The Camas High School boys basketball team is gaining revenge in the second round of league play.
On the night before a snowstorm cancelled school Wednesday, the Papermakers scored 36 points in the second half to beat the Kelso Hilanders in Camas. Zach Eagle led the attack with 15 points, Austin Dubbay added 12 and Trent Johnson chipped in 10.
After classes resumed Thursday, the Camas boys savored a 53-52 double overtime victory against the Fort Vancouver Trappers.
“It was a really great game,” said Camas head coach Skyler Gillispie. “Just the battle between the teams made it a lot of fun. On each possession, you could feel the intensity and the excitement to make something happen with the ball.”
After Camas failed to close out the game in regulation, Anthony Fallin nailed a 3-pointer from half court to force the second overtime, and the Papermakers were off and running again. With about 10 seconds left on the clock, Kyle Friend put in the game-winning basket for an incredible Camas victory.
“It was an easy shot. Just a whole lot of pressure,” Friend said. “I just jumped up, grabbed the ball and laid it in. It was insane. One of the best moments I’ve ever had.”
Fallin felt lighter than air when he made his half court shot. He said he had about four seconds to get down the court as quickly as possible. He never took his eye off the clock.
“It got down to one and I put it up,” Fallin said. “It didn’t even hit the backboard, it just went right in. I couldn’t believe it.”
The Papermakers celebrated like they had just won the game. Soon they realized they had to settle down and stay focused.
“All it did was give us four minutes of extra basketball,” Gillispie said. “Our guys went back out there and really made it mean something.”
Fallin finished with 16 points for Camas, and Johnson added 16 points and five steals. Friend grabbed 12 rebounds to go with his game-winning basket.
After going 1-5 in the first round of league, the Papermakers are 2-1 at the start of the second run through. The boys play at Hudson’s Bay tonight before kicking off a doubleheader at Prairie Friday.
Tip off for tonight’s game is at 7 p.m. Friday’s Camas-Prairie boys game starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the girls at 7 p.m.
“These guys have really become like a family. It’s great to see their hard work pay off,” Gillispie said. “They have worked so hard all year, no matter what the score is.”
