Hard to believe Wednesday’s night boys basketball contest at J. Hoover Gymnasium was only non-league game in December, right?
Especially the frantic finish between two unbeatens each facing their best opponent to date.
Between the nine 3-pointers and 15 ties and lead changes in the fourth quarter and overtime alone, Camas called its 61-56 overtime win over host Columbia River lucky.
“That was, by far, the best team we’ve faced,” first-year coach Ryan Josephson said.
But what isn’t lucky, so to speak, is the Papermakers’ 6-0 start. That’s well-earned and much to the surprise and delight of Josephson. An impressive feat given Tre Carlisle and Isaiah Sampson are the team’s two full-time varsity players from last season’s bi-district team.
“This game … ,” said Carlisle, moments after the win, “I know there’s going to be a lot tougher competition, but it’s great win for us. It’s great for our younger guys to get to experience this for the first time.”
What’s impressed Josephson, too, in addition to how well the team’s gelled is the team’s commitment to defense. That was a big spark Wednesday with its three-quarters trap as well as its 2-3 zone to challenge River’s shooters.
“They all want to work so hard to get better,” Josephson said.
Carlisle was a big reason for Camas’ comeback Wednesday. Nine of his 11 points in the second half after starting the night 1 of 8 from the floor. His top-of-the-key 3-pointer with 2 minutes, 19 seconds to go in the third gave Camas its first lead at 30-28; the Papermakers trailed by as many as 18-4 after the first quarter.
River led 32-30 entering the fourth quarter, and that’s when the fireworks began. Of the teams’ combined 19 made 3-pointers, eight came in the final eight minutes of regulation and overtime. Carlisle’s bucket off an in-bounds play with 1 second on the shot clock and 24 on the game eventually tied it at 47-all to send the game into overtime.
That’s when Camas went to work. All it thought about was its first-quarter deficit.
“We were fired up about it,” Carlisle said. “We wanted to come out and win.”
In the overtime, River’s (3-1) Jacob Hjort, who had a game-high 22 points including six 3s, hit back-to-back 3s, to put the Chieftains up 55-52 with 1:18 to go.
But back came Camas.
Junior guard Carson Bonine tied it at 57-all in the overtime’s fourth consecutive made 3-pointer, and Carlisle gave Camas the lead for good a possession later.
Ben Cooke led the Papermakers with 21 points.
CAMAS 61, COLUMBIA RIVER 56 (OT)
CAMAS — Connor Shira 0, Kyle Allen 0, Jackson Glikbarg 0, Shane Jamison 4, Carson Bonine 11, Ben Cooke 21, Isaiah Sampson 11, Tre Carlisle 11. Totals 22 (8) 6-12 61.
COLUMBIA RIVER — Nate Snook 11, Jacob Hjort 22, Caden Dezort 3, Evan Dirksen 8, Jack Armstrong 2, Nasseen Gutierrez 10. Totals 18 (11) 9-14 56.
Camas 4 16 10 17 14—61
Col. River 18 10 4 15 9 —56
