With a 71-52 win against Toledo in the 1st round of the 3A state playoffs Saturday night (2/27) in Medford, Cascade Christian head coach Brian Morse did what only a handful of coaches in the state of Oregon have done, win 400 games.

The 2-time Oregon state coach of the year, Morse is now 400-162 in 22 seasons at the helm of the Challengers, and has built Cascade Christian into one of the powerhouse programs in the state.

His 2 state titles in 3 years put him in rare company, and the Challengers 106-12 record over the past four seasons give them a winning percentage of nearly 90%.

In addition, the defending 3A state champions have won 5 straight league titles and haven't lost a league game since the 2006/2007 season when they claimed their first Oregon state basketball championship.

Before beginning his coaching career, Morse was himself an All-League basketball player in High School, helping to lead the Challengers to their first state playoff appearance in 1984.

CHALLENGERS ON HISTORIC RUN!

With a 78-30 win over Myrtle Point Monday night (2/15), Cascade Christian completed a three year unbeaten streak in the Sunset league (40-0)

The defending 3A state champions haven't lost a league game since the 2006/2007 season when they claimed their first Oregon state basketball championship. Cascade Christian who also beat the sixth ranked team in the 5A Tuesday night (2/16), the Ashland Grizzlies, is now 104-12 in the last four years, with a winning percentage of nearly 90%.

In addition, head coach Brian Morse is approaching a milestone of his own. With 398 career wins, he not only is the schools all-time winningest coach, but one of only a handful of coaches in the state of Oregon to flirt with 400 wins.

The Challengers next game will be Saturday night at 7:00pm home against the Sunset league's #2 team, either the Glide Wildcats, or the Coquille Red Devils. The winner of that game will be the Sunset league's #1 representative to the 3A Oregon state playoffs.

CHALLENGERS WIN 38th STRAIGHT LEAGUE GAME!

(Mail Tribune 2/10)

At Gold Beach, senior forward Austin Rasmussen scored a career-high 16 points for third-ranked Cascade Christian in a 70-20 win.

Rasmussen tallied 12 points in the first half as the Challengers (21-2, 12-0 Sunset) took a commanding 30-11 lead at the break.

Wes Litton contributed 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Challengers.

Cascade Christian senior Ben Joffer, who's dealing with some minor injuries and fatigue, did not play and will probably be rested again against Reedsport on Friday (2/12).

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (70) — Siliga 2, Morse 2, Marshall 4, Sosey 5, Wipf 4, M. Smith 2, A. Smith 6, Litton 14, Hoffman 10, Rasmussen 16, Cochran 5. Totals: 32 5-11 70. GOLD BEACH (20) — Martin 10, Rosa 0, Anthony 0, Werder 0, Anderson 0, Armstrong 0, Swan 0, Wallace 5, Whittaker 0, Busko 4, Smith 1, Coon 0. Totals: 7 2-6 20. Cascade Christian 16 14 21 19 — 70 Gold Beach 1 10 3 6 — 20 3-point goals — Cascade Christian 1 (Sosey 1), Gold Beach 4 (Martin 2, Wallace 1, Busko 1).

CHALLENGERS WIN 34th STRAIGHT LEAGUE GAME!

Playing at the Pavillion in Medford, third ranked Cascade Christian held a 9 point lead gong into the final quarter against visiting Rogue River, but outscored the Chieftans 21-4 the rest of the way for a 64-38 win.

Senior forward Colton Cochran had another double-double, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to lead the Challengers.

In addition, Ben Joffer had 7 steals, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Eli Hoffman scored 12 points to go along with 6 rebounds.

With the win, Cascade Christian moves to 8-0 in Sunset League play (17-1 overall), and will host Coquille Friday night (1/29) at the Pavillion.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN WINS 10TH STRAIGHT GAME

Sophomore guard Davis Siliga came off the bench to score 19 points, including 3 from behind the arc, helping the Challengers beat visiting Reedsport 86-33 Friday night (1/22) at the Pavillion in Medford.

With the win, second ranked Cascade Christian moves to 6-0 in league play and 15-1 overall.

CHALLENGERS ADD TWO GAMES TO SCHEDULE!

With two spots open in their 2009/2010 basketball schedule, second ranked Cascade Christian added two tough opponents to their lineup.

On Saturday afternoon February 6 at 3:30pm, the Challengers will travel to Oakland HS to take on the fourth ranked Pirates of Dayton.

Then on Tuesday (2/16) at 7:00pm, Cascade Christian will face the tenth ranked team in the 5A ranks, the Ashland Grizzlies.

CHALLENGERS WIN 30TH STRAIGHT SUNSENT LEAGUE GAME!

With a 58-42 win Tuesday night (1/12) against #10 Glide, the defending 3A state champions ran their streak of league victories to 30.

Third ranked Cascade Christian (13-1) will host Gold Beach Friday night (1/15) at the Pavillion in Medford.

FAST START CARRIES #3 CHALLENGERS PAST BANDON

(Mail Tribune Article 1/9/2010)

Cascade Christian didn't allow ninth-ranked Bandon any opportunity for anupset in an important early-season Sunset League boys basketball game Friday.

The Class 3A No. 3 Challengers blitzed Bandon from the opening tip and surged to a 28-0 lead midway through the second period en route to a 65-46 home victory.

Bandon (8-3, 2-1 Sunset) came into the contest tied with Cascade Christian and Glide atop the league standings at 2-0.

"We wanted to come out of the blocks hard," Cascade Christian veteran coach Brian Morse said. "We knew it was going to be a top league match. We got our fastbreak going and we were getting offensive putbacks."

Colton Cochran provided the Challengers with an effective all-around game. The senior post scored eight points to go with seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks.

"Cochran was penetrating the key and finding the open guy down low for a layup," said Morse. "He does a great job crashing the boards."

The Challengers (12-1, 3-0) outrebounded the Tigers, 36-17. Cascade had 18 offensive boards, with Cochran getting all seven of his rebounds on the offensive glass.

Wes Litton and Ben Joffer paced the Challengers with 12 points each. Litton also had a team-high eight rebounds.

BANDON (46) — Lemerande 0, Gag. Gant 0, Gar. Gant 8, Mack 11, K. Freitag 2, J. Freitag 4, Winchell 0, Santos 6, Jackson 12, Murray 1, Bennett 2, Berry 0. Totals: 17 11-18 46.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (65) — Litton 12, Joffer 12, Siliga 7, Wipf 7, Morse 6, Marshall 4, Sosey 4, M. Smith 0, A. Smith 0, Hoffman 2, Rasmussen 3, Cochran 8. Totals: 29 3-6 65.

Bandon 0 10 16 20 — 46

Cascade Christian 20 18 12 15 — 65

3-point goals — Bandon 1 (Mack 1), Cascade Christian 4 (Siliga 1, Wipf 1, Joffer 2).

JV result — Cascade Christian won

CHALLENGERS PULL AWAY FROM COQUILLE!

(Mail Tribune Article 1/6/2010) CASCADE CHRISTIAN 81, COQUILLE 63

— At Coquille, senior guard Ben Joffer scored 10 of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter to help second-ranked Cascade Christian pull away.

Coquille cut the Challengers lead to 55-51 entering the final period, but Cascade Christian responded by outscoring the Red Devils, 26-12.

Senior forward Wes Litton contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for the Challengers (11-1, 2-0 Sunset) and Eli Hoffman added eight points and eight assists.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (81) — Siliga 2, Morse 0, Marshall 8, Sosey 0, Wipf 0, M. Smith 0, A. Smith 2, Litton 17, Hoffman 8, Joffer 20, Rasmussen 9, Cochran 15. Totals: 33 12-25 81.

COQUILLE (63) — Huffman 0, Howard 16, Waddington 5, GeDros 0, Dannels 8, Altenbach 16, Dixon 8, Bowen 10. Totals: 27 8-13 63.

Cascade Christian 22 17 16 26 — 81

Coquille 12 18 21 12 — 63

3-point goals — Cascade Christian 3 (Marshall 1, Joffer 2), Coquille 1 (Altenbach 1). Fouled out — Waddington.

JV result — Cascade Christian won.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN HOLDS OFF EAGLE POINT!

Leading by just one point heading into the fourth quarter, the Challengers were able to pull away from the Eagles for a 49-39 win Friday night (12/11) in Phoenix.

With the win, Cascade Christian moves to 2-0 on the year and will face a traveling team from Australia on Saturday afternoon (12/12), in the final game of the Phoenix Invitational.

CHALLENGERS PLAY 5A EAGLE POINT ON FRIDAY

The defending 3A state champion Cascade Christian Challengers will play Southern Sky opponent Eagle Point on Friday afternoon (12/11) at the Phoenix Invitational.

CHALLENGERS OPEN WITH A WIN!

The defending 3A state champion Challengers opened the 2009/2010 season in Phoenix on Thursday afternoon (12/10) with a 73-58 win against 4A Sutherlin in the first game of the Phoenix Invitational.