The Wilsonville Girls’ Basketball team is currently 18-3, with its only three losses being to 6A teams. Besides that, Wilsonville has blown everyone out and currently holds a 12-0 league record in the NWOC and is ranked the No. 8 team in the 5A district.
First-year head coach Tyler VanAcker took over this season after longtime head coach Justin Duke left for West Salem. At the time of this writing, VanAcker has an overall 18-3 record and a 12-0 record in the NWOC.
“Oh, he’s great. When Coach Duke left, I was hoping he’d get the head coach spot. He’s a young guy who knows girls’ basketball, and also just a great guy,” sophomore Addi Smith said.
VanAcker shares his thoughts on what it’s like being a first-year head coach.
“More responsibilities, tons of decision making, the direction of the program—did you order jerseys, did you talk to the media? What’s the film looking like? It’s a lot.” Coach VanAcker’s promotion to being a head coach is a step up, but at the same time, he says, “Coaching is coaching for me. When I applied for the job, after eight years as an assistant coach, you kinda have the next man-up mentality. And Wilsonville was the right step for me, but at the end of the day. Assistant coach or head coach, your coaching, and to me it’s the same thing.”
Wilsonville is led by senior guard Gabi Moultrie, who is signed to Utah Valley University, and will be playing there next year. Gabi is averaging 20 points per game and three assists per game. Senior forward Fareeda Elmanhawy and sophomore forward Addi Smith are just behind Moultrie; both average around nine points per game.
Sophomore Addi Smith gives some insight, “We’d say we’re one of the older teams in the NWOC. Fareeda, Gabi, and Zoey are all great leaders and really glue us together. Before games started, we didn’t know where we’d be connection-wise, the three of them, all of the seniors, did a really good job kind of getting us closer as a group.”
VanAcker describes senior leader Gabi Moultrie as more than just a point guard and a true leader.
“I’ve been coaching Gabi since she was 13 years old, and it’s been a journey. Watching her grow since then, when she was playing in middle school, to signing with Utah Valley.” VanAcker said.
In December, the Wildcats lost three in a row to three top 10 Class 6A programs. West Linn (The No. 1-ranked team in 6a), Tualatin (The No. 3-ranked team in 6a), and Sherwood (The No. 9-ranked team in 6a).
VanAcker looks at the games through a lens of growth, focusing on not hanging your head, but instead, taking a leap forward. “Those were tests for us to see where we were at the start of the season, and all of those teams were really good,” said VanAcker.
“West Linn was dynamic, and Tualatin, we were right there all game, just could never get over the hump.” Tualatin and West Linn are both led by two No. 1-ranked players, Kaylor Buse (West Linn ’27), Love Lei Best (Tualatin ’28). “I can almost guarantee that if we played every one of those teams now, it’s a different story. I’m not saying we would win, but it’s a different game.”
The three losses they suffered have helped the Wildcats tremendously, now being the No. 1 team in the NWOC and No. 7 team in the 5A district, followed by a 13-game win streak.
“Those games, although we didn’t end up winning, have helped us so much, and they’re gonna help us going forward, especially in the state. In December, we didn’t have an identity; now we know who we are.” Addi Smith states.
VanAcker shares his thoughts on what this team does and how his players look at every game. “I think our girls have played for each other, as we play together, and that’s something I really can’t say we have had the past couple of years.”
Going forward, Coach VanAcker wants to label the Wilsonville Girls’ Basketball team not just as a powerhouse, but a program that has pedigree and culture.
“I want us to be one of the best programs in the state. I feel like that is the standard, but I also want the culture for us to be more than just winning state championships and winning games. I want our youth program to look at our high school kids as more than just basketball players. I want them to look at the people they are. I want them to look at Gabi and see what she has done here.”
Wilsonville looks ahead as they face Hillsboro and Milwaukie at home to try and maintain an 18-3 record and a 12-0 record in league.