Salem Academy started the 2018/2019 Basketball season with four consecutive losses. Most people wrote this team off, we were skeptical on how Salem Academy could turn this team around in such a tough league. We thought this team wouldn't recover and have a rough season. However, this team did not give up on the season after losing against two good 4a teams as well as the #1 3a team Santiam Christian. If you were Salem Academy and you lost four straight, you would panic but also realize that you lost to a few of the best teams in our own classification as well as the 4a classification. We personally think this Salem Academy team is on track to shock some teams when the playoffs start. They just barely lost to a very good Dayton team 57-53, this game was played at Dayton and Santiam Christian didn't even get that close to Dayton when they played during the Dayton Tournament.
The play of Junior Cole Hardy and Sophmore Benett Bos really turned this team around, both of these players started playing better as well as developing a good touch around the basket. This Salem Academy team just lost by one vs a solid Horizon Christian team. That game came down to the last second of the game as Salem Academy missed back to back layups to lose 53-52. This game opened our eyes about how much potential they have, this team is eager to get better and it starts on the defensive side of the ball. One of the things that helped turn this season around was the guard's defense and especially on-ball defense, early on they were allowing teams to dribble by them with little resistance allowing easy drives in the lane. This team starting getting better right around the Salem Academy Christmas Tournament, the defense started playing better and the post play was working with ease. We have noticed though since Salem Academy started playing better they are using Senior Hayden Wakefield less, during that Horizon Christain game he hardly touched the ball and shot less than 5 times the whole game. We are wondering if they found that the team as a whole runs better if the scoring runs through two solid post players rather than using a very reliable guard. They are not using him as a scoring point guard or relying on him as much as they did in the past he is a pure scorer and can drive and score when he wants but they are using him as a pass-first guard and allowing him to drive when he wants but first and foremost run everything in the flow of the offense. Either way, Salem Academy has figured out a way to turn this season around and compete with the best in 3a. This Friday will be a huge test for Salem Academy, they play Dayton but it's a home game and even thinking about a possibility of beating a top 3a team is a big improvement from how the season started out.
Interview with Sophmore Post Benett Bos
What game did you guys start turning things around and playing better team basketball?
Benett Bos replied, ”At our Christmas tournament is when things started to turn around,”
You play Dayton this Friday and this could be a big game for you guys? What will the game plan be to possibly beat Dayton as you only lost by 4 to Dayton @ Dayton.
Benett Bos said,” Just to make sure not to turn the ball over and keep moving the ball on offense. Then on defense just being smart on and create tournovers.
Where do you see the growth of this team because three weeks ago nobody really had you guys even making the playoffs and now here you are looking to make a huge statement win on Friday.
Benett Bos responded,” Our ball movement and defense is what has been the turn around for us,”
We watched them early on and one game they had 15 turnovers by halftime, cleaning this up definitely has proved a difference in game outcomes.
As the conversation continued we discussed the possibility of Salem Academy striving to be in the Top 10 rankings on the Osaa website and hopefully play a team they are capable of beating and advance to Coos Bay.
