Curtis, the No. 1 seed, topped the Papermakers 73-46 in the Tacoma Dome
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
TACOMA — The Camas boys basketball team still has a chance for the best finish in program history this season.
That’s what making it the Elite Eight means, even after a tough performance in the quarterfinals.
Curtis, the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A boys basketball state tournament, had no trouble with the Papermakers on Thursday morning, cruising to a 73-46 victory.
Camas fell into the consolation bracket and will face Skyline at 9 a.m. Friday in the fourth-place semifinals. If Camas wins that game, it will be playing in the fourth-place game on Saturday and will be guaranteed to bring home a trophy.
In fact, the best trophy in program history.
The 1962 Papermakers finished eighth in state.
The 2023 Papermakers, well, it remains to be seen. But no matter what happens Friday, this was the first Camas team to win its way into the championship quarterfinals.
“It means everything,” said senior Theo McMillan, who led the Papermakers with 14 points in Thursday’s game against Curtis. “This is what we wanted to do from the start of the season. To get here. To be here. We get to play in front of all these people, under the lights. It’s an amazing experience.”
“Last year, we fell a little short,” added sophomore Jace VanVoorhis, who had 10 points Thursday. “It feels good to make up for it. It’s a blessing to come up here and play in the quarterfinals. We came up short, but we still have got another game to play.”
And maybe two.
The season will be over Saturday or Friday, depending on Friday’s result. For McMillan, he will leave the program knowing it has improved under his watch. VanVoorhis has two more years with the Papermakers. Both players noted young star Beckett Currie and up-and-coming players, as well.
“The future’s so bright in the next couple of years,” VanVoorhis said.
“They’re going to do well, for sure,” McMillan added.
The Camas boys are scheduled to play March 3 and could make it to the final day of the season on March 4.
The last time Camas basketball played in March? That would be 1964.
Gotta go deep in history to put some present-day perspective on this achievement, with an eye to the future, as well.
Also read:
- Former Vancouver sports administrator, now working in Nevada, predicts big things for girls flag football
Albert Alcantar, now in Las Vegas, says Washington’s new WIAA-sanctioned girls flag football program could mirror the success Nevada has already seen. - Vancouver selected for National Million Coaches Challenge
Vancouver Parks and Recreation has been chosen to participate in the Million Coaches Challenge, a national initiative to train youth sports coaches in inclusive, developmentally focused practices. - WDFW approves eight days of coastal razor clam digs beginning April 26WDFW has approved eight days of razor clam digs beginning April 26, with tentative final digs set for May 10–15, pending marine toxin test results.
- WIAA sanctions girls flag football; advisory vote on girls sports eligibility fails to gain 60 percent approvalThe WIAA has officially sanctioned girls flag football as a high school sport in Washington and updated several eligibility rules, while a controversial advisory vote narrowly failed.
- Clark County begins construction on Harmony Sports Complex improvementsClark County has begun parking lot and safety improvements at Harmony Sports Complex, including 200 new paved stalls and a new access point.
