By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.– Practice was intense, but relaxing at the same time Thursday afternoon as finals wrapped up at McKay High School.

But it is what’s on the agenda Friday night that’s the main focus at hand.

The Fifth-ranked, 15-2 overall and 9-0 in the Greater Valley Conference South Salem Saxons.

Last time that South and McKay (5-12, 2-7 GVC) met off of Lancaster on December 18, 2015; where, for most of the first half, the Royals Scots were in striking distance of the Saxons before South pulled away late into the first half and early in the second half for the 88-70 victory.

The plan, is to play for a full 32 minutes against the Saxons.  They know the adversity, the Saxons are bigger, they have the experience, but McKay Head Coach Dean Sanderson knows that his young team can’t back down because of it.

“We have to have 32 minutes of effort to have a chance,” said Sanderson.  “We got to embrace it and know that we have to play McKay basketball to have a chance.  If we play 28, those four minutes are going are going to put us in a really bad spot.”

“But I like where we’re at right now, I like how we bounced back at practice the last two days and we got to have some carry over from practice to the game.”

Those set pieces features senior 6’11 Christian Russell to lead a Saxons squad that has seven senior in all on roster as well as great perimeter shooters.

“We just have to box out,” said Noah Tavera.  “Everyone has to be a part of it, everyone has to go and rebound because that’s the most important key.  We’re pretty small so we have to get in there and rebound.”

At the end of practice, Sanderson turned to his seniors and didn’t really need to remind them, but did anyway with a simple message:  That it’s there last time playing South in their High School careers.  How do they want to remember this game?

Here is what Demeris Bailey said about it:

“It’s the last time we get to play South,” he said. “I think it’s really important from the beginning to get on top of it.  Start fast, finish strong because we don’t get another opportunity to play at South against them.  We just got to leave it all out there.”

Tip off for the game is 7:15pm at South Salem High School.

EXTRA PHOTO FROM PRACTICE (PICTURES BY JEREMY MCDONALD)

.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!