Cougars win 2nd straight boys hoops title

Cascade captures 4A title again with victory over league rival Philomath

Mark Gilman

Mar 12, 2023

The entire Cascade Cougars team—including first year coach Justin Amaya—were all smiles Saturday night.

And why not?

Cascade’s Rogue Newton (#2) hoists the championship trophy for the 4A champions. Photo from the OSAA.

Paced by Landon Knox’s 19 points and Spencer Horne’s 16, the Turner-based Cougars brought home the big trophy with a 61-52 win over Oregon West Conference rival Philomath Saturday night at Forest Grove High School. It was Cascade’s second straight title—the team beat Junction City last spring at Marshfield High School in North Bend for the 2022 crown.

The game was a slow-paced slugfest in the first half. Top-seed Philomath led by as many as five points in the first half, but third-seeded Cascade gained control late in the second quarter to take a narrow 20-19 lead at the break.

Cascade took charge coming out of the locker room in the third quarter.

Landon Knox scored 11 of his points in the period as the Cougars built a nine-point lead at 43-34 heading into the fourth.

Facing a stifling defensive effort by the Warriors in the last eight minutes, Cascade did a commendable job of fending off the pressure. The Cougars shot 50 percent from the field for the game, and battled Philomath to a stalemate in the quarter—where both teams scored 18 points. Cascade team members celebrated the victory with enthusiasm in front of the packed crowd.

Cougars coach Justin Amaya said the team executed the game plan outlined for them prior to tip off.

“Our game plan was to push the tempo and play physical man-to-man defense,” he said after the game.

Cascade had only 7 turnovers in the game, while Philomath committed 14 in the contest.

The Cougar win marked their third victory over the Warriors during the season. They posted one-point and three-point wins during the regular season. Cascade ended the year with a record of 24-3, while Philomath was 22-5.