Reichle Excited For Next Chapter At OSU

The final chapter of Zach Reichle's high school basketball career, and the opening chapter of his college career, will each be written on Ralph Miller Court in Gill Coliseum.

That transition seemed fitting and appropriate to the Wilsonville High School standout, a versatile 6-foot-5 guard who will join the Oregon State program for the 2017-18 season.

"Right when I walked in the door I knew this was where I would be playing for the next four years," Reichle said on March 7, shortly after scoring 26 points to lead the top-ranked Wildcats to a convincing 69-47 win over South Albany in the quarterfinals of the state 5A tournament at Gill Coliseum.

"So it [will be] kind of cool to finish my high school career here with my friends, where I'll be playing the next four years. I just wanted to come out, play hard and win."

Reichle - who wore a black Beaver-logoed tee shirt under his jersey - mixed in an assortment of drives, fast-break layups and 3-pointers in leading the Wildcats into the semifinals on the same day he was named the Northwest Oregon Conference Player of the Year and first-team all-league for the second year in a row.

He was especially effective in the second quarter, when he swished 3-pointers on three successive possessions to help Wilsonville turn what was a 12-12 dogfight into a 41-17 blowout.

Ironically, Reichle and the Wildcats dressed in the rudimentary locker room used by OSU opponents. He will move across the corridor to the more luxuriously appointed home quarters next season.

That game was just a precursor of more heroics to follow. He scored 14 points in a semifinal win over LaSalle on March 9, and added 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists to lead the Wildcats to a 51-43 victory over Churchill in the title game on March 10.

For the tournament, Reichle scored 64 points, grabbed 23 rebounds, and had 11 assists and six steals. He was also named first-team All-Tournament.

Reichle said he attended only two OSU games this winter, because of his own busy schedule. But he monitored the team as closely as possible via TV replays or the Internet, and figures he watched all or part of every single game.

"I've followed them closely, texting back and forth with the coaches," he said. "It's rough, obviously, going through the struggles with Tres [Tinkle] and so many people out, which a lot of people don't know about.

"It's tough to see. But they are getting through it, fighting through it."

The center of attention at Wilsonville, Reichle says he know he will have a much different, complementary role at OSU next season.

"I think I see myself [helping OSU] spread the floor on offense, and playing hard on defense," he said. "Obviously wherever the coaches decide to put me next year, I'll fill my role and do all I can to help us win.

"I will be down here in June, I'm excited and I can't wait," he added. "Now I'm trying to enjoy my short time left in high school, soaking it all in, because it's gone by really fast."

Reichle and ESPN Top-100 recruit Ethan Thompson, a 6-5 guard from of Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, Calif., signed with the Beavers last November. He and Ethan have not met yet – their official visits were on different weekends – but they have texted.

Reichle did see the video of Ethan's massive dunk over 7-foot-1 Bol Bol of Mater Dei High School in the California Southern Section Open Division championship game, a play that has gone viral and excited OSU fans coast-to-coast.

"That was really good for him, to get that win," Reichle said. "He played very well. I've been following him too; he's obviously an amazing player.

"I'm excited to get to meet him, and to get to know everybody here."

Reichle is rated as the No. 1 player in Oregon by ESPN. He was the state 5A Player of the Year and a first-team all-state selection in 2016, when he led Wilsonville to the 5A state championship.

Reichle scored 56 points against Milwaukie on Jan. 31, one of the top performances in Oregon high school history. He held more than 50 school records heading into his senior season, and had a 3.89 cumulative grade-point average.

ESPN.com describes Reichle as:

"A rangy wing-type with a smooth shooting stroke. In transition he is an excellent look-ahead passer and his vision overall is high-level. His ball skills allow him to lead the break and his decision-making is quite good.

"He delivers passes on target right in the shooter's pocket and his skip passes are advanced as well. Despite his passing prowess, the ultimate strength of his game is his shooting.

"He can nail 3-point shots from all over the stripe, especially off the catch. Despite not getting much elevation on his shot, his release is smooth and effortless."

OSU coach Wayne Tinkle said he was "thrilled" to add another Oregonian to his roster. Reichle will join rising junior center Drew Eubanks (Troutdale/Reynolds HS), rising junior guard Tanner Sanders (Corvallis/Crescent Valley HS), rising senior forward Matt Dahlen (Redmond/Redmond HS) and rising redshirt freshman center Christian Russell (Salem/South Salem HS) as home-grown players on the 2017-18 Beavers.

"He is one of the best wings in the Northwest, [a player who] who can shoot it with range," Tinkle said of Reichle in announcing his signing on Nov. 10. "He's very, very competitive and tough-nosed.

"He has really improved his overall game and his ability to get to the rim, get fouled and finish. He's another talented prospect and we expect him to contribute right away.

"We wanted to make Oregon the center of our recruiting and adding one of the top players in our area is a real credit to the program and the direction we are heading."

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