East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The score ended at 74-69, but those two numbers were far more inconsequential than this one.
Seventeen.
Seventeen standout high school basketball players gathered at Blue Mountain Community College Thursday night for the school’s third annual “Clash at the Border” all-star game between Oregon and Washington.
The girls got together to play a game in front of the scouting eyes of BMCC women’s basketball coach Christy Martin — and potentially more school scouts in attendance.
It took the Oregon girls some time to do that, trailing by seven points early. The Washington team — which was short some of its bench when three girls weren’t able to make the trip — employed stand-ins from the host college as they picked up the win.
Nadia Telles, a sophomore at Blue Mountain, led all players in points with 20 while moonlighting as a Washingtonian. Her speed and physicality tested the Oregon high schoolers.
“It was like a little sneak peak into college ball,” said Umatilla’s Jessica Siler, who has committed to Walla Walla Community College for basketball. “It was fast paced, but a lot of fun playing with girls that are of higher talent.”
The high-octane style of play was partially fueled by each sides’ unfamiliarity between teammates, which led to several missed passes and turnovers. And in turn, a lot of running back and forth.
“We played at a little quicker pace than I’m used to, but I actually like a faster pace,” Pendleton’s Courtney Schumacher-Sweek said. “My game is kind of running the floor and that’s what I like to do.”
Schumacher-Sweek — who said she’s still deciding on college plans, but is considering BMCC for volleyball or basketball — scored 13 points for Team Oregon and blocked five shots, second to Madras’ Abbie Scott in points. She scored seven of her points at the free throw line where she shot 70 percent.
Hoffert and Siler each scored eight points, Siler adding six rebounds to her line. Her rebound mark was second on the team to Jordan Jeppe of Pilot Rock who had eight.
Washington’s top high school aged performer was Hailey Markham Patti, from North Central High, who scored 14 points and also grabbed eight rebounds. Lewis and Clark High junior Taylor Howlett scored nine points with five boards and Jada Rae Desautel of Lake Roosevelt led all players with nine rebounds.
Other games of note for the Oregon side included Rosie Suppah of Madras scored eight points. Condon/Wheeler’s Jessica Logan and Echo’s Kirsten McCallum each had five points.
Other Eastern Oregon players were Makenna Ramos of Ione, Dana Cardenas of Umatilla and Shadow Kendrick of Ione, who suited up on the Washington side to even out the teams.