SALEM, OR - Tuesday, 12-21-21 - For the first time in Capitol City Classic history, an Oregon team is going to win the Capitol City Classic.
The only question is whether it will be West Salem or Wilsonville who walks away with the Johnny Leonard Trophy.
In two epic semifinal games that offered Mid-Willamette Valley basketball fans scintillating basketball action, Wilsonville and West Salem both gutted out tough, come-from-behind victories over quality opponents to reach the all-Oregon championship finale.
Wilsonville played first, taking on the 4th ranked 6A Roosevelt Roughriders. Roosevelt jumped out to an early lead, dominating the first half of play with pressure defense that disrupted nearly everything Wilsonville tried to do offensively. At the half, it was Roosevelt up 29-19.
The Roughriders, led by talented sophomores Terrence Hill and Utrilio Morris and athletic Donatello Tupper, built their lead to 12 in the third quarter before Wilsonville clawed back into it.
Led by sophomores Kallen Gutridge and Kyle Counts, the Wildcats somehow found a rhythm on offense in the second half and came storming back. With under a minute to play, Roosevelt missed a free throw up only one, 52-51.
An acrobatic Gutridge bucket, rebound and free throw later, combined with a couple of late Roughrider misses, and the Wildcats had somehow punched their ticket to the championship game for the third consecutive CCC event with a thrilling 54-52 win..