Cole Hammack scores 31, leading Wilsonville over LaSalle to keep NWOC lead

Updated: Jan. 31, 2025, 11:22 p.m.|Published: Jan. 31, 2025, 11:11 p.m.

By Joe Zochert | for The Oregonian/OregonLive

WILSONVILLE — Every season has always had its own challenges for Wilsonville boys basketball coach Chris Roche. This year that has been retooling a Class 5A contender with a total of five seniors — three starters — graduated out of the program after losing

in the 2024 state championship final.

And Cole Hammack, one of the new pieces for Roche, showed his ability to fill those shoes in a 78-55 victory to remain undefeated in Northwest Oregon Conference play against a stingy La Salle Prep defense on Friday night.

The Wildcats (15-2, 9-0 NWOC) found themselves in a quick 10-4 hole midway through the first period before Hammack scored 15 of his 17 first-half points to take a 32-30 halftime lead over the Falcons (10-7, 5-3 NWOC).

Facing either a full-court press or a two-three zone, Hammack used an array of spin moves and downhill drives to get to the cup and use the Falcons’ aggressiveness against themselves. The senior transfer from North Marion finished with 31 points along with

four rebounds.

“If you’re gonna press us, you’re taking a chance, because he’s phenomenal in the open court,” Roche said about Hammack’s first half. “He makes great decisions and he’s just a tremendous player because he does everything well. He’s also very unselfish. It’s

probably his greatest quality that he scores, but he’s willing to make the right pass all the time.”

It was just another strong showing from Hammack to keep the Wildcats to its winning standard, especially after losing core members from last year.

The trust from his coach and teammates is something that he worked hard to earn and hopes that his lone year with Wilsonville can go the distance.“(Roche) has really taken me in as our point guard and one of them, and just tried to get me up to speed on everything as fast as possible,” Hammack said. “Everyone has really welcomed me into the program.”

He added: “We’re a new team coming together, but we’ve been practicing hard, working hard, to become one and just try to be our best.”

With Hammack’s strong first half, the home team turned to its defense and emphasized ball security to wear down La Salle en route to their 11th victory in a row.

Center Emmitt Fee benefited from the pace change and was able to settle in the half court and bullied his way to nine points in the second half, finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds.

“We moved the ball really well,” Fee said. “We were sharing the ball, we were taking great shots, which allowed us to get back in defense, and then we were just able to shut him out in the second half a lot better than we did in the first half.”

In the second half of the game, the Falcons couldn’t force the Wildcats to play at their chaotic speed like they did in the first half as sophomore guard Rigdhen Khyungra tallied 23 points and three steals to finish the game. Paul Skoro scored seven points and four assists, while Vance Sheffield added four points along with two steals for the speedy trio at La Salle.

“We knew that we had ourselves a challenge between (Khyungra), Sheffield and Skoro,” Roche said. “We had to kind of feel their speed and feel the pace they were playing with. And we finally settled in and played better.”

Hammack added: “We let them get out in transition too much. That was a big, big talk at halftime. It was about how we need to limit that and get back on defense.”

Roche also saw his team gel better in the second half with communication and chemistry looking stronger.

Senior wing Drake Devin and freshman post Michael Ratcliffe Jr. have also earned starting spots on the team. Devin finished with 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. Ratcliffe Jr. added four points and six rebounds.

With contributions coming from three newcomers, Fee has been pleased to see the quick assimilation of the team’s schemes and culture. Fee — along with Jacob Boss being the only two returning starters — knows that leadership has and will be a strong factor in neutralizing the lost continuity.

“It’s always hard losing seniors,” Fee said after the game. “The more leadership we have to the young guys, the better we will be.”

Even with the spotless NWOC record, the Wildcats have the hunger and determination to use every practice and game to peak when the playoffs come around for hopefully another deep run.

“We’re not the best practice team right now,” Roche said candidly after the game. “We’re trying to get more vocal. We’re trying to enter the ball better on offense. We’re trying to impose our will defensively better, like tonight, it took us a half to really get

going.”

He added: “...we’re sometimes hesitant to lead. But we are getting better. It's a day by day thing for us."