RICHLAND — Members of the Camas boys basketball staff got here out of their locker room Saturday evening limping and with ice on their legs.
However the Papermakers have been joyful.
“That’s when you know we’re playing hard,” Camas coach Brian Witherspoon mentioned. “Guys are cramping up. Bodies are flying all over the place.”
With renewed vitality, the Papermakers fought and scrapped their approach to a 59-57 win over Richland in a Class 4A state opening spherical boys basketball recreation at Richland Excessive Faculty.
With the win, the Papermakers advance to the 4A state quarterfinals subsequent Thursday on the Tacoma Dome.
The Papermakers misplaced their likelihood at a top-4 seed — and a playoff recreation this weekend nearer to residence — after they stumbled final weekend to Auburn within the bi-district title recreation.
That was a sign to the Papermakers to show up the vitality, senior Jace VanVoorhis mentioned.
“It’s a huge win at their place,” VanVoorhis mentioned. “Shout to the guys. They were all battling hard this week at practice every day. We were going hard, battling each, getting each other ready for, in my opinion, two of the best players in the state. We were just locked all the way from our bus ride, since before our bus ride here.”
Camas jumped out to a 34-23 lead at halftime partly from strong protection. The Papermakers stored Richland’s prime participant, junior Landen Northrop, scoreless within the first half.
However Northrop acquired going within the second half. The Bombers made an 8-0 run early the fourth quarter to get inside 53-51 with about 4 minutes to play.
VanVoorhis hit two free throws, then he and Ethan Harris transformed baskets because the Papermakers made positive Richland drew no nearer than three factors.
The sport gave the impression to be over with the Bombers have been pressured to foul trailing 59-54 with 21 seconds left.
However after Camas missed each free throws, Northrop banked in a deep 3-pointer and the Bombers pressured a turnover to get one final look.
With time winding down, Northrop acquired one other deep 3-point try off that bounced off the entrance of the rim as time expired.
Cade Washington grinded out a troublesome 19 factors to guide Camas regardless of leaving the sport twice within the fourth quarter — as soon as with 4 fouls and later when he turned his ankle stepping on a Richland participant’s foot.
However the senior returned to complete off the win.
“This was a personal game,” Washington mentioned. “Last year, they beat us by 20. We lost to Auburn (last weekend), which was a tough loss. So this was just a bounce back to show how good we really are.”
VanVoorhis scored 13 factors, Harris had 12 and Nyima Namru added for the Papermakers, who will face the winner of Arlington and Glacier Peak on Thursday.
It provides Camas an additional day of relaxation to heal from their bumps and bruises on Saturday.
“That’s huge,” Witherspoon mentioned. “And that was the other thing they played for too. They wanted to have that bye (into the quarterfinals) and that guarantee of two games in the Dome. We wanted to make sure we’re in the best position to play on that last day.”
CAMAS 59, RICHLAND 57
CAMAS — Carter Morgan 0, Cade Washington 19, Nyima Namru 10, Jace VanVoorhis 13, Channing Nesland 2, Ethan Harris 12, Landon Frost 3, Kellen Dufner 0. Totals 22 (5) 10-16 59.
RICHLAND — Landen Northrop 16, Lance Horntvedt 11, Josiah Scacco 14, Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane 0, Jackson Woodard 10, Nathan Moore 6. Totals 21 (5) 10-15 57.
Camas 13 21 17 8—59
Richland 13 10 20 14—57
