Tag: Jackson Shelstad

Oregon vs. Portland: Instant Reactions to Ducks’ stunning win against the Portland Pilots

The Oregon Ducks win a stunner vs. the Portland Pilots on Tuesday night in Matthew Knight Arena.

At tip-off, the Oregon Ducks had no business losing to the Portland Pilots, but with five minutes to go in the second half, Oregon had no business winning. They found a way to win anyway.

With 8:11 on the second half clock, Oregon trailed 54-41. The Ducks were not shooting well, and defense was way too much of a struggle. But then, Keeshawn Barthelemy, who had played poorly to that point, started to hit some shots, and after that, he couldn’t miss.

Still, in the game’s final moments, Dana Altman’s Ducks’ looked like they had no chance. They waited too long to wake up. But when Oregon got the ball back, down 67-62 with under a minute to play, Barthelemy laced a quick three to pull the Ducks within two — 30 seconds to play.

Oregon forced a stop, and Jackson Shelstad streaked up the court, quickly forcing a shot — something we saw all too often from him tonight. Somehow, Barthelemy grabbed the offensive rebound and kicked it to Jadrian Tracey. With under ten seconds to go, Tracey finished at the rim, tying the game. Portland couldn’t score and the game went to overtime.

In overtime, the Ducks had all the momentum, and they quickly started to pull away. It wasn’t until there was less than a minute to go that Portland scored their first overtime points, leading to an 80-70 Oregon victory.

Just a frisky Tuesday night win.

Oregon vs. Portland Keys to the Game

  • Oregon was abysmal shooting for most of the night. The Ducks finished with 28/69 FGs made and 7/31 from three, and Oregon didn’t hit its first second-half three until the 16-minute mark in the period. The Ducks got much more efficient down the stretch, which boosted those numbers.
  • Forced shots were a big reason for the Ducks’ low shooting splits. In addition to contested threes, Oregon was forcing well-guarded shots after offensive rebounds, leading to just five second-chance points in the game.
  • Down the stretch in the second half, Portland heated up from the three-point line. With under six minutes the Pilots, shot three-for-four from deep, and each make seemed to slow the Ducks’ momentum.
  • The Pilots were outrebounding the Ducks for most of the game, but in the final minutes, Oregon started cleaning the glass. That’s when the Ducks started to crawl back into the game.
  • For too much of the game, Oregon didn’t have nearly enough defensive intensity. But in the final minutes of the second half, and especially in overtime, Oregon’s defense was much tighter.

Oregon vs. Portland Players of the Game

  • Keeshawn Barthelemy: 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, 5/10 FGs, 3/7 3Ps
  • Bam Tracey: 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 8/11 FGs, 4 steals
  • Jackson Shelstad: 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 5/19 FGs, 3 steals
  • Nate Bittle: 13 points points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 4/7 FGs, 1 block

Oregon vs. Portland Notable Stats

  • Oregon’s shooting splits against Portland were not awesome. Forty-one percent from the field and 23% from three won’t win many games this year, but don’t expect the Ducks to shoot this poorly often.
  • After trailing for much of the game, Oregon won the rebound battle 45-37, grabbing 11 of the final 14 rebounds.
  • Oregon shot just two free throws in the first half, making one. In the second half and overtime, the Ducks shot 16/21 from the line, which was a big key to their comeback.
  • Oregon had 16 fastbreak points and 17 points off of turnovers, signaling the Ducks’ struggle to score off of turnovers from a halfcourt offense.
  • The Ducks closed the second half seven for their last eight from the field. In overtime, they were 3/6.

What’s Next for Oregon Ducks?

  • Nov.  17 — vs. Troy Trojans
  • Nov. 22 — at Oregon State Beavers
  • Nov. 26 — vs. No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (Las Vegas, Player’s Era Festival)
  • Nov. 27 — at San Diego State Aztecs
  •  Nov. 30 — at No. 14 Creighton Blue Jays 

The Ducks have a few softball games to go before heading to Las Vegas for the Players Era festival. From that point, Oregon will play three games in five days, two of which are against current Top 25 teams. Who said non-conference season couldn’t be spicy?

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Oregon Basketball ranked in College Sports Wire’s preseason Top 25

The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team is ranked 21st in College Sports Wire’s preseason Top 25 rankings.

With the Oregon Ducks football team excelling each weekend, the start of Oregon’s men’s basketball season has flown under the radar, but the Ducks tip-off against UC Riverside at 7:30 on Monday, kicking off what could be a fruitful season for Oregon.

The Ducks were not featured in the preseason AP Poll — a product of Oregon losing its two biggest contributors in 2023: N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard. In spite of those losses, College Sports Wire ranked Oregon No. 21 in its preseason rankings.

“Losing N’Faly Dante up front is tough for coach Dana Altman, especially with a move to the Big Ten, but Oregon has a phenomenal young core led by point guard Jackson Shelstad. Shelstad’s sophomore breakout feels inevitable, and if KJ Evans and Mookie Cook can shine this team will be a strong contender in its new conference.” – Andy Patton, College Sports Wire

Dante and Couisnard were invaluable contributors in 2023, but Shelstad was the most talented player on last year’s team, even if the consistency wasn’t there yet. This year, he’ll be expected to shoulder much more of the load, but in year two, we can expect more consistent performances.

In addition to their young core of Shelstad, Evans, and Cook, Oregon has added a strong transfer portal class, including shooting guard TJ Bamba and forward Brandon Angel. Bamba is an efficient two-way wing who previously played for Villanova and Washington State, and Angel is a tall offensive threat who shoots efficiently from three. Angel played his last four seasons at Stanford.

After Oregon’s season opener against UC Riverside at Matthew Knight Arena, the Ducks will host the Montana Grizzlies on Friday. Later this month, Oregon will head up to Corvallis for their sole matchup against Oregon State this season and head to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival before kicking off Big Ten play in December.

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Oregon Ducks sophomore Jackson Shelstad named to preseason All-Big-Ten team

Jackson Shelstad, the star point guard for the Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team, was named to the Big Ten’s preseason All-Conference team.

We’re in the full swing of the college football season, with the Oregon Ducks looking great at 4-0, but we’re also two months away from a college basketball season that could be a memorable one for Oregon. Leading the Ducks will be sophomore point guard Jackson Shelstad, who on Tuesday, was named to the preseason All-Big-Ten team.

Shelstad’s selection doesn’t come as a surprise after his spectacular freshman season. Playing in 32 games in 2023, Shelstad averaged 12.8 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field, 34.5% from three, and 85.7% from the free throw line.

The Ducks’ 2023 season was capped off with an incredible and improbable run to the NCAA tournament. With no chance at an at-large bid, the Ducks beat UCLA, Arizona, and Colorado consecutively to win the final Pac-12 Championship, punching their ticket to March Madness where they upset South Carolina in the first round, and took three-seeded Creighton to overtime in the round of 32.

Shelstad was a major factor in the Ducks’ win streak at the end of the season, averaging 13.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, with 40%/32%/85% shooting splits in the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments. Shelstad was hitting big shots in those games, but like all season, he struggled with consistency.

A lack of consistency isn’t a surprise for a freshman like Shelstad. Instead, it’s the expectation. But now as a sophomore, he’s, hopefully, developed that part of his game, because Oregon will need it. With N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard — the other two stars of the 2023 teams — gone, Shelstad will be tasked with leading the Ducks back to the NCAA tournament.

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Oregon Ducks star Jackson Shelstad scores 71 points at Portland Pro-Am

Oregon Ducks basketball star Jackson Shelstad dropped 71 points at the Portland Pro-Am game over the weekend.

It’s getting harder and harder to differentiate Jackson Shelstad from Payton Pritchard. 

The two Oregon Ducks grew up in the same town in Portland, and they both went to West Linn High School, winning state championships. Both decided to stay home at attend the University of Oregon, going on to have high-impact freshmen seasons.

Of course, Pritchard has continued his career on to the NBA, where he recently won his first championship with the Boston Celtics last month. Meanwhile, Shelstad is poised for what looks like a big-time sophomore campaign in Eugene.

There’s one other similarity between the two that was just uncovered on Saturday — the ability to dominate the Portland Pro-Am basketball game.

Shelstad reportedly scored 71 points in the Pro-Am this weekend. If you’ll remember back in 2021, Pritchard made headlines after reportedly scoring 92 points in the same Pro-Am game.

The upbringing was similar, the play style is similar, and now some of the accomplishments are looking similar as well.

Does this mean that Shelstad has an NBA championship in his future? We can only hope.

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4-star SG Jamari Phillips to take Oregon visit this week

Jamari Phillips, a 4-star shooting guard in the class of 2025, is set to take an official visit with the Oregon Ducks on Wednesday.

4-star shooting guard Jamari Phillips is set to take an official visit with the Ducks this Wednesday, according to a report from Joe Tipton, continuing Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks’ hot streak on the recruiting trail.

In December 2022, Phillips committed to Tommy Lloyd and the Arizona Wildcats, but he announced his decommitment from Arizona last week.  Oregon is the only visit Phillips has scheduled since decommiting last Wednesday.

At 6 feet 3 inches, Phillips is on the smaller side of shooting guards, but his vertical-leaping ability makes up for his size. His athleticism makes him dangerous around the rim on both ends of the floor, and he’s also a skilled jump shooter. 247Sports ranks Phillips as the No. 52 in the class of 2025 and On3Sports has him at No. 74.

In the class of 2025, Phillips is ranked by 247Sports as the top recruit in Arizona. Two years ago, Oregon brought in 4-star wing Mookie Cook, the No. 2 Arizona player in his class. After struggling with injuries in 2023-24 — his freshman season — Cook will likely take on a larger this year for Oregon.

Phillips isn’t the only shooting guard the Ducks are pursuing in the 2025 class. Already committed to Oregon is Isaac Carr, a 3-star two-guard from Portland, and Jovani Ruff, a consensus top-50 recruit and 247Sports’s No. 6 shooting guard, announced Oregon as one of his final four school choices. Ruff will announce his commitment Wednesday.

If Altman and the Ducks can pick up Phillips or Ruff, the future of their backcourt would look spectacular. Star Oregon point guard Jackson Shelstad will likely stick around for the 2025-26 season, and if paired with Ruff or Phillips, the Ducks could be dangerous.

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4-star SG Jovani Ruff names Oregon as a finalist ahead of commitment

Jovani Ruff, a 4-star SG and a top-50 player in the class of 2025, named Oregon Basketball as a finalist ahead of his June 5th commitment.

There hasn’t been much action for the Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team regarding recruiting. As May wraps up, Oregon’s only commit is Issac Carr, a 3-star guard from Portland, but on June 5th, things could heat up for the Ducks’ class of 2025.

Jovani Ruff, a 4-star shooting guard in the class of 2025, has narrowed his college search to four schools — one of which is Oregon — according to a report from Joe Tipton of On3Sports. Ruff is also considering USC, Cal, and Kansas, and will announce his commitment on June 5th, a week from Wednesday.

Listed at 6’5″, Ruff has good size for a shooting guard, which aids his knack for shooting the three-ball, but Ruff is more than just a catch-and-shoot guard. In the halfcourt, Ruff gets to the rim well and can finish from intricate angles, and on defense, Ruff uses his athleticism to make big plays.

Ruff lives in Long Beach, California, and based on his top four, staying close to home seems like a priority for him. Oregon isn’t as close as USC and Cal, but the Ducks have won more than the Trojans and the Golden Bears in recent years, in the face of strong recruiting from USC.

After 2024, Oregon will be searching for a new two-guard, with Keeshawn Barthelemy and TJ Bamba playing their final seasons this fall. If Ruff chooses Oregon, he is good enough to fill that role as a freshman, starting next to Jackson Shelstad, who will likely be back in 2025.

Villanova transfer TJ Bamba commits to Oregon

The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team secured a commitment from senior wing TJ Bamba, who played for Villanova and Washington State.

Dana Altman and the Oregon Duck men’s basketball team have secured a commitment from Villanova transfer wing TJ Bamba, according to a report from James Crepea of The Oregonian. Bamba will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Earlier this month, the Ducks picked up Stanford forward Brandon Angel and Toledo guard Ra’Heim Moss in the transfer portal, but the addition of Bamba is even more exciting. After losing senior guard Jermaine Couisnard this offseason, the Ducks have a true two-guard to play in the backcourt with sophomore point guard Jackson Shelstad.

In his four-year career, Bamba has averaged 9.8 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. Bamba has increased his scoring ability in the last two years, averaging 12.86 points per game on 42.8% shooting since Fall 2022.

Bamba isn’t a stranger to playing out west, spending three seasons at Washington State before transferring to Villanova for the 2023-24 season. In March 2022 — the last time he played Oregon — Bamba scored 19 points in the Cougars’ losing effort to the Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship.

Playing with Shelstad, Bamba will have to take on a less ball-dominant role than he has in the past, but playing off the ball is one of the areas where he excels. At 6’5″, Bamba shoots a good clip from three (38% in his career) and he becomes even better on open catch-and-shoots. With Shelstad’s ability to drive the ball and draw help defense, Bamba could be a dangerous kickout threat on the wing.

Kwame Evans Jr. announces return to Oregon for 2024-25 season

Big-time returner for the Ducks in 2024.

Kwame Evans Jr., a freshman power forward for the Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team, will return to Oregon for the 2024-25 season. Evans announced the news Tuesday morning on Twitter.

After the Ducks lost Creighton in the round of 32 of the NCAA tournament and their season came to a close, Evans left his future at Oregon ambiguous, telling Oregonian reporter James Crepea that it was “hard to tell,” what his future looked like.

Evans was a key player for the Ducks throughout last season, and he could be even more impactful going forward. As a freshman, Evans averaged 7.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, while also averaging more than one steal and one block each game.

In 2023-24, Evans did experience some struggles finding consistency in his game. Smoked layups and defensive breakdowns weren’t uncommon for the freshman. But what has never been in doubt is Evans’ talent and potential to grow. Even from the start of the season to the end, Evans transformed his game, and there’s no cap on what he can do going forward.

Evans came to Oregon as a 5-star recruit in the class of 2023, and he was joined by Jackson Shelstad and Mookie Cook — two Portland natives who were also highly sought after in their recruiting class. Shelstad and Cook have both announced their intent to return to Eugene in the fall, and now that the trio of elite recruits has a year of experience, Oregon could be a dangerous team come fall.

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Oregon named as top school for Villanova transfer guard TJ Bamba

TJ Bamba, a fifth-year senior guard in the transfer portal, has named the Oregon Ducks as one of his top six schools.

After losing several key rotation players to the transfer portal, Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team now have a chance to bring in a key piece from the portal. According to a report from 24/7 High School Hoops, TJ Bamba, a fifth-year senior guard, has narrowed his search to six schools, one of which is Oregon.

Since the end of the 2023-24 season, the Ducks have lost guards Kario Oquendo and Brennan Risgby to the transfer portal, and Vyctorious Miller, an incoming recruit, was released from his letter of intent. Oregon is also losing star guard Jermaine Couisnard this offseason since he is out of eligibility, leaving the Ducks without much guard depth.

Bamba has experience playing on the West Coast. Before transferring to Villanova last season, Bamba played three seasons with the Washington State Cougars. With the Wildcats last year, Bamba was second in scoring, averaging 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. All four years of Bamba’s college career have been full seasons, leaving him with just his Covid-year of eligibility.

At 6’5″ and 208 lbs., Bamba has good size for a guard, which helps him get downhill and finish through contact at the rim. Bamba also shoots the ball efficiently from the perimeter, especially when moving off the ball, looking for catch-and-shoot attempts.

One of the guards who is returning for Oregon in the fall is Jackson Shelstad, who already seems like the Ducks’ next star. As a freshman, Shelstad averaged 12.8 points per game and scored 20+ points five times. If Bamba chooses Oregon, he and Shelstad could be a dangerous duo in the backcourt, especially with Bamba’s affinity for moving off the ball to get open for threes.

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Jackson Shelstad announces return to Oregon in the fall

Oregon Ducks freshman point guard Jackson Shelstad announces he’ll return to Oregon in the fall.

Jackson Shelstad, the Oregon Ducks star freshman point guard, has announced that he will return to Oregon in the fall for his sophomore season.

In his freshman season, Shelstad averaged 12.8 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. There was some inconsistency from Shelstad this season, but that’s to be expected from freshmen. What’s important to focus on are the flashes of greatness.

Shelstad had plenty of flashes. His game-winner against Michigan way back in December — helping to heal Ducks fans less than 24 hours after Oregon football’s loss to Washington — stands out. The 18-year-old also scored 20+ points in a game five times this season, including his 21-point performance against Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament.

Shelstad isn’t the only Duck who intends to run it back in 2025. Brennan Rigsby and Jadrian Tracey have said they’d like to return next season, and KJ Evans is “undecided” according to reports from James Crepea in the Oregonian.

With N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard on their way out, Shelstad seems to be the next man up. Those two guys leave big shoes to fill, but Shelstad might be more talented than both of them. The key will be finding consistency and improving the weaker facets of his game.