By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.— The Sprague Boys Basketball team held a full, four-quarter, intrasquad scrimmage to close out Wednesday’s practice.  A good measuring stick for the Olympians to see where they’re at as the Varsity team edge the Junior Varsity squad 62-34 as they polish the finer details entering December 1’s season opener against McDaniel at Sprague High School.

“It helps a lot; it definitely shows us what we need to work on.  We’re not there with our offense yet.  It exploited our weaknesses and it helps because the next couple of practices we know what we need to focus on for a real game,” said Ryder Skogstad.

Sprague’s returning nine athletes, seven saw significant minutes in the Olympian rotation in their Spring season.  In the Spring, Sprague went 11-4 with this core as they return a year older and more experienced entering a more of a general normal year.

“This year we got a lot of seniors, so we all really got to put the work in because this is the year for Sprague to go super far, I think.  I think we’re a deep playoff team, we got a lot of work to do,” said Dallon Morgan. 

“Offense, we got to get the flow.  We’ve all played together for years and years, so we know how each other plays but just getting the offense under us.  We got a couple new sets we’re putting in, so just getting that down.”

Offense was the biggest thing that Head Coach Jordan Graneto and his staff were talking about that they need to work on entering these final few practices before their season opener.  Biggest things were executing and then cleaning up the few bad possessions that they had, knowing that good teams could possibly turn and burn them on the other end of the court if they give their opposition too many opportunities.

“Coming to practice.  Practice is the biggest thing.  Everyone is practicing but it depends who’s practicing the hardest.  Who’s doing the little things, coming in here being focused, not having a off-day and going forward every day,” Morgan said.

Gresham, Sunset, Tigard follow their season opener against McDaniel before the Olys head to the Sheldon Shamrock Classic December 17-19 and wrap up preseason with Liberty, Oregon City and Beaverton. 

All tough challenges leading into the Mountain Valley Conference-slate this year.  But with eight seniors on the team this year, Sprague is hoping to leave it all out there with the expectations for themselves as high as it is entering this Winter.

“Just go 100-percent.  I know it’s a lot of our guys last year so just leave it all out on the table.  We got nothing to lose at this point, our whole basketball careers have been leading up to this moment.  So, we’re going all out this season,” said Skogstad.

Tip-off against the Mountain Lions of McDaniel is scheduled for 6pm on December 1.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald