Storm place sixth at 4A and Columbia River is sixth in 2A
It was a first for one program.
It was a return to state-wide recognition for another program.
The Skyview Storm and Columbia River Chieftains were the last Clark County teams standing, the two teams from the area that made it to the final day of the high school basketball season.
Skyview, in its first appearance at a boys basketball state tournament, will be bringing home a sixth place trophy from Tacoma, from the Class 4A bracket.
Columbia River also finished sixth, playing in Yakima in the 2A boys basketball tournament. It is River’s fifth trophy from a state tournament and first since the Chieftains finished second in the 3A bracket in 2009.
Alex Schumacher and Samaad Hector of Skyview and Jacob Hjort of Columbia River were named to their respective all-tournament teams, as well.
Class 4A boys
Fourth-place game
Enumclaw 62, Skyview 57
Kaden Anderson was too strong of a force for the Storm in the fourth-place game at the Tacoma Dome, leading Enumclaw to the victory with 17 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and four blocked shots.
Enumclaw outscored the Storm by 10 in the third quarter to take an 11-point lead.
The Storm offense suffered through a morning, with the starters combining to connect on 33 percent of their shots.
Schumacher finished with 20 points. He averaged 19.75 points per game in Tacoma. He was named to the tournament’s first team.
Hector had seven points and six rebounds to go with three blocked shots in his final game. He made the game-winner Wednesday in an elimination game, then had 26 points and 17 rebounds Friday when Skyview earned a trip to trophy day. He was voted to the tourney’s second team.
Skyview would have preferred a victory in its 31st game of the season, but the Storm did achieve so much.
Again, a first trip to state for the program, then they earned a trophy, and along with it, respect. Players and coaches said throughout the week they wanted to prove they belonged, that they could compete.
Skyview, with a 25-6 record and a sixth-place trophy, accomplished that.
Class 2A boys
Fourth-place game
Selah 58, Columbia River 51
The Columbia River Chieftains finished the 2017-18 campaign with a 21-7 record, falling to Selah in the last game of the season.
Still, it was the last game of the season on the last possible day of the season. Only six teams per classification get to do that every year.
Hjort was voted to the all-tournament’s second team. He scored 17 points Saturday, giving him an average of 16.3 points per in Yakima. He made five 3-pointers in the final high school game of his career.
Elijah Pepper scored 22 points to lead Selah.
Columbia River led by two at the half, but Selah won the third quarter and maintained the advantage.
Evan Dirksen added 10 points, nine rebounds, and four assists for Columbia River. Caden Dezort had six assists.
