With a 57-48 loss to the number one ranked and 2-time defending state champion Jefferson Democrats, the Mountain View Cougars fell just one win short of their first state title, but ended the year with the most wins in school history (26-2).

Sophomore James Reid led the Cougars with 11 points and seniors Seth Brent and Mark Claar were named to the all-tournament 2nd team.

The season ends with a 4th IMC title in 5 years and a nearly 80% winning percentage over that span.

COUGARS ADVANCE TO THEIR FIRST EVER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

The third ranked Mountain View Cougars beat Crescent Valley 38-33 Friday night (3/12) in the semifinals of the Oregon 5A state playoffs, and will face the 2-time defending state champion Jefferson Democrats in the championship on Saturday.

COUGS ROLL BUFFS

Mountain View jumped right out of the gate Tuesday night (1/19), amounting a 16-8 lead after the first period. With good defense and better shooting, the Cougs led 40-22 at the half. After Mountain View got up 63-36, their largest lead in the game, they coasted to a 78-66 victory. Isaiah Mitchell and Mark Claar led the Cougs with 22 and 20 points. Seth Brent also added 14 points and 9 boards. Mountain view continues IMC play Friday night (1/22) hosting the Dalles-Wahtonka, who is currently second in the conference.

MOUNTAIN VIEW STAYS UNDEFEATED

Mountain View edges Summit, 43-38, to improve to 13-0 overall, 3-0 in Intermountain Conference

By Beau Eastes / The Bulletin - January 16. 2010 4:00AM PST

James Reid and Mark Claar scored 10 points apiece to lead the Cougars, and Jesse Zapata and Isaiah Mitchell each recorded nine points in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Summit High. Seth Brent, Mountain View's top scorer entering Friday's game, ended the night with just two points, his lowest total of the season.

The victory improved the Cougars' Intermountain Conference record to a league-best 3-0. The Storm are tied for second in the IMC with a 2-1 mark.

“We've got players,” said Zapata, whose five points in the second quarter helped the Cougars take a 20-19 lead into halftime. “Everybody on our team can score. If Seth's having an off night, we can pick him up.”

Brent's only points of the game came on a dunk with 1 minute and 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Mountain View a 38-32 lead.

Reid hit a pair of free throws 28 seconds later to make the score 40-32, effectively ending the game.

“We didn't attack their zone at all,” said Summit coach Dan Munson. “But the kids played hard. For some of our guys this was the biggest basketball game they've ever played in.”

Storm guard Brandon Norby led all scorers with 20 points, 15 of which came off three-pointers. Norby hit three three-point field goals in the fourth quarter, helping Summit stay with the Class 5A second-ranked Cougars until the final minute.

Mountain View (13-0 overall) led early and took a 10-5 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Storm came out hot in the second period, however, and hit three consecutive three-pointers — two by Norby — to lead 14-12 with just over five minutes left in the half.

Zapata answered Summit's rally, though, with his only three-pointer of the night. After the Cougar guard made it 15-14, Mountain View held the lead for the rest of the game.

“We hit some big shots,” said Zapata, whose team hosts Madras on Tuesday night. “We've been doing it all year. It might not have been the best basketball, but were still getting wins.”

COUGARS PULL AWAY IN FIRST LEAGUE GAME

By OWEN R. SMITH The East Oregonian (1/9/10)

(PENDLETON, OR) - Battling the No. 2 ranked 5A team in the state, the Pendleton boys' basketball team trailed the Mountain View Cougars by just two points with less than two minutes to play in a raucus game at Warberg Court.

However, Mountain View used its size and some untimely fouls by the Bucks to sneak out of Pendleton with a 64-55 win in a game that was within four to six points until the final 30 seconds.

If you believe in moral victories, the fact that Pendleton (9-2, 0-1 Intermountain Conference) hung tough with an undefeated team that could end up in the state championship game should be encouraging.

However, Bucks head coach Stu Clem said he told his team after the game they should take no such comfort in lose their league opener. The consensus in the locker room after the game was that the Bucks gave this one away, and they'll let the loss linger awhile.

"We had a tough time getting stops when we needed to," Clem said. "We battled them, I thought, but we just didn't get stops when we needed to. They're disappointed. I think it's going to be exciting to come back tomorrow with a game and perform better against Bend."

Based on how the Bucks started the game, the final score could have easily been a blowout. Bucks wing Deon Davis had two turnovers and the Cougars (11-0, 1-0 IMC) found players on the inside three times in a row to take a 6-0 lead.

Senior Travis Jones hit a three to put the Bucks on the scoreboard and calm the team down. Pendleton had the score tied 13-13 late in the first quarter but two three-pointers by Cougars senior Isaiah Mitchell gave Mountain a 19-13 lead after one.

The rest of the game followed a similar pattern. The Cougars built several leads of eight to nine points, only to have Pendleton fight back and close to within four or five points.

The Bucks trailed by nine heading into the final period, but junior point man Lamar Fairley's two free throws brought Pendleton to within 45-41. With just over a minute and a half left in the game, Tyler Simpson drilled two free throws to bring Pendleton to within 52-50, but it was the closest the Bucks would get.

"They have a height advantage and it was kind of hard to get rebounds," said Simpson, who spent the night battling 6-foot-7 Seth Brent and 6-foot-8 Ryan Fisher. "At the end we were kind of rushing and throwing up some not-smart shots. I thought we played really good and we had a chance to beat the No. 2 team in the state."

Simpson finished with 11 points and six rebounds, Fairley had 15 points and senior post Devon Polhamus added 12 points and eight rebounds. Mitchell led all scorers with 22 points, and Brent had 17 points and 10 boards.

"I give credit to Mountain View because they're a good team," Polhamus said. "I think we could have won it tonight if we'd just stuck it out on defense and hit some crucial free throws. But it's good to know we can stick with anybody in this league."

MOUNTAIN VIEW BEATS HOST WEST LINN FOR THE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP!

With a 85-75 win of the West Linn Lions Saturday night (12/19), the 2nd ranked Cougars not only remained unbeaten on the year, but also took home the 1st place trophy at the West Linn basketball tournament.

Mountain View now has 9 days off during the Christmas break before playing in the Central Oregon Les Schwab tourament at Summit HS in Bend on Dec 28.

COUGARS #2 IN LATEST STATE POLL!

The newest 5A coaches poll was released on Monday (12/7) with the Cougars ranked 2nd in the state. Click here for the entire poll.

First 5A Poll Comes Out, Cougs 3rd!

OregonPrepSports.net released their first poll of the year with Jefferson at the top followed by Hillsboro, Mountain View, and Wilsonville. Click here for the entire poll.

MOUNTAIN VIEW PREPARES FOR ANOTHER SEASON

The Cougars, behind a solid group of returning players, have their tryouts Monday night to kick off the 09-10 season. They will open the season with games at North Eugene and Churchill, then come home to play Klamath Union (see "Varsity Schedule").