Sheldon boys basketball has the look of a Chiles Center team
By René Ferrán
Over the next two weeks, SBLive Oregon will break down more than 100 Oregon high school basketball teams. Here’s our look at the Sheldon Irish boys of the Class 6A Southwest Conference.
HEAD COACH
Eric Orton, second season (15-10)
2019-20 AT A GLANCE
Overall record: 15-10
League record: 6-4, third in Southwest
Playoffs: Lost 57-45 to Summit in first round
ALL-LEAGUE PLAYERS DEPARTED
G Dawson Prickel, honorable mention
PLAYERS TO WATCH
W Nash Kuykendall, Sr., 6-4
Orton believes Kuykendall would have contended for Southwest player of the year and all-state recognition in a normal season after a junior year during which he earned first-team all-SWC honors, averaging 12 points, six rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
G Zack Carter, Sr., 6-1
Carter last season received all-SWC honorable mention in large part because of his defense — Orton called him “our best on-ball defender.” He wasn’t too shabby on offense, scoring nearly 10 points per game while shooting 38 percent from three-point range. “He has a great first step and great body control around the basket,” Orton said.
W Gunner Robinson, Sr., 6-3
Robinson is one of the most improved players on the team. As a junior, he averaged nearly 10 points and five rebounds per game in conference play and received all-SWC honorable mention. “Gunner is a high-level athlete and a kid who had not played a lot of hoops until recently,” Orton said. “I think he could be a great Division II or NAIA player.”
P Hayden Salisbury, Sr., 6-6
Salisbury provided a big body off the bench as a junior. Orton believes he can help the Irish offensively and defensively this spring. “He has great footwork and rebounds really well,” Orton said. “He runs the floor hard and works hard for position.”
W Derek Frey, Jr., 6-1
Frey battled through an injury-plagued sophomore season, but he is among the team’s best passers and ball-handlers. “I really think he can help us this season,” Orton said.
G Louis Gaines, Jr., 6-1
Gaines is an athletic wing who just needs time to develop on the basketball court. “As he continues to work on his game, he could be very special over the next two years,” Orton said.
OUTLOOK
The Irish won 15 games in Orton’s first season after taking over for Dan Clark, who twice won 22 games during his six-year tenure. Orton credited a senior class “who bought-in to playing defense and all played significant roles,” and he’s hoping to continue building that identity during the six-week spring season.
His senior quartet of Kuykendall, Carter, Robinson and Salisbury is talented enough to get the Irish back to the Chiles Center (if this were a normal season) for the first time since 2016, when they placed fourth.
“Our goal is to always play on the last day of the season, and I think this team had a chance to do that,” Orton said.
Beyond this spring, Sheldon hopes to develop Frey and Gaines to form the nucleus of a team that could challenge for a Southwest Conference title in the winter.
COACH SAID
“With what we were looking at as a season this year, we are going to compete at a high level and take every opportunity available. That we are playing only local teams, I think it will be a great opportunity for our kids to play against kids they have grown up with and played since they were young.” — Eric Orton
