Seven months and seven games back from knee surgery, Brenna Khaw continues to gain confidence with each step.
“If I get injured again, I get injured,” said the Camas High School junior after she tore her ACL during a game on May 16. “I can’t play scared. I just have to give my all and trust [my knee].”
Nikki Corbett and the rest of the Papermakers are benefitting from Khaw’s presence on the court. Corbett delivered 21 points to help Camas beat Evergreen 54-29 Friday, at Camas High School. Rachel Rice netted nine points and Emma Jones earned eight. Khaw contributed four points and nine assists in the contest.
“Brenna does a great job of looking inside,” Corbett said. “She always sees our posts and it’s perfect.”
Corbett racked up a career-high 32 points in a 56-38 victory for the Papermakers Jan. 2, at Hockinson. Khaw had 12 assists in the game.
“A lot of points come from Brenna’s passes,” Corbett said. “I’d say about 24 of those points came from her in that game.”
Camas built a 15-6 lead on Evergreen in the first quarter Friday. Corbett scored eight points, opening the floor up for Rice to nail a 3-pointer and a basket in transition. Jones and Rachel Gray also drove to the hoop for some points.
“At the beginning of the game, I know we are not warmed up yet so I try to look for the easy lay-in,” Corbett said. “I also like to get my teammates involved, so I try to get the rebound and pass it back out.”
Khaw said she and Corbett have played together for so long, they don’t even have to look for each other on the floor. The passes and the points just flow.
“That’s why I love playing with her,” Khaw said.
As the team’s only senior, Rice continues to find ways to rise to the occasion during games. The rest of the Papermakers are looking for opportunities to shine.
Khaw will never take a basketball game for granted again.
“Watching games when you can’t play is one of the hardest things. You want to help your team out and you can’t,” she said. “It just makes me love those intense practices every day because I know what I missed out on.”
First league win eludes Camas boys
The Camas boys couldn’t burst the six-point bubble against Evergreen Friday. The Plainsmen won the game 53-44.
Camas started the second half down by six points. Evergreen increased its lead to double digits before the Papermakers fought back. Trevor Jasinsky came through with a beautiful spin move, basket and foul shot to close out the third quarter, but Camas still trailed by six.
Evergreen opened the fourth quarter on a 6-0 scoring drive. The Papermakers cut it to a six-point game twice, but couldn’t get any closer.
