Camas got all-league post Nikki Corbett back Thursday night, and then sophomore Teague Schroeder played the game of her career as the Papermakers stunned perennial power Prairie in a non-league girls basketball game.
Schroeder scored a career-high 14 points and hit the game-winner with 24 seconds to play, leading to a 52-48 victory.
“It is crazy. I’ve always dreamed of this happening,” Schroeder said. “I love how everyone came up and supported. It’s such a team effort. This experience, everything, it was awesome.”
Corbett, playing in her first game since knee surgery in August, did not start, but she finished — big time. Corbett had 12 points and nine rebounds and was a force in the paint, blocking shots and menacing several others.
“I was really nervous. I was watching the game, and I thought it was going to be too fast for me,” she recalled.
Once her name was called to get into the game, everything changed.
“I was ready to go, and I was so excited,” she said.
The plan was to ease into competition.
“I wasn’t sure how many minutes I was going to play. I just knew I was going to try my best no matter how many minuted I had,” she said.
She led the team in scoring in the first half with eight points, keeping the Papermakers in the game despite turnover woes.
There were four ties and three lead changes in the fourth quarter. The Falcons were up four after Lindsay Asplund’s 3-pointer with 2:18 to play, but then Brenna Khaw and Corbett combined to score the next six points to give Camas a 46-44 advantage.
After Prairie tied the game, Meghan Finley hit a free throw for the Papermakers. Then Prairie’s Emily Peters, who was 11 of 14 from the line, made two to give the Falcons their last lead at 49-48 with 38 seconds to play.
Schroeder then used a ball fake to freeze her defender for a split second, then took off down the baseline and got the runner to fall. Prairie threw the ball away on the inbound, with Finley getting the steal.
Rachel Gray was true on two free throws to make it 51-48 with 12 seconds left.
Prairie went for two with four seconds left and missed. Camas grabbed the board and hit a free throw to seal the deal.
“We have waited to do this for so long,” Schroeder said. “We came into this game prepared.”
Prairie was held to 23 percent shooting. The Falcons struggled all night from the floor but still managed to gain a 10-point lead in the second quarter because of the defense. Camas turned the ball over 18 times in the first half.
The Papermakers, though, had two turnovers in the third quarter and cut the lead to a point going into the fourth.
“We all brought each other up,” Schroeder said. “Positivity was key.”
In fact, Camas’s defense caused Prairie fits in the second half, forcing 13 turnovers in the final two quarters.
Khaw’s performance also was key for the Papermakers. She had 13 points and seven assists before fouling out in the final minute. Many of her assists went to Corbett.
“I’m just so happy I could contribute to this,” Corbett said. “It was just amazing.”
Peters led Prairie with 17 points. Cherita Daugherty and Asplund each scored nine points.
CAMAS 52, PRAIRIE 48
CAMAS — Meghan Finley 2, Brenna Khaw 13, Emma Jones 5, Rachel Gray 3, Mia Hunt 3, Nikki Corbett 12, Teague Schroeder 14, Madison Freemon 0, Courtney Clemmer 0. Totals: 18-45 (2-13) 14-24 52.
PRAIRIE — Lindsay Asplund 9, Grace Prom 2, Jamie Phares 2, Emily Peters 17, Cherita Daugherty 9, Natalie Whitesel 3, Jozie Tangeman 4, Kris Rocci 2, Deja Gobert 0. Totals: 13-57 (4-26) 18-29 48.
