Happy to be home

Happy to be home for the first time in weeks, the Camas High School basketball teams kept rolling along Friday.

Andre De Los Rios, Jordan Anderson and Trevor Jasinsky combined for four 3-pointers in the first quarter. When the seniors got into foul trouble, the sophomores stepped up.

Together, the Papermakers thrashed the Evergreen Plainsmen 62-49. Anderson delivered 15 points, Jasinsky added 14 and De Los Rios earned 11. Jake Hansel and James Price both had eight points.

Camas (10-4, 5-2) moved into second place in the 4A Greater St. Helens League with this victory. The Papermakers welcome first-place Union to the warehouse today. Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m.

Union defeated Camas 68-67 Dec. 12. Since then, the Papermakers have gone 9-1.

“What you can’t put on paper is how these guys stick together and play their hearts out,” said head coach Skyler Gillispie. “The best way they can represent our community is by having fun and being a family out there. Winning and losing shouldn’t deter fun.”

Camas jumped out to a 15-6 lead after the first quarter Friday. Evergeen scored 13 points in a row during the second quarter to get within two. Jasinsky finally got a ball in the net for the Papermakers. Hansel added a foul shot to give Camas some breathing room going into the locker room at halftime.

De Los Rios stole the ball to start the second half, was fouled on his fast break to the hoop and made a foul shot. Anderson added his third 3-pointer of the game, James Price swished two foul shots, and Hansel and Anderson provided lay ups to put the Papermakers up by 10.

Kantas Zalpys finished off another Camas surge for two points. De Los Rios capped off the third quarter with another steal. This time, he put the ball in the net to give the Papermakers a 12-point lead.

“I do it all for my team,” De Los Rios said. “Rebounds, steals, assists, points and especially defense.”

Robert Franks scored eight straight points for Evergreen in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Matt Murphy and Anderson put an end to the comeback. Murphy won a scramble for the ball, fed it to Anderson and he was fouled while making a basket. Anderson went to the foul line and made another basket for a 3-point play.

De Los Rios provided one more steal and a lay in. Price served the ball up to Jasinsky as he soared to the hoop for an easy two points. Jasinsky then assisted Price on the final go-round.

“Every man, 1-to-13, was bringing energy tonight,” Price said. “It’s a special moment when we can reload and have the next guy step up and contribute. That’s what high school basketball is all about.

“It’s a family,” he added. “We’re still growing, and we’re hungry.”

Girls win 11th game in a row

Brenna Khaw nailed back-to-back 3-pointers before halftime, and the Camas girls basketball team never looked back.

The Papermakers rolled Evergreen 53-29. Khaw scored 17 points, dished out seven assists and grabbed six rebounds.

“It’s much more fulfilling when I can pass the ball and get my teammates involved,” she said. “I’d rather pass than score.”

Khaw is happy to have Nikki Corbett back on the floor from knee surgery. She netted 16 points.

“The swelling on my knee is down, and I’m getting more and more comfortable on the court,” Corbett said.

“We’ve been playing together for six years. We know each other better than we know ourselves,” Khaw added. “She’s always ready for the ball, and she has such good hands. And the best thing is, she can finish it.”

Corbett and her teammates have learned to expect the pass from Khaw. She can detect an open Papermaker under the hoop without even looking their way.

“You’re not waiting for [the ball], but you’re ready because you know it’s going to come eventually,” Corbett said.

Camas (12-3) has won 11 straight, including its first seven league games. Head coach Chuck Knight is happy to see the girls share the ball and this success, but he said they also have to take responsibility by working even harder.

“First and foremost, we have to understand that teams are going to come after us. We have to prepare and stay focused on the task at hand,” Knight said. “That all starts by getting better in practice every single day. If you plateau, you’re going to get passed.”

Union comes to Camas tonight. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

“Anytime it’s Camas versus Union, the emotions are going to be high,” Knight said. “They are going to come in here and try and get a ‘W.’ We have to understand that and be able to match their intensity from the beginning.”

Hoops for Pink night for breast cancer research occurs Friday, Feb. 5, when the Papermakers host Heritage. Seniors Corbett, Khaw and Rachel Gray are organizing this event.