning the ball over, we were going to be in huge trouble. I felt like being calm and trying to make them guard longer was to our advantage.”

Beaverton graduated just two players from last season’s group, but twin sisters Emily and Hannah Rice were crucial to the team’s success. Naro said finding replacements for the Rices “has been a journey,” and the team is starting to figure it out.

Borter agreed.

“We lost a couple players, so to us, it’s a different team,” Borter said. “It’s been taking us a little bit to get used to each other, but it’s been fun to see where we’re at, playing in these tournaments and playing great teams.” 

Beaverton dealt with team-wide sickness during the Tournament of Champions. Naro said it was difficult to face top-flight competition with a compromised roster.

The Beavers are much healthier now, and they will have a full week off after the Platinum Bracket final before next Friday’s state title game rematch against No. 5 Barlow. 

“We’ve really been challenged,” Naro said. “There hasn’t really been a break, and it’s been a very tough schedule. My hope is we learn and keep getting better with every game.” 

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