CAMAS — The Skyview boys basketball team knew what it was up against starting league play on the road.
But even in a packed Camas High School gym against a Papermaker team whose 10-2 start nearly mirrors the unblemished Storm, the environment still took Skyview by surprise.
“That was the loudest crowd we’ve played with so far,” Skyview guard Alex Schumacher said. I was surprised. Especially with the parents, and the band, it was hard to call a play.”
It caught Storm forward Samaad Hector off-guard, too.
“I wasn’t expecting the (crowd noise) at all,” he said.
Despite the Papermakers leveraging that home crowd during two momentous runs, including a final push that cut a 13-point deficit into a one possession game in the waning seconds, the Storm beat Camas 53-51 in a 4A Greater St. Helens League opener on Wednesday night.
Forfeiting the double-digit lead it held with less than five minutes to play wasn’t in the game plan. But Skyview will gladly take a win to open what looks to be a competitive 4A GSHL.
“Now we know how the intensity is in a league game like that, now we know what to expect,” Schumacher said.
Paced by Hector’s game-high 17 points, the Storm utilized its post size and strength to net an advantage on the glass — and neutralize Camas’ 6-foot-6 guard Isaiah Sampson, who battled foul trouble and finished with two points.
Some of Hector’s most pivotal baskets came on second-chance opportunities, which deflated the Papermakers’ attempts to keep the dynamic forward at bay.
“Their bigs had a lot of energy, particularly Samaad,” Camas coach Ryan Josephson said. “I mean how many second-chance buckets did he have? You think you have the play stopped, you force him into a tough shot and then he gets it again and puts it up.”
Hector scored seven of his 17 points in the third to help the Storm up to a five-point lead going into the fourth.
But the Storm started to pour onto its lead. Kyle Gruhler hit an open corner 3-pointer to push the lead to 11, then Schumacher scored a layup to make it 13 with just over five minutes to go.
Tre Carlisle scored seven of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, and scored off a spin move to put Camas within three points with 11 second left. Carlisle had an open attempt from 3 to tie, but it rimmed off and Schumacher grabbed the rebound to seal it for the Storm.
Gruhler finished with 12 points — all on 3-pointers.
Camas was paced by Jack Glikbarg’s 13 points. Glikbarg served as Camas’ much-needed spark during its two biggest runs of the game, Josephson said.
The game was tied early, but Skyview leapt up by single digits in the second quarter, in part due to a pair of 3-pointers from Gruhler. But Glikbarg hit a pair of 3s of his own, helping the Papermakers tie it up with less than 30 seconds left in the half.
Then with 9.6 seconds to go, Glikbarg scored through a foul on a baseline drive when he was met at the rim by Hector. He completed the three-point play to give Camas a 28-25 lead going into the break.
“Glikbarg was a huge spark off the bench whenever he came out there and that was probably the biggest thing we did was get him back in there and allow him to attack like he does,” Josephson said.
Carlisle also pitched in 13 points for the Papermakers, who move to 10-3 on the season in front of a game against at Heritage on Friday. Skyview, meanwhile, hosts defending 4A state runner-up Union.
SKYVIEW 53, CAMAS 51
SKYVIEW (13-0, 1-0) — Alex Schumacher 15, Cole Grossman 1, Jovon Sewell 4, Samaad Hector 17, Squeeky Johnson 0, Lowell Dunmire 0, Chris Webster 2, KB Fesehazion 2, Kyle Gruhler 12, Jace Chatman 0. 20 (6) 7-15 52.
CAMAS (10-3, 0-1) — Jack Glikbarg 13, Kyle Allen 2, Shane Jamison 1, Carson Bonine 9, Ben Cooke 10, Gabe Mukobi 2, Isaiah Sampson 2, Tre Carlisle 13. 17 (8) 9-14 51.
Skyview 11 14 15 13 — 52
Camas 11 17 8 15 — 51
