PORTLAND — With her South Salem High School girls basketball team leading Oregon City 22-12 and time running out on the first half, Evina Westbrook threw up what could be the ugliest-looking 3-pointer of her career.
South Salem’s Jordon Woodvine (10) jumps up to celebrate with teammate Evina Westbrook (22) after Westbrook made a half court basket in a game against Oregon City in the first round of the OSAA Class 6A state tournament on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at the University of Portland. South Salem defeated Oregon City 46-30.
But the 6-foot junior point guard banked in the 3-pointer and gave a shrug.
“No, it felt good,” said Westbrook, one of the top recruits in the country. “I just kind of watched it and it went in. I wasn’t really expecting it to go in, but it went in.”
She may not have expected the ridiculous shot to fall, but it was easy to be impressed by it.
If anyone was not yet convinced that Westbrook is the best player in the state, she erased any doubt Wednesday.
Westbrook scored 24 points, had eight rebounds and two steals as No. 4-seed South Salem never let up in a 46-30 win against No. 2-seed Oregon City on Wednesday afternoon in the first round of the OSAA Class 6A state tournament at the Chiles Center.
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“She’s a great player, but she also refuses to lose,” South Salem coach Nick McWilliams said. “I know I wouldn’t trade anybody for her. She’s a great player and she’s proving it again. When we get on the big stage, she steps up. That’s what she did last year and that’s what she did this year.”
Last year’s 6A state champion South Salem (27-1) advances to play Jesuit in the Friday’s 1:30 p.m. semifinal.
Wednesday’s first round matchup between the Pioneers and Saxons was strange with being so early.
South Salem and Oregon City have been No. 1 and 2 in the coaches and media polls in the state for the majority of the season, but as they were the No. 4 and 5 seeds for the state tournament faced off in the first round.
The only loss to an Oregon team for either team this season was when Oregon City won 61-53 when they played Dec. 29.
“We weren’t ready to be done,” said senior Jordan Woodvine, who scored 11 points, had five rebounds and three steals. “We’re defending champs, and we want to keep it that way for another year, but we have to work hard.”
South Salem took the initial lead off two free throws by Woodvine and never trailed.
Oregon City cut South Salem’s lead to 14-11 on a lay-in by N’Dea Flye with 5:05 left in the first half, but South Salem went on an 8-0 run and led 25-12 at halftime.
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Flye scored all 12 of Oregon City’s first-half points, and the Saxons held the Pioneers to 5 of 26 shooting from the field in the frame.
“She’s a great player, give her props,” Westbrook said. “That was a great thing for us. If only one player scored their entire half, that’s a pretty big thing.
“Cierra (Walker) didn’t make any shots, (Taylor) Shaw got in some foul trouble, and they weren’t hitting anything. If we have one person just putting up all their shots, and if that’s the worst thing, we’ll take that.”
Flye was held without a field goal in the second half when she was guarded primarily by Westbrook.
Oregon City (22-6) was more diverse in its offense in the second half and managed to cut South Salem’s lead to 39-30 with 3:46 left when Walker hit a reverse lay-in.
South Salem held Oregon City to 24 percent (13 of 53) shooting from the field for the game and 10 percent (2 of 19) from the 3-point line.
“Second half we adjusted to stop N’Dea more because none of their other players had scored in the first half besides N’Dea,” Woodvine said. “Second half we looked more on like they’re going to go for Cierra, they’re going to get Taylor, they’re going to get them involved.
“That’s exactly what they did. They answered right back. That’s when we had to dig down and get gritty with it.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler
South Salem’s Jordan Woodvine goes up for a basket in a game against Oregon City in the first round of the OSAA Class 6A state tournament on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at the University of Portland. South Salem defeated Oregon City 46-30.