Friday basketball previews: All six county teams hit the court

Published 5:15 am Thursday, January 11, 2024

Barring any weather-related cancellations, Friday, Jan. 12 will be a busy day for Wallowa County’s basketball teams. Here are previews of the six games:

Enterprise boys at Heppner

When: Friday, Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m.

Records: Enterprise 10-4 overall, 0-1 2A Blue Mountain Conference; Heppner 7-8 overall, 0-2 2A Blue Mountain Conference.

OSAA rankings: Enterprise is ranked 17th. Heppner is ranked 23rd.

One of these teams will have earned its first conference victory when the buzzer sounds.

The Outlaws have been on the practice court for a week after falling to Grant Union in Enterprise’s conference opener on Jan. 5. Friday marks the second of three straight league road trips for the Outlaws with a Friday game in Heppner and a Saturday league contest in Stanfield.

Heppner has lost six of its last seven games and is 0-2 in conference play. Like Enterprise, the Mustangs lost to Grant Union but in a closer game. It’s stil early in conference play, but both Heppner and Enterprise need a win to stay in contention with Grant Union and Stanfield.

Enterprise girls at Heppner

When: Friday, Jan. 12, 6 p.m.

Records: Enterprise 8-6 overall, 1-0 2A Blue Mountain Conference; Heppner 12-3 overall, 1-1 2A Blue Mountain Conference.

OSAA rankings: Enterprise is ranked 15th. Heppner carries a No. 9 ranking.

Like the Outlaw boys, the Enterprise girls have not played a game for a week since a Jan. 5 win on the road in their conference opener at Grant Union.

Heppner also recorded a victory over the Prospectors of Grant Union but did fell earlier to Weston-McEwen in conference action.

Joseph boys at Pine Eagle

When: Friday, Jan. 12, 6 p.m.

Records: Joseph 4-9 overall, 0-1 1A Old Oregon League; Pine Eagle 1-13 overall, 0-1 1A Old Oregon League.

OSAA rankings: Joseph is ranked 54th. Pine Eagle is ranked 78th.

The Eagles hit the road in search of their first league victory after seeing a heartbreaking three-point loss in the team’s opener to Wallowa. Joseph is coming off a victory in nonleague action over Echo on Jan. 6.

Eagle fans have not seen their team play a home game since Dec. 28 and will not see them in the Joseph gym until Jan. 19. The bus miles continue to pile up.

Pine Eagle is looking to break a four-game loss streak and also has yet to get a win in league play.

The Spartans’ lone victory for the season was back on Dec. 28 versus the Falcons of Four Rivers.

Joseph girls at Pine Eagle

When: Friday, Jan. 12, 4:30 p.m.

Records: Joseph 5-8 overall, 1-0 1A Old Oregon League; Pine Eagle 5-8 overall, 0-1 1A Old Oregon League.

OSAA rankings: Joseph is ranked 21st. Pine Eagle is ranked 37th.

Joseph is back on the road looking to forget a nonleague loss to Echo in the team’s last game. The Lady Eagles are perfect in league action after a win over Wallowa and will face both Pine Eagle and Cove this weekend.

Pine Eagle also is coming off a loss in its last time on the court, a road game in Idaho.

The Lady Spartans dropped their league opener, a 59-32 loss to Powder Valley.

Imbler boys at Wallowa

When: Friday, Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m.

Records: Imbler 13-2 overall, 1-0 1A Old Oregon League; Wallowa 7-8 overall, 1-0 1A Old Oregon League.

Rankings: Wallowa is ranked 47th. Imbler carries a No. 4 ranking into the game.

The Cougars’ boys and girl teams are the only Wallowa County teams playing at home Friday.

Imbler makes the trip to Wallowa as the fourth-ranked 1A team in the state and riding a league victory over Cove and a nonleague win over Elgin. Imbler’s two losses on the season have come at the hands of 2A Grant Union and 4A La Grande. Versus 1A opponents, the Panthers are perfect.

Wallowa has a six-game win streak going as the Cougars host Imbler. The streak includes a league victory over Joseph and most recently, a nonleague win over Pilot Rock.

Imbler girls at Wallowa

When: Friday, Jan. 12, 6 p.m.

Records: Imbler 11-4 overall, 1-0 1A Old Oregon League; Wallowa 9-5 overall, 0-1 1A Old Oregon League.

OSAA rankings: Wallowa is ranked 26th. Imbler is ranked No. 6.

The Panther girls make the trip to Wallowa ranked sixth in the 1A state poll and are undefeated in Old Oregon League play to date.

Wallowa has not taken the court since a league loss to Joseph on Jan. 4. The Lady Cougars have won four of their last six games but need to get a win in league play as six teams already have posted 1A Old Oregon victories.