By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

OREGON CITY, Ore.–  The Clackamas Girls Basketball team enter the Northwest Athletic Conference at 9-4 and are looking to continue their winning ways in the conference as they open league against Southwestern Oregon Community College Saturday afternoon at 2pm.

“We’ve played in three pretty good tournaments and a couple decent road games,” said Cougars Head Coach Jim Martineau “So we’ve played Walla Walla, we’ve played Umpqua, we’ve played Wenatchee Valley who are ranked two, three and five in the NWAC right now.

“So I think we’re ready.  We’re 9-4, we’ve got a tough league.”

Martineau’s Lady Cougars will look to battle against Lane College (13-0) and Umpqua (12-2) while battling with Clark and Southwestern Oregon to get into the playoffs and a chance to win a league title.

With the goal to win league, something that Clackamas has done on a constant basis over the past 20 years, the expectations is no different of winning league and making the playoffs.

“Our expectation always is to win league,” said Martineau.  “We’ve had 10 of the last 20 league championships, so that’s our goal every year.  It’s going to be a challenge this year because Lane is loaded with a special group.

“But that’s goal number one.  Goal number two is to make playoffs, which is Top 4.”

But Martineau is optimistic that if they stay healthy, then everything will be fine.

“If we stay healthy, we have a chance to make a run for a playoff spot and finish Top 3,” “But it’s going to be a very, very difficult conference.”

SWOCC (8-5) will be traveling to Oregon City for the opening game of the NWAC League Season.  Tipoff is slated for 2pm.

For Full Schedule of when your Lady Cougs are play visit:  http://depts.clackamas.edu/athletics/basketball/w_schedule.asp

Jeremy McDonald is a professional sports journalist in the Salem/Portland area and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalist in Oregon with B.S. degrees from Southern Oregon University in Journalism (2011) and Health/PE (2013).  Got a story idea? Email him at jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com or on Twitter at @J_McDonald81!

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