Regardless the outcome of the Blue Mountain Conference’s impromptu boys’ basketball playoff Feb. 12 (which unfolded too late for this edition of the Chieftain), this season’s Outlaws should be remembered as two separate teams: Forgettable (Nov. 30, 2007 to Jan. 21, 2008) and Sneaky (Jan. 22 to ?).

The Enterprise High School yearbook staff will need different photos, because the current group – having won four of its last seven games and trying to sneak into the district tournament – looks nothing like the one that began losing by 14 of 16 games including its first seven versus district foes. After crushing the Knights of Irrigon High Feb. 1, Enterprise coach Steve Lear, aware that only the top five teams in BMC go to the tournament, commented that even with a 4-17 record and next-to-last at seventh place, his Outlaws had an outside shot of making the post-season tournament. Considering their sudden improvement, he liked their chances.

“As a coach, you develop a sense about your team,” Lear said. “I sensed we were still alive. We had a pulse.”

Last week, Lear and the Outlaws got everything they needed. Starting Feb. 5 at Elgin High School, the team played solid all-around and beat the Huskies for the second time in two weeks, this time by a score of 55-35. The late string of successes started with a win over Elgin Jan. 22.

In the first three quarters of the recent rematch, freshman Kasey O’Leary posted 18 points, including a pair of three-point baskets. Senior Kyle Stewart also nailed a couple of three-pointers, while sophomore Jacob Girtz and junior Matt Fisher controlled the frontcourt, combing for 17 points.

Meanwhile, Weston McEwen High School, ahead of Enterprise in the late dash for the playoffs, lost its fifth consecutive game. Irrigon High, also up on Enterprise, suffered five straight defeats including a head-to-head match with Enterprise and later a win the Knights had to forfeit.

Three days after topping Elgin, the Outlaws took advantage of a golden opportunity at Quinn Court in Enterprise. Defending their home gym against Weston McEwen, the Outlaws claimed a 67-53 win, tying the Tiger Scots for fifth place.

Fisher dominated the entire game. Throughout the season, the 6-foot-4 junior has been unpredictable. Some nights, he might shine; others, he might check in for a handful of lackluster minutes. But against Weston McEwen, Outlaw fans saw the Matt Fisher they’d been waiting for. He scored 28 points, a season-high for the team. In the first quarter, while the Outlaws jumped out to a 17-6 lead, Fisher poured in nine points. On defense, he helped limit the Tiger Scots to a couple of baskets. After Weston McEwen closed to within 36-32 at the halftime break, Fisher tallied another nine points in the third quarter as the Outlaws rebuilt another big lead.

Having finished the regular season locked for fifth place with 4-10 records in the league, Enterprise and Weston McEwen quickly scheduled a playoff for Feb. 12 to decide the final spot in the BMC tournament. Elgin was chosen as a neutral site. Three weeks ago, no one could have imagined the Outlaws would be caught up in this.

Hector del Castillo is the Chieftain’s sportswriter. E-mail comments and questions to hdelcastillo@wallowa.com.