2A High School Boys Basketball: Olson dominates, aggravates as Mark Morris takes 2A GSHL title (2024)

It took merely two quarters for Braydon Olson and Mark Morris to redeem themselves from a double-digit mid-December defeat at the hands of Columbia River.

Two quarters for Braydon Olson to take over the biggest game of the season with 20 of the team’s 22 second-quarter points.

Two quarters for Olson and the Monarchs to claim the momentum en route to a 75-63 win over Columbia River on Saturday at Ted Natt Court.

Olson finished with a game-high 43 points to lead the Monarchs to victory and seize the 2A Greater St. Helens League title. For coach Bill Bakamus the league title was the 27th in 32 years at the helm of Mark Morris, a remarkable standard that will likely last for decades.

Olson had those 43 points on 14-for-26 field-goal shooting and a perfect 12-for-12 mark from the free throw line.

Malakai Gray added 10 points for Mark Morris including a pair of key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to maintain the Monarchs’ multi-possession lead.

Gray acknowledged afterwards how much the rematch with the Rapids remained present in the Monarchs’ collective mind since the moment the final buzzer sounded on the Dec. 11 game.

“It’s been stinging ever since the first loss. Every practice it has been sitting in the back of our minds,” Gray said. “It feels good to play our game, play Mark Morris basketball and leave with the win.”

The first eight minutes of Saturday’s pivotal matchup with the 2A GSHL title on the line, was controlled by the visitors from the south. Columbia River broke an 11-11 tie with an impressive 12-2 run to close the frame. Adam Reeder hit a pair of 3-pointers and Aaron Hoey jump started his outstanding performance with eight of his 34 points.

It must have been during the brief intermission between quarters when Olson recognized it was time for him to assert himself. The Monarchs career scoring leader then put his team on his back over the following eight minutes of action to overcome a 9-point deficit and claim a 35-34 lead.

“The first quarter was rough, I think I missed the first five shots, but I knew it was coming," Olson said. "All of my shots felt good, they were just in and out so I knew if I just stuck with it, my shots would eventually fall and they did."

Olson erased the deficit single-handedly with a 13-0 run in which he sliced his way through the Columbia River defense, converted at the rim, buried pull-up 3-pointers and went a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line. Olson was simply fantastic.

Olson’s dominance continued in the third quarter despite Columbia River head coach Mark Ganter’s best attempts to slow the senior down. The Rapids turned to a box-and-one defense but it did not matter in the slightest. Olson continued to maneuver with ease as Mark Morris opened a 49-39 lead with two minutes to play in the quarter.

“I knew I was in my zone," Olson said. "My shots were falling. I felt quick, I felt like I was getting around my (defenders), I was drawing contact and I was able to find my teammates. I got into attack mode and it worked out for us.”

The Monarchs led 57-50 entering the fourth quarter and a pair of Gray threes put the team ahead 69-54.

As Mark Morris began to pull away in the fourth quarter, the action became heated between several of the players on the court in front of a boisterous crowd. Olson was assessed a technical foul alongside River’s Hoey for an aggressive exchange at the end of the third quarter in front of the Rapids' bench.

“It was just like the R.A. Long game. It was frothy, it was hot, it was hectic,” Gray said. “I feel like… we adjusted… We played hard nosed defense, really just got after it. We knew it was going to be competitive and we expected it.”

Dalton Stevens punctuated the Monarchs run in the second half with a breakaway two-handed dunk that brought the building to its feet.

While Hoey had a huge night for the Rapids, the team defense employed by Mark Morris in the second meeting with Columbia River, was markedly better. And it made a difference.

“We learned (from the first meeting) that we better play defense and treat defense almost like an offensive play,” coach Bakamus said. “We had to talk better, footwork had to be better, almost the whole gamut of everything defensively."

After coaching his final regular season home game, Bakamus believed the time between contests was a benefit to his team.

“That game was the fifth game of the season. This is game number 21. We’ve grown through some tough games and tough competition," said the Monarchs coach.

By winning Saturday to claim the league title for the second year in a row, Bakamus will get to coach one final time in front of the Monarch faithful at Ted Natt Court to open the District IV boys basketball tournament.

With Mark Morris now turning its sights on a District title, the time has arrived to check off another goal.

“We’re just sticking to our plan, sticking to our work and everybody’s bought in,” Olson said. “I think if everybody keeps working and we keep playing the way we’re playing, we’ll go a long way.”

Mark Morris must wait to learn the winner of the District IV pigtail game before hosting the playoff opener on Saturday at 7 p.m.