More notes: Bea to 1,000; Skyview gets defensive
She was 27 points away from the milestone before the game started.
Not exactly a gimme, but certainly within reach.
So the Washougal girls basketball team got ready, just in case. They were prepared to stop the game, just in case.
They wanted to give her the game ball, to give her a ball signed by all her teammates.
Just in case Beyonce Bea did more Beyonce Bea magic.
“Her and I talked before the game. It could be tonight,” Washougal coach Britney Knotts said. “It would be really cool if it happened at home. No pressure. But you could tell she wanted it. … She came out ready to score, start to finish.
“Her teammates kept feeding her the ball, to find her all night, to make sure it happened.”
It did.
Bea, a junior, got to 27 points in the fourth quarter of her team’s win over Hockinson last week. That gave her 1,000 points in her career.
Yes, a junior.
(Not to be overlooked, she also has 600 rebounds in her two-and-a-half seasons of high school basketball.)
“That just shows you how amazing she is,” Knotts said. “She is just relentless. When she gets that look in her eye, you know no one can stop her.”
Washougal called a timeout to honor Bea’s achievement right there on the court. Then the game resumed, Bea ended up with 33, and the Panthers topped the Hawks 79-67.
Skyview’s Mr. Defense comes through again:
The Skyview Storm can score from the outside. They can score inside, too. They have guys off the bench who can score, too.
However, the Storm are not 14-0 just because of that offense.
They know how to get defensive, too.
It helps, of course, to have an athlete who has a passion to play defense.
“I love it. I love to look at people and see the look in their eyes and to know there is nothing they can do,” Jovon Sewell said. “My role is to play the other team’s best scorer. That’s just my role, and I embrace it.”
Sewell scored eight points in Friday’s 59-55 win over Union, but it was his steal in the final 10 seconds that kept the Titans from tying the game or taking the lead. Skyview led 57-55, but the Titans never got a shot off, thanks to Sewell.
“I told him, ‘You’re our defensive lockdown guy,” Skyview coach Matt Gruhler said. “He has bought into that role.”
In fact, Gruhler said, Sewell cannot wait to hear his assignment. It is true, Sewell always gets the other team’s top shooter.
4A GSHL Boys RPI:
Skyview is No. 2 in the Class 4A RPI rankings. Union is now fifth and Camas is at at No. 7.
Skyview beat Camas and Union last week. Union and Camas face off Tuesday. Gotta love the 4A Greater St. Helens League.
It is important to note that the RPI is not used to place teams in the state tournament. State tournament teams earn their way in through district and bi-district play. The WIAA will then use the RPI to place the 16 teams in the bracket.
The top eight teams in the RPI will play each other for seeding into the Tacoma Dome for the 4A tourney. Teams 9-16 will play elimination games, with the four winners joining the top eight in the dome.
Prairie times two:
As of this writing, the Prairie boys and girls teams have the top RPI among Class 3A GSHL teams. Both squads had good moments last week.
The Prairie boys got two lopsided victories to open league play. That also gave them six consecutive wins. The Falcons next take on Fort Vancouver on Tuesday, trying to get to 3-0 in league.
The Prairie girls, who are not expected to be challenged in league play, won two league games, easily, but then took on one of the top 2A teams in the state. The Falcons got the job done, defeating W.F. West 64-59. W.F. West is No. 3 in the 2A RPI rankings.
Columbia River boys cruising:
The Chieftains improved to 4-0 in 2A GSHL play with a 15-point win over Mark Morris on Saturday. Columbia River is 10-2 overall and No. 3 in the RPI.
The team’s four league wins have come by an average of more than 16 points for game.
La Center girls keep winning:
The Wildcats had no trouble with their two games to open Trico League play. As noted last week, they don’t expect to have many challengers. This team is using league play to prepare for the postseason.
La Center is No. 3 in the 1A girls RPI.
Some key games this week:
Camas and Union square off Tuesday in boys and girls games. You already know the boys teams are high up in the RPI standings. It turns out, the results of Camas-Union girls games will go a long way toward a league title, too.
Camas, after playing a tough non-league schedule, is 7-6 overall, 2-0 in league play. Union is 10-3, 1-0.
The Washougal girls host Mark Morris on Tuesday night in a key 2A GSHL matchup.
Columbia River is taking on two 2-1 teams this week in 2A GSHL boys. The Chieftains face Hockinson on Monday and Washougal on Thursday.
