WASHOUGAL — As Washougal’s student section loudly chanted after Mason Oberg drained her fourth 3-pointer on her fifth attempt during the first quarter Friday night, yes, she’s a freshman.
The future became now in a big way in the Panthers’ 59-45 victory over Tumwater to open the 2A district girls basketball tournament.
Oberg’s career-high 33 points on 7 of 9 from 3-point range was three points off the district tournament single-game scoring record of 36 points set two years ago by another Washougal player — Alyssa Blankenship — in a district tournament loss to Mark Morris.
Six of her 3s came in the first half when Washougal (14-4 overall) cruised to a 33-17 lead after 16 minutes.
What’s funny, though, is while the Oberg, the Panthers’ point guard, admitted she knew it’d be a special night when “everything was feeling good” after her first made 3 moments into the game and not long after Washougal raced out to a 15-0 lead, things were a bit shaky in pre-game warmups.
Shaky as in 2 for 10 on 3-pointers.
Yet, “I stayed confident,” the 15-year-old said.
Even her father and Panthers head coach Brian Oberg knew it was his daughter’s night by the way her elbows and shoulders were aligned.
“She was level all night,” he said. “And she kept her focus on the rim.”
Mason Oberg also finished with five rebounds, four steals and three assists to help the Panthers advance to Monday’s district semifinal against W.F. West of Chehalis at a time and location to be determined. The Bearcats topped 2A Greater St. Helens League member Woodland, 73-51, on Friday.
Sophomore Beyonce Bea added 13 points and eight rebounds and Toryi Midland had a game-high 11 rebounds, as Washougal raced out to a 15-0 lead before Tumwater (11-10) scored its first bucket with 3 minutes, 15 seconds left in the first quarter on a jumper by Brooke Hare. Washougal led by as many as 22 points in the second (30-8) and fourth (55-33) quarters.
WASHOUGAL 59, TUMWATER 45
TUMWATER — Jelcick 3, Fields 1, Koelsch 13, Hare 12, Snyder 14, Cunningham 2. Totals 16 (4) 7-14 45.
WASHOUGAL — Maggie Hungerford 2, Mason Oberg 33, Beyonce Bea 13, Lindsey Thomas 6, Kaitlyn Reijonen 2, Tianna Barnett 2, Paige Wilson 3. Totals 20 (9) 11-22 59
Tumwater 5 12 8 24—45
Washougal 21 12 11 15—59
