By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
BROOKS, Ore.– Ben Sellers has seen and competed against a lot of talent in his four years as a member of the Willamette Valley Christian Boys Basketball program.
Over that span, the Warriors, a 1A school in Brooks in the Casco League, have seen dogfights with the likes of Perrydale, St. Paul, Crosshill Christian, and the rest of the Casco League. The Eagles of Crosshill, now in 2A, were a part of the Casco League before their move to the Valley Coast Conference this school year.
They all helped mold Sellers into the ball player that he is today that helped him win Casco League Player of the Year with St. Paul’s Grady Wolf this past season as the 1A State Playoffs are about to begin on Wednesday.
“It’s definitely good to see, but I couldn’t have done it without the coaching staff, everyone of my teammates helping me out every game. Shout out to all those guys,” said Sellers of winning POY honors.
“It definitely helped a lot, playing against good defenses like Perrydale, Crosshill. Perrydale played a really good man-to-man for the last four years I’ve played. That helped me and all my teammates get better. Crosshill was really aggressive 2-3. I’m just hoping to get better and work together and keep continuing to grow with our basketball knowledge. That’s where it’s been, in that head-space where we’ve been figured out where we were able to get over the hump and get to beat those guys. They’re all great players.”
Getting over the hump Willamette Valley Christian had to do to get the number-one seed out of the league at this past weekend’s Casco League Tournament at McMinnville High School. Having fallen to the Buckaroos of St. Paul twice during the regular season, the Bucks taking the regular season title, the Warriors got their payback back on Saturday when they took down the Bucks 51-44 in the League Playoff Championship Game.
It was their mentality. That next man up mentality and that drive to be the best version of themselves that drove them towards that win and that number one seed.
“We just wanted to make sure that we left it all out there. They got us the last two times, they had our number and they’re a really good team, they’re coached really well and we got a lot of respect for them,” starts Sellers of St. Paul. “We knew we had to play our best game, our best version to beat them. Even when guys went down with injuries, we just had the next man mentality, and everyone stepped up and did their job.”
Getting another home playoff game is great, Sellers said, but pointed towards their last home playoff game back two years ago when they last won the Casco League Title as motivation for this year’s home playoff game.
Back in 2023, the Warriors were stunned by Myrtle Point 67-61 on their home court. Now two years later, they have another opportunity to redeem themselves as they did back on Saturday against St. Paul. Hosting North Clackamas Christian, Willamette Valley Christian will turn to what has been their calling card in hopes to continue their season to Saturday and maybe, perhaps into next weekend’s double-elimination bracket out in Baker City.
“We’re all ready to get in here and win one of these games and just leave it all out there again. Next man-up mentality and just have a good time with each other,” said Sellers. “Just being connected. That’s how we’ve won the last couple of games, we’re all on the same mindset: Play our best on defense, play our best. And offense, it’ll just come by communicating and setting each other up for situations where we can succeed at.”
Tip-off will be at 7pm at Willamette Valley Conference in Brooks.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
