Orme Welcomes Expanded Role as Senior Leader for Viking Hoops

When the ball left Holland Woods' hands near midcourt, Jamie Orme was still 15 feet away from the hoop. The senior, in full sprint, made it to the block and leapt into the air, getting two hands on the ball and throwing down an emphatic alley-oop that put the 1,000-plus person crowd inside Viking Pavilion on its feet.

A few possessions later, he blocked a corner three-point attempt from an opposing player. With no time to think he landed and took off again, leaping over the bench and saving the ball from going out of bounds. His pass set up an easy lay-up in transition for his teammate to give the Vikings 100 points for the game and a 60-point lead against Willamette.

"Honestly, that's what we've come to expect out of him," head coach Barret Peery said of the stretch. "He is a great energy and great effort guy. He's a very good teammate and a guy that has bought into what we are doing."

The two-minute window showed the big play ability and athleticism that the 6-foot-7 Orme possesses. His final stat line — 19 points on 57 percent shooting, 13 rebounds, two blocks and two steals — show that he has polished himself into a complete player. He is a threat on offense every time down the floor and his 6-10 wingspan combined with speed and strength make him a nightmare for anyone he matches up defensively.

He said that he feels like he can guard any position on the floor and that his versatility extends to the offensive end, where he can do multiple things that help give the Vikings' offense space. But there is one thing that takes him to the next level.

"I think just my energy on top of everything else. One of my favorite things to do is just run and try to dunk the ball, and I think that gives the crowd a bunch of energy and makes the atmosphere better as well," Orme said.

Orme grew up in Seattle and attended O'Dea High School. The youngest of three boys, he spent much of his life in a gym and has been playing the game since he was little. As a freshman, Orme eclipsed the 6-foot mark and started to beat his older brothers in games of one-on-one.

"I started to take notice then that I was actually good, so that is when I started taking it more seriously and it skyrocketed from there," Orme said.

When he was in high school, he talked with then-Portland State head coach Tyler Geving. He heard about the plans for the Viking Pavilion, a brand new gym that would take the program to the next level. He didn't come to Portland State right out of high school, but when he was ready to transfer following two years at Highline the thought of playing in a brand new gym made the choice easier.

While the choice may have been easy, his first year as a Viking wasn't. Orme had been a star both in high school, where he was named a Washington state All-Star, and at Highline, where he averaged a double-double. His first season at Portland State saw him coming off the bench and averaging just 13 minutes per game.

He also dealt with multiple injuries, including a broken nose, that limited his playing time. Injuries to his teammates also forced him to slide up in the lineup to the four, a position that didn't feel as comfortable.

On top of not playing as much as he was used to, the Vikings had no true home. The construction of the new Viking Pavilion forced them to play offsite at Lewis & Clark College.

"I think not being able to have a home gym, that was always a hurdle we had to get over, trying to find the motivation to play," Orme said of his first season as a Viking. "I think now, making the adjustment from no home to having all these fans behind us will make home games easier."

Orme and the Vikings are ready for a breakout year inside Viking Pavilion. Last year, even with no true home, Portland State finished the season 20-14 for its best record in nine years. They return seven players this year, including five seniors, all of whom started their playing careers elsewhere.

After taking some time to get adjusted to the program, Orme and his fellow seniors are ready for a big year in 2018-19.

"I think we've adjusted pretty well. I think we all feel like we have a year together under our belt now," Orme said. "I think if you would have asked us last year we would have been a little hesitant. This year we are all coming in with a lot of confidence. I don't think we look at each other like we haven't been here before."

The Vikings were picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky preseason poll, but Orme said he thinks the team has the potential to finish even higher and make a run at a Big Sky title. The Vikings are 2-1 so far this season with the only loss coming to nationally-ranked Oregon.

They scored 119 points in an exhibition game and 125 last Saturday against Willamette. "Peery Pressure" has made Portland State basketball a must-see event, and it is just as much fun for the players as it is for the fans.

"We are playing with so much momentum and it is making it 10 times more fun for us. I wouldn't want to play anywhere else," Orme said. "Out of all the other Big Sky schools, I think we have a chance to be really special this year. Especially with the new building and all of these fans behind us, I think we could be really special."

As for what he expects from himself this season?

"I have a lot of expectations for myself," Orme said. "I'm sort of an underdog out here so I'm trying to make a name for myself. I will hopefully have a shot at making first team, second team (All-Big Sky)."

His coach is also expecting big things from him this season. There may not be a player that better fits within Peery's system than the hyper-athletic Orme. Peery noted that he is a special offensive rebounder because of the effort that he gives every time down the floor.

He has a unique ability to get to the rim and is also a threat in transition with his speed and dunking ability. This year he is also benefiting from playing at the three, his more natural position on the offensive end. Still, his defense is what separates him from the pack.

"He can also defend a bunch of guys, and that fit word comes up a lot with Jamie," Peery said. "He's that prototypical medium sized guy that can play a bunch of spots and be a great athlete to help us do what we do."

A self-proclaimed underdog story, Orme is now ready to make his name. He overcame a challenging junior season and is using those lessons to his own benefit for his final year on the Park Blocks.

"I think especially in basketball you are going to run into obstacles, but what really defines you is how you attack the situation going forward," Orme said. "I have great coaches here that have helped me mature very quickly and I feel that it is going to make the adjustment from a role player to a starter senior year even easier. I'm ready to take on that challenge."

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Players Mentioned

#13 Jamie Orme: F; 6' 7"; Senior; 1V

#3 Holland Woods: G; 6' 0"; Sophomore; 1V

Players Mentioned

#13 Jamie Orme
: 6' 7"; Senior; 1V
: F

#3 Holland Woods
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; 1V
: G

Players Mentioned

#13 Jamie Orme

#3 Holland Woods

Players Mentioned

#13 Jamie Orme

#3 Holland Woods