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Traffic jam on road to 3A GSHL boys basketball title

By Paul Valencia, Columbian High School Sports Reporter
Published: January 30, 2010, 12:00am
2 Photos
Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian
Prairie's Adam Herman make a pass over Union's Mitch Saylor (25) on Friday. Herman finished with 28 points, 17 rebounds and six assists in the Falcons' 66-58 win.
Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian Prairie's Adam Herman make a pass over Union's Mitch Saylor (25) on Friday. Herman finished with 28 points, 17 rebounds and six assists in the Falcons' 66-58 win. Photo Gallery

Adam Herman knew he was shooting well Friday night, but he had no idea how many points he had. Same with his rebound totals. Assists, too.

“I don’t pay attention,” he said. “I just do what I need to do, and I find out at the end of the game.”

Herman scored 28 points — on 13 of 19 shooting — grabbed 17 rebounds, and dished out six assists, leading the Prairie Falcons to a 66-58 victory over Union.

Then, he and his teammates found out after the game that they are in first place in the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League boys basketball race.

They have plenty of company, too.

Prairie’s win, as well as a victory by Hudson’s Bay over Camas, left four teams at 4-2 with four games to play in the regular season.

The message board in Prairie’s locker room detailed how the road to the league title started on this night. Then the Falcons made sure they put themselves on that map.

Up one going into the fourth quarter, the Falcons never trailed in those final eight minutes. Herman had 10 of his points in the period, and Karl Pavelic knocked down a huge 3-pointer to crush a Union rally with 33 seconds to play.

The game also featured the three McDonald’s All-American nominees from Clark County — Herman and teammate Scott Brooks, and Chris Morgan of Union. Morgan led the Titans with 15 points. Brooks, meanwhile, suffered through a rough shooting night — finishing with five points — but he had eight rebounds and five assists.

That left it up to T.J. Williams to provide the extra points for Prairie, and he responded with 17 on 7 of 10 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

“It’s a great feeling. I like to be able to hit good shots,” Williams said. “I trust my teammates to get me the ball so I can hit them.”

“We knew he could do it,” Herman explained. “Tonight, he did it. He really stepped up.”

That sentiment kind of explains Prairie’s season so far. The Falcons knew they could be competitive, but it took them some time to showcase their talents. Prairie was 4-8 and 0-2 but has run off four wins in a row to get into the first-place tie.

“We’re a completely different team than when we started,” Herman said, acknowledging there was some doubt a couple weeks ago. “We had to push through this, work through this. We knew we could.”

“We have worked so hard every day,” Williams said. “We made sure we kept our heads up. Once we got that first win, we got some motivation and kept it going.”

Prairie coach Kyle Brooks likes his team’s attitude.

“It doesn’t matter who gets the credit. Just get the job done,” he said, referring to one of the program’s rallying cries this year.

Friday, though, it was Herman who led the way.

“His mental toughness is getting contagious to the other guys,” Brooks said.

The Titans, who went 0-2 this week, led 33-30 at the half after Morgan scored nine points in the second quarter.

Herman’s bucket just before the third-period horn gave Prairie the lead for good at 45-44.

Kyle Holmes had seven of his 12 points in the final period for the Titans, but Union struggled from the 3-point line all night — 5 of 21 — and never caught the Falcons in that final period.

Herman barely beat the shot clock with a drive to the hoop to make it 54-49. Later, Williams scored on a fast break off of a Union missed free throw. Herman grabbed the board, made a quick outlet to Brooks, who found Williams for the easy lay-up to make it 57-49.

The lead reached nine with two minutes to play, but Union would score the next six points to get some momentum.

Prairie had an answer, though. The Union defense collapsed on Herman, who passed it outside for the 3-ball from Pavelic to make it 63-56 with 33 seconds left.

“In the second half, we made the extra pass and got good shots,” Brooks said.

Sounds simple.

Nothing has come easy for Prairie this season, though, but they are in the middle of a race for first place now.

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Columbian High School Sports Reporter