Next Up, Wildcats

Wilsonville boys’ basketball — a pillar of Class 5A hoops and among the most esteemed programs the state has to offer. Over the last decade, this team has sent more than 10 athletes to pursue collegiate careers across the nation, yet with no college commitments as of the start of the season, questions arise as to where this team fits in the broader chapter of Wilsonville basketball.

As longtime standouts Cole Hammack and Drake Devin head off to Eastern Oregon, this team is left without a clear star to shoulder the load. What it does have, however, is a roster that is bigger, more coordinated, and perhaps more balanced than ever before. It’s anchored by 6-foot-8 Michael Ratcliffe Jr., a uniquely skilled big man who blends a guardlike skillset with a post-game that matches other top centers in the state. Complementing him is Centennial transfer Aazzee Breax, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game through the 2024-25 season.

“A couple guys that stand out, Michael Ratcliffe [Jr.] and Aazzee Breaux — they play well together,” said senior guard Brett Lyons. “When one of them has the ball, the other is cutting; they mesh well together.”

The path, however, includes a few potholes as the official schedule shows early-season tests. For their official season opener, the Wildcats head east to play Class 6A heavyweight West Linn. The inner-district matchup will be their first time meeting since 2019, wherein the Lions won in a landslide, 71-58. Obviously, both programs are starkly different now, but that Class 6A atmosphere is something to watch.

It won't be until the end of January before the Wildcats take on La Salle in the biggest matchup of every season. It has been back and forth in recent years, with their latest contest taking place in the 2025 Class 5A semifinal, where the Falcons would win 55-46. Despite the playoff loss, Wilsonville is still favored this time around, but with the rivalry at its peak, this is shaping up to be one of the biggest games in the saga.

On the girls’ side, “Fresh” is the best word to describe Wilsonville girls' basketball this season. They have a first-year head coach, returning players in new leadership roles, and a new outlook on offensive systems. 

After former head coach Justin Duke announced his resignation this offseason, longtime assistant coach Tyler VanAcker assumed the role. He has been with the team for over 10 years and is the perfect fit for the identity the team wants to establish going forward. “We want to rebuild the culture,” VanAcker said, a simple yet powerful response that shows us this team's long-term vision.

Within the first months of the offseason, coach VanAcker and his staff have worked to build what he calls the team's "curriculum” — a structure that he hopes will return Wilsonville girls basketball to a powerhouse program. This new framework encompasses everything related to communal leadership, aiming to identify the team's goals and coach each player's strengths in relation to them.

“I don’t believe that there’s one leader, and I believe that everybody has the ability and has different roles to lead in different ways,” Said VanAcker. “A lot of kids, the first thing they think about leadership is being the loudest in the gym, which may not necessarily be the case.”

Although vague, this plan will revamp the offense and offer what coach VanAcker describes as “faster paced” and “a wider share of the load.” The goal is to steer away from its heliocentric offense and adopt a read-and-react style, or more specifically, a pace-and-space offense.

This new identity is something to celebrate, as VanAcker seems to have this program on the right path as the team searches for its third state title. The only thing separating them? Four months of hard-fought basketball.