The South Salem bench celebrates a basket by teammate Damian Moe in the North Salem vs. South Salem boy’s basketball game at South Salem High School on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. South Salem won the game 82-36, clinching the Greater Valley Conference Championship.
South Salem’s Elijah Schwartz (0) starts in the North Salem vs. South Salem boy’s basketball game at South Salem High School on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016.
South Salem’s Elijah Schwartz celebrates a basket in the North Salem vs. South Salem boy’s basketball game at South Salem High School on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016.
Damian Moe and Elijah Schwartz worked out their entrances well in advance because they had been dreaming of the chance for a long time.
Making the varsity basketball team at South Salem High School for the first time in their high school careers this season was a big step up from being cut in each of their previous three years.
To have their names announced as starters for Tuesday night’s game against North Salem was something even they couldn’t have dreamed of in all their years as student managers after all those times they were cut from the team.
“I was in the classroom with them in the Life Skills classroom as an instructional assistant for the first two years of their high school career,” South Salem coach Tyler Allen said. “I was actually the guy who had to let them know that they didn’t make the team as a player and saw the tears and the passion in their eyes.
“For three straight years they tried out just like everyone else. They ran up and down the courts in our extensive tryouts and in conditioning and every year they didn’t that opportunity to play. I was proud this year to have the opportunity to give them a jersey and now tonight that final reward for them to be able to come out the tunnel as a starter.”
Not only did they start in South Salem’s 84-36 win Tuesday against North Salem that clinched the Saxons (20-2, 14-0) the Greater Valley Conference championship, but they contributed.
On South Salem’s first time down the floor, freshman point guard Jaden Nielsen Skinner drove and dished the ball to Schwartz in the corner, who promptly buried a 3-pointer for the first points of the game.
“Elijah is my best friend, I got to give him props for starting, hitting the first 3 tonight and doing a good job on defense tonight,” Moe said.
South Salem’s Damian Moe (10) moves past North Salem’s Jordan Sampson (35) in the North Salem vs. South Salem boy’s basketball game at South Salem High School on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. South Salem won the game 82-36, clinching the Greater Valley Conference Championship.
South Salem seniors Christian Russell and Joe Carey gave up their starting spots for the game to Schwartz and Moe, but when Schwartz and Moe came off the floor in the first quarter they got a big applause.
When the Moe and Schwartz reentered the game in the fourth quarter, with the game well in hand, they still played hard.
Moe hit a 3-pointer from the side with 2:55 left to go up 76-30 and later had a rebound basket.
To get on the court at all this season for one of the best teams in the state was one thing, but to play so much in a meaningful game was something better.
“This year coach gave me a jersey and I can’t believe I made it,” Schwartz said. “It felt good. I love this team. I love the coaches. I love these players. I love South.”
Every time Schwartz or Moe scored – as it has been all season – the South Salem crowd erupted with its loudest applause of the night.
“They’re just kind of like the heart and soul of our team,” South Salem senior Gabe Matthews said. “Elijah’s crazy sometimes, and he’s the guy who’s always up off the bench first and he’s excited.
“Damian always gives as much effort as he can. They’re teammates, they’re bothers and our school knows that, and they rally behind them. It’s good to see that.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler