Camas (Class 4A) and Hudson’s Bay (2A) will play for fourth place in their tournaments on Saturday
TACOMA — Parker Mairs felt good in warm-ups.
Then she buried her first 3-pointer of the game.
Kierra Thompson followed with a 3-pointer of her own.
A minute later, Ava Smith hit her first from long range.
The Papermakers kept it up, making school history and tournament history at the same time.
The Camas girls basketball team rolled past Lake Stevens on Friday morning to make it to the final day of the season. The Papermakers will play Richland for fourth place on Saturday morning and are assured of bringing home a trophy for the first time in program history.
Along the way, they set some records.
Camas made 12 3-pointers on Friday, a new game record for Class 4A girls basketball. The team has made 31 3-pointers in its first three games in the Tacoma Dome, already more than any other 4A team in history.
In Yakima, the Hudson’s Bay Eagles advanced to the fourth-place game in the Class 2A girls tournament. The Washougal Panthers lost in the other consolation-round game.
At the Tacoma Dome, the Papermakers never trailed against Lake Stevens after that fast start.
“It sets the tone, not only for me, but for everybody else,” Mairs said about her first 3-pointer to open the scoring. “You make the first shot, and it’s like, ‘Let’s go!’”
It was contagious. Eight Papermakers recorded at least one 3-pointer.
“We like to share,” Mairs said.
Thompson noted that it is all about making one more pass.
“Our ball movement allowed all of our shooters to get open shots,” Thompson said.
There was one in particular that did not need a pass, though.
Early in the third quarter, Lake Stevens hit a 3-pointer to make it a five-point lead. Thompson brought the ball up the court, found some space, and swished a 3-pointer to give the momentum back to Camas.
Even that play, though, was about the team. She mentioned Reagan Jamison and Kendall Mairs for all their perfect screens, giving her room to shoot.
Jamison led a balanced attack with 10 points and nine rebounds. Thompson, Smith, and Riley Sanz each scored eight points for the Papermakers. Thompson also had five assists.
On Saturday, it will be all about getting a trophy.
“Amazing,” Parker Mairs said. “We’re the best at Cames to ever do it. The greatest.”
Camas coach Scott Thompson said this group deserves that hardware.
“Every single day, they show up ready to work. You don’t have to convince them that it’s worth it,” he said. “This is the highest Camas has ever placed. We had something to play for today. This was important for them. It was great to get that win. The icing on the cake was setting a couple of records.”
Class 2A girls
The Hudson’s Bay Eagles, like the Papermakers, are going to take home a trophy for the first time in the program’s history.
Hudson’s Bay rallied late to beat West Valley 54-54, advancing to the fourth-place game Saturday. The Eagles will face Archbishop Murphy in that game. Archbishop Murphy ended Washougal’s season with a 42-41 victory.
