Union boys hold off Camas

The Union Titans had a big lead for a couple minutes.

Then not so much.

Still, no matter what Camas tried, no matter how many times the Papermakers made it close, the Titans had an answer.

Usually, the answer was Cameron Cranston.

The reigning Columbian All-Region boys basketball player of the year recorded 24 points Wednesday to become the school’s all-time leading scorer.

Cranston had seven points on two trips down the floor early in the fourth quarter to give the Titans some breathing room, and Union held off Camas 61-56 in a Class 4A Greater St. Helens League boys basketball game.

“It was nice to have my teammates find me when I was open, to find me when I was feeling it,” Cranston said.

His four-point play with six minutes left in the game gave Union a seven-point lead. After a Camas free throw, he drilled a 3-pointer to make it 51-42.

The Papermakers, like they had since trailing by 15 points in the second quarter, rallied again. Alex Glikbarg made two 3-pointers to make it a three-point game again.

Zach Reznick followed with a 3-pointer for Union.

Next it was Logan Miller’s turn to hit from long range, getting Camas to within three again.

Union went to Cranston again, but instead of shooting, he spotted Tyler Combs open and Combs buried a 3-pointer for a six-point lead with a minute to play.

Camas’ momentum ended there, and the Titans made enough free throws to secure the victory. Union, ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Class 4A state poll, improved to 3-0 in GSHL play.

“It was a grinder,” Cranston said. “These kind of games, these grind-out games against a rival, they’re the ones you’ll remember when you’re looking back at high school.”

The Papermakers started off slow, falling behind by 15 in the second quarter. Due to weather, Camas had not played in 12 days. Union missed a lot of action and practice, too, but the Titans did get in a game Saturday against Heritage.

Still, the Papermakers weren’t going to back down against one of the top-ranked teams in the state. Miller had two 3-pointers in the second quarter, and the Papermakers made it a five-point game at the half.

“They just have so many shooters,” Cranston said. “You blink and it’s bang, bang, bang, and they’re right back in it. They never go away. They’ll get back in it just as fast as we got the lead.”

Union never lost the lead, though. Camas would make it a one-possession game, then Union would respond. Camas would get within three again. Union would respond. In all, Camas had the ball with a chance to tie a few times in the fourth quarter, only to go 0 for 3 from the field with two turnovers in those possessions.

“I think we did some really, relaly good things,” Union coach Blake Conley said of his team’s second-half defensive effort. “We were really focused. We did a good job of being in the lane and being physical.”

Reznick made three 3-pointers and finished with 14 points for the Titans.

Glikbarg scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half to lead Camas.

Cranston made 10 of 16 shots, including three 3-pointers, on the night he became the program’s top scorer. He now has 1,235 points in his career.

“It’s pretty cool,” Cranston said. “But … the team means more to me than the record. The times I’ve had with these guys, those are the things I’ll really remember.”

Union had another good time, made another memory, Wednesday night against a rival.