For the second year in a row, the Irrigon Knights boys basketball team is the 2A state champions after they turned back Toledo, 65-53.
Under first-year head coach Mitch Thompson, the Knights finished the year 26-1 and helped make Thompson, 23, the youngest high school basketball coach to win a state title in Oregon history. Interestingly enough, he passed Hermiston girls basketball coach Steve Hoffert, who was 24 when coached Condon to a state title back in 1987.
The Knights raced out to an early 12-4 lead in the championship game when Zach Rice hit a 3-pointer with just under 5 minutes left in the first quarter. Another 3-pointer by AJ Timpy extended Irrigon’s lead to 28-14 in the second quarter. The Knights, who never trailed in the game, took a 34-24 lead into the locker room.
Irrigon stretched its lead to 46-30 at the end of three and cruised throughout the fourth quarter.
The Knights were led by Fredy Vera’s 23 points and Anthony Landeros added 20 of his own. Vera was 9-for-12 from the floor, with a pair of three pointers, while Landeros was 7-for-12. Irrigon shot an impressive 53 percent from the floor as a team while holding Toledo to just 37-percent shooting.
The Knights’ blitzed their way to the championship game by hammering Vernonia, 97-40, followed by a 64-38 win over Burns and a 74-43 victory over Regis in the semifinal game.
