Storm improve to 13-0 and get ready to host perennial power Union
CAMAS — In the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League, it is not necessarily what have you done lately. Rather, it is all about what will you do the next game.
The Skyview Storm opened league play Wednesday night, holding off Camas 53-51 to improve to 13-0 this high school boys basketball season.
And the Storm will get all of about five minutes to celebrate.
Up next: Skyview hosts defending league champion and 2017 state runner-up Union.
“Our coaches told us great teams don’t look ahead,” said Skyview’s Samaad Hector, who led the Storm with 17 points and nine rebounds. “We just had to be focused and prepare like a championship team. That’s what we did tonight.”
That is what the Storm expect to do Thursday at practice with Union coming to their gym Friday.
“We just want revenge,” Hector said, noting the Storm believe they could have won one or both games against the Titans last season. “It didn’t happen.”
It was an inconsequential play. The Storm would get two more shots but failed to score. Still, those two extra shots matter to a coach. They matter to the players. Perhaps it is that attitude that has led to Skyview’s 13-0 mark this season. Cole Grossman made a quality pass to Samaad Hector in the key in the first half of Skyview’s victory over Camas. But Hector did not handle the pass. The ball bounced away and headed toward the top of the key. Instead of being frustrated with missing the pass, with missing an opportunity for an easy score, Hector hustled to the ball, grabbing it in between a couple Papermakers. Again, it did not lead to any points. Skyview missed a shot, got a rebound, and missed another shot. But it is the effort that should be noted. “All of those things add up to pull out a road win,” Skyview coach Matt Gruhler said. “We talk about doing the little things well. We weren’t great at it tonight. But we were good enough to get a win.”
It’s the effort that matters
“There’s no sleep,” Skyview coach Matt Gruhler said. “Coaches are going to go home (Wednesday night) and start preparing for Union.”
Gruhler was thrilled with Wednesday’s effort against the Papermakers, and more importantly, that preparation.
“The kids have not thought one second on Union. They were focused on Camas,” he said.
The Storm needed to be, as well. Camas entered the game 10-2. Then, the Papermakers went on an 11-0 run to end the first half to take a three-point halftime lead.
Skyview topped that with a 16-0 run, starting with seven consecutive points from Hector to end the third quarter, giving the Storm a four-point lead. Skyview scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to go up 49-36.
This is the 4A GSHL, though. It was far from a done deal.
Camas responded with the next 10 points. Trenton Carlisle’s 3-pointer made it a four-point game. A free throw got it to three.
Hector got a rebound and put-back basket for the Storm with 1:26 remaining for a five-point lead.
Carlisle scored again, and it was back to three points.
Camas got the ball back with a chance to tie but missed a 3-pointer. Alex Schumacher made two free throws with six seconds left to seal the deal. Camas made a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the two-point margin.
“We used what we did earlier in the season and used that to our advantage,” Schumacher said, noting that half of Skyview’s wins came with execution in the final 60 seconds.
“The crowd was crazy and loud. It was a little shaky,” Schumacher acknowledged. “But coach pulled us together and we got back to what we do.”
That would be winning.
But again, the Storm are not looking beyond whatever is next on the schedule.
“Right now, all it means is we are one step ahead of Camas,” Hector said. “We’re one game closer to being league champs.”
Notes: Schumacher finished with 15 points for the Storm. Sophomore Kyle Gruhler made four 3-pointers. … Jack Glikbarg led Camas with 13 points and eight rebounds. Carlisle finished with 12.
