Nyssa’s Jorge Ortiz tries to block a shot by a Burns player last week during an Eastern Oregon League contest. The regular season for most prep teams is over and district play is slated to begin this week. (The Enterprise/Kristine de Leon).
VALE – Usually the end of the prep basketball regular season delivers a measure of closure.
Not this year.
Just days after the conclusion of the regular season, final standings in the Eastern Oregon League remained in limbo while in the Greater Oregon League weather impacted the start of the district tournament.
The Ontario girls varsity team (2-4) was slated to play McLoughlin (0-6) Tuesday but bad weather forced the cancellation of that game, ending the Pioneers season.
Now the Ontario girls will face La Grande (4-2) Thursday night in La Grande in the second round of the district tournament. A time for that game wasn’t available by press time.
Baker (6-0) finished as the GOL girls champion.
On the GOL boys side, Ontario (0-6) was set to travel to Milton-Freewater to play McLoughlin tonight. If Ontario wins, the Tigers would play La Grande Thursday. If they lose, their season is finished.
In the Eastern Oregon League, the Vale boys (4-6) finished the season in fifth place and won’t be in the playoffs.
The Nyssa boys claimed the EOL title by finishing the season with an 8-1 league mark, after beating Burns 49-29 last Thursday. The Nyssa girls, however, lost to Burns 45-42. Both the Nyssa boys and girls teams, though, entered the week with one regular season game – with Riverside – still to play. Games between the two – the final season contests for both – were cancelled because of weather.
That means final standings – and district seeding – remained to some extent in limbo.
The Lady Vikings (7-3) finished the season in second place behind Burns and were to play Nyssa Wednesday night in the first round of the EOL district tournament.
Since there is a possibility of an at-large bid to the state tournament, even if the Vikings lost Wednesday, they could still make it into the state tournament. The same is true for Nyssa.
If the Lady Vikings defeat Nyssa Wednesday night, they would travel to Burns to face the Hilanders in second-round district action.
In the 1A High Desert League, the Jordan Valley girls finished the season undefeated at 13-0. The Mustang girls were ranked fifth in the state by the Oregon School Activities Association.
The Adrian girls ended the season with a 9-4 record and fourth place in the league, good enough to qualify for the district tournament.
On the boys side, Crane ended the season in first place with a 12-1 record while Jordan Valley finished second also with a 12-1 mark. Adrian claimed fourth place at 8-5.
The 1A district tournament is shaping up like this: For the boys, Crane and Jordan Valley both claim a first-round bye. Meanwhile, Adrian will play Dayville/Monument Thursday at 8:45 p.m. in Adrian in first round district playoff action. Prairie City will face Huntington in the other first-round district game.
The winner of the Prairie City-Huntington game will face Jordan Valley Friday at 7:45 p.m. in Jordan Valley.
The winner of the Adrian-Dayville/Monument game will play Crane at 2:45 p.m. Friday in Crane.
On the girls side, Jordan Valley and Crane each have a first-round bye. Dayville/Monument will host Harper Charter at 1 p.m. Thursday. Prairie City faces Adrian at Adrian at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The winner of the Dayville/Monument game will face Jordan Valley Friday at 6 p.m. in Jordan Valley in second-round district action.
The winner of the Prairie City-Adrian contest will face Crane in Crane Friday at 1 p.m.
Final Standings
Greater Oregon League (Boys)
1. Baker 5-1
2. La Grande 4-2
3. McLoughlin 3-3
4. Ontario 0-6
Greater Oregon League (Girls)
1. Baker (6-0)
2. La Grande (4-2)
3. Ontario (2-4)
4. McLoughlin (0-6)
Eastern Oregon League (boys) as of Saturday
1. Nyssa (8-1)
2. Umatilla (6-4)
3. Burns (5-5)
4. Riverside (4-5)
5. Vale (4-6)
6. Irrigon (2-8)
7.
Eastern Oregon League (girls) as of Saturday
1. Burns (10-0)
2. Vale (7-3)
3. Nyssa (5-4)
4. Riverside (4-5)
5. Irrigon (3-7)
6. Umatilla (0-10)
High Desert League (boys)
1. Crane (12-1)
2. Jordan Valley (12-1)
3. Prairie City (11-2)
4. Adrian (8-5)
5. Dayville/Monument (7-6)
6. Long Creek/Ukiah (6-7)
7. Huntington (4-9)
8. Harper Charter (3-10)
9. Four Rivers (1-12)
10. Burnt River (1-12)
High Desert League (girls)
1. Jordan Valley (13-0)
2. Crane (12-1)
3. Dayville/Monument (9-4)
4. Adrian (9-4)
5. Prairie City (8-5)
6. Harper Charter (6-7)
7. Long Creek/Ukiah (4-9)
8. Four Rivers (3-10)
9. Burnt River (1-12)
10. Huntington (0-13).