Same school and bench. Different locker room and program.
It’s a new era for Camas boys basketball — with a familiar face who already led one Papermaker basketball program to a state championship.
Scott Thompson, who coached Camas to the Class 4A girls basketball state championship in 2024 and a runner-up finish in 2023, takes over as the Papermakers’ boys head coach.
Thompson was introduced to players as the new coach Thursday after school.
“I’m thrilled to get this opportunity to coach the boys,” Thompson said Thursday afternoon. I’m really excited to jump back over (to boys basketball) and get it work.”
All-Region Sports Awards Ceremony
The Columbian will be hosting its second annual All-Region Sports Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at The Hilton Vancouver Washington.
The event will be 6-8 p.m. Admission is $15 and includes food and drink.
Tickets are available now by clicking on link.
Thompson has a successful resume coaching boys and girls basketball in Clark County. With the Camas girls the past seven seasons, he went 133-51 that included six state tournament appearances and three trophies. In 2024, the Papermakers won the program’s first state title defeating Gonzaga Prep, 57-41.
Prior to Camas, Thompson coached the Fort Vancouver boys for nine seasons. His Trapper teams made the postseason five times from 2006-14.
From returning talent and great culture to winning results on the hardwood, Thompson said the Camas boys program is in good health. The Papermakers won the 4A Greater St. Helens League title and tied the program’s best finish at state (sixth place) under interim coach Brian Witherspoon.
As a coaching colleague and father to a player in the boys program, Thompson praised the work of Witherspoon and his assistant coaches. In November, Witherspoon agreed to be the interim coach after then-head coach Ryan Josephson resigned days before the season began. The 22 victories in 2024-25 set a single-season program record.
“They had great energy in their gym this year,” Thompson said of the boys program, “and I know this program is in really good health. Things were being done the right way. I certainly appreciate and respect the work they did.”
Officially, Thompson’s last game representing the Camas girls came last weekend in Portland. He coached Team Washington at the annual Northwest Shootout, an all-star interstate event showcasing Washington and Oregon’s top seniors. The Washington girls roster included one Papermaker, Boise State-bound Keirra Thompson, Coach Thompson’s oldest child.
Now, he’ll get to coach his oldest son, Cason, a freshman on the junior-varsity team. Girls coaching duties and game scheduling conflicts kept Thompson from all but five boys junior-varsity games last winter. He views this new opportunity as a win-win: continuing to coach high school basketball and watch his son play every game.
“It’s the best of both worlds,” Thompson said.
