TACOMA — The Camas Papermakers are frustrated.
They know all of the positive things they accomplished this season. The league championship. The undefeated record at home.
But that does not take away the frustration from Monday’s season-ending loss in the consolation semifinals of the Class 3A bi-district boys basketball tournament.
The Hazen Highlanders got 21 points each from their inside-outside game — Brody Graybeal and De’Corrius Sampson — and scored 27 points in the fourth quarter to rally past the Papermakers, 73-68.
Hazen of Renton will play Kennedy of Burien for the final berth to state from this tournament. The Papermakers were left with a bunch of could-ofs and what-ifs.
“This was set up for us,” Camas coach Scott Preuninger said. “Hazen’s a good basketball team, but we knew we could beat them. Then we could have beaten Kennedy.”
Heck, the Papermakers did beat Kennedy in the opening round of this tournament.
But Camas could not hold a 13-point, second-half lead.
“We’ve let a lot of games get away from us this year,” Preuninger said. “We didn’t get a stop when we needed to.”
Indeed, Hazen scored on eight consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter, going from a two-point deficit to a seven-point lead at 71-64 with 59 seconds remaining, sealing the victory.
“We just kind of let it slip away,” said Camas senior Jacob Kaler, who led four Papermakers in double figures with 15 points. “We couldn’t stop their post guys. They were knocking down shots. We weren’t. That was pretty much it.”
Frankie Johnson, a starting guard, did not attempt a shot until 3:10 remained in the game. He swished a 3-pointer to give Hazen a 61-60 advantage, a lead the Highlanders would keep the rest of the night.
The two teams jumped out to a frenzied start. Bryan Butler’s 3-pointer just before the first-quarter horn tied the game for Camas at 19.
The second quarter was all Camas, a 17-5 period. Kyle Friend provided the spark off the bench. He had five of his 11 points in the period.
Marc Eppinger also scored 11 points for the Papermakers. Butler finished with 10.
Both teams struggled at the free-throw line, despite a lot of practice. Hazen was 23 of 37, while Camas made 14 of 27.
The loss will sting for a bit, but the Papermakers also understand they had a memorable campaign, winning the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League title.
“That was definitely the highlight,” Kaler said.
Kaler also loved being a Papermaker.
“Everyone on this team is my best friend,” Kaler said. “It was a pleasure playing all these guys. Basketball is everything to me. This season meant everything.”
