Boys basketball: Enterprise nabs first conference win

Published 12:30 am Tuesday, January 23, 2024

ENTERPRISE — Enterprise sophomore Ryder Tomasini pumped in 16 points to go with 11 rebounds as the Outlaw boys’ basketball team crushed Irrigon, 70-27 in 2A Blue Mountain Conference play on Monday, Jan. 22 in Enterprise.

“The boys came out with a ton of energy for a makeup game,” said Enterprise coach Kyle Crawford. “I thought we did a great job taking care of the basketball, boarding up and playing tough defense.”

The first eight minutes saw both teams playing tough with Enterprise leading by only three points, 11-8 after the first quarter. The Outlaws outscored the Knights 20-5 in the second quarter to hold a comfortable 31-13 margin at the half. The second half was all Outlaws with Enterprise scoring 39 points to add to the first half total.

From the field, Enterprise was 33-for-54 for the night and outrebounded Irrigon 42-23.

Crawford may have the Enterprise team shooting free throws this week in practice as the Outlaws finished 3-for-9 for 33%.

In addition to Tomasini’s performance, Kason Mitchell also ended the game with 16 points. Isaac Bedard ended his night with nine points.

The win marked the first time the Outlaws have played in their home gym in more than a month; the team’s last home game was on Dec. 20, a 41-31 loss to Imbler.

Enterprise (11-6 overall, 1-3 2A Blue Mountain Conference) hits the road on Friday, Jan. 26, meeting the Knights again but this time in the Irrigon gym.

On Saturday, Jan. 27, Enterprise returns home for a 5:30 p.m. game against Grant Union.

Cougars win one, lose one

The Wallowa Cougars split a pair of weekend games on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 19 and 20, and head into two big road games this coming weekend.

On Friday, Jan. 19, the Cougars lost on the road to Cove, 53-46.

But the team bounced back the next night, claiming a 40-37 win against Powder Valley. That game marked the Cougars’ third straight road game, a stretch in which the team has gone 2-1.

The Cougars have two more road games before they return to Wallowa for three straight games at home.

On Friday, Jan. 26, the team heads to Joseph for this season’s second clash between county rivals. Wallowa beat Joseph in the first game, 29-26, on Jan. 4. Friday’s game tips off at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Cougars travel to Imbler for their last road game of the regular season. That game begins at 5:30 p.m.

Eagles split two

The Joseph Eagles bounced back from a tough loss against Imbler with a 35-27 win at home against Powder Valley on Friday, Jan. 19.

The Friday win, which broke a two-game losing streak for the Eagles, eased some of the sting from a 62-35 loss at Imbler on Thursday, Jan. 18. The Imbler defense held the Eagles to only nine points in the first half with the Panthers holding a comfortable 34-9 lead at halftime.

Kane Johnson scored nine points for the Eagles in the loss.

Joseph, now 6-11 overall and 2-3 in 1A Old Oregon League play, gets two games at home Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26 and 27. On Jan. 26, county rival Wallowa is the foe; that game begins at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Pine Eagle pays a visit, with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m.