Career capper: Seneca Ball first team all-state

Madras senior guard Seneca Ball — whose senior campaign this winter was among the best seasons any individual has ever had in MHS boys basketball history — capped it with a first team all-state nod.

Ball, the Tri-Valley Conference Player of the Year this past winter, was a beast of a guard all season, including at the 4A state tournament, where he led the Buffalos to a fourth-place finish and led the tourney in scoring with 71 over three games, including 37 in the fourth-place victory over Crook County. He was first team all-tournament.

Ball averaged 26.7 points during the Tri-Valley Conference season. He finished his run as a Buffalo as the career leader in points scored with 1,421. The fourth-place finish for the Buffs was the program’s best since taking second in 1997.

Isaiah Jones, of the state champion Baker Bulldogs, was named player of the year, while his father, Jebron James, coach of the Bulldogs, was named coach of the year. Joining Ball and Jones on the all-state first team were North Marion junior Cole Hammack, Cascade junior Landon Knox, and Junction City senior Cooper Rothenberger.

Class 4A Boys Basketball All-State TeamPlayer of the year: Isaiah Jones, Baker

Coach of the year: Jebron Jones, Baker

First team: Seneca Ball, Madras, senior. Cole Hammack, North Marion, junior. Isaiah Jones, Baker, junior. Landon Knox, Cascade, junior. Cooper Rothenberger, Junction City, senior.

Second team: Paul Hobson, Baker, senior. Preston Kramer, Philomath, senior. Markus McCreadie, Henley, senior. Austin Palmer, Seaside, junior. Keivon Riley, Junction City, senior.

Honorable mention: Merrick Benesch, Astoria, senior. Anthony Best, Cascade, junior. Steel Carpenter, Marshfield, junior. Kaiden Ford, Cascade, junior. Kai Holmes, Marist Catholic, sophomore. Izzy Jantes, Seaside, senior. Bryce Lowenbach, Crook County, sophomore. Tyson Martinez, Crook County, senior. Jacob Peters, Philomath, senior. Robin Trenbeath, Phoenix, senior.