On the surface, it's a simple opportunity: a few late-game minutes, most likely in a lopsided blowout. But for former North Kitsap basketball standout Cade Orness, the opportunity in front of him would insert him into a rare collection of basketball players from Kitsap County.
If Gonzaga guard Cade Orness makes an appearance in the No. 3-seeded Zags' matchup against No. 14 Kennesaw State, he would become the fourth player ever from Kitsap County to appear in an NCAA Tournament game. The three others are Miah Davis (Pacific 2002-04), Marvin Williams (North Carolina, 2004-05) and Steven Gray (Gonzaga 2007-11).
"I'm getting choked up even thinking about it," his dad, Scott Orness said. "It would be a very proud dad moment."
Finding a spot with one of the nation's top college basketball programs
The gym was already buzzing by the time Orness got there. It was late, past 11 p.m., at Gonzaga's team camp in Spokane. Most players had already gone through warmups and were just minutes away from stepping on the court when Orness arrived.
"I arrived in Spokane at 11, and our game was at 11:15," he said. "I kind of walked straight into the gym with maybe two minutes of warmup."
After playing six games in a tournament at Bellevue College, Orness caught a flight to Spokane in order to suit up for a late-night game North Kitsap had scheduled at the McCarthey Athletic Center, Gonzaga's 6,000-seat home facility. He didn't even take a shot during warmups, but it ended up being one of Orness' best in-game performances when he finished with 42 points.
"It was like a flow state," Orness said.
That opportunity eventually turned into a preferred walk-on spot with Gonzaga. Orness committed near the tail-end of his senior season.
The mentality to make it at Gonzaga
Gonzaga assistant coach R-Jay Barsh put it simply: "There's a large number of Division I teams that have 15 players, and he's one of 15 players on a Division I team that's ranked consistently in the Top 10."
Orness, despite appearing in just eight games this season, is still one of the most talented basketball players in the country. But going into his senior season, few schools were able to recognize his talent because he missed playing AAU tournaments, where most recruitment is done, due to a couple of minor injuries.
During that time, Orness reshaped his mentality and mindset around basketball alongside his mental coach Will Ferris, who was also the head coach at Bainbridge.
"We worked a lot on just being present,” Ferris said. “Not worrying about what’s next or what he missed, but really locking into where he was that day — and trusting that the rest would come.”
That mindset paid off heavily during his first season with Gonzaga when Orness didn't get any playing time and was learning to boost his intangibles like effort, defensive skill and improving off the ball.
“I’ve really found my niche here,” Orness said. “One, just being defensive minded… at this level, if you can guard, they have to put you on the court at some point.”
In high school, Orness often had the ball in his hands. At Gonzaga, he had to adapt — learning how to impact the game without it.
“One thing I’ve really grown in my game that I had zero clue about in high school was how to 45 cut… how to baseline cut, the timing of it,” he said. “Just find angles for cuts and score off that.”
Instead of focusing on minutes, Orness focused on preparation. His routine never changes — regardless of whether he expects to play.
That work behind the scenes didn’t go unnoticed. Competing in high-level offseason runs in Spokane — including sessions organized by NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton — Orness began to separate himself. His effort, attention to detail and understanding of the game eventually earned him a scholarship.
Now, he finds himself on the doorstep of history.
For Orness, the potential opportunity isn’t just about checking into a game — it’s about representing where he comes from.
“It would be a blessing,” he said. “A lot of my motivation behind why I do this is to inspire the people… I really want to put on for kids and show them that they can do anything they set their mind to.”
The Bulldogs' tipoff time against Kennesaw State is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19 at the Moda Center in Portland.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Cade Orness finds role with Gonzaga as NCAA Tournament opens