WASHOUGAL — A team learns plenty about itself in the first game of any season.
The Washougal boys basketball team learned that when one of its players goes down, the others will rally around him.
Washougal’s 58-39 season-opening win over Stevenson on Tuesday was marred by what appeared to be a serious knee injury to starting forward Jakob Davis. The game was stopped for several minutes midway through the first quarter.
“I went back in the locker room with him and he was crying his eyes out,” senior Carter Murray said. “It sucks to see that. We just wanted to get that win for him.”
Murray scored a game-high 22 points to help Washougal do just that. Leading 8-6 when Davis was hurt, Washougal finished the first quarter on a 13-2 run.
“Everybody loves Jakob,” Washougal coach A.J. Labree said. “He’s one of our main components and a big factor for us this year. … They absolutely stepped up. I heard them a couple times out here say ‘hey, do it for Jakob. Jakob would want us to play hard.’ ”
Having graduated its top two scorers from last year’s team, which finished fourth in the 2A Greater St. Helens League, Washougal expects to be tested early this year.
The Panthers were definitely tested in the second quarter, when they were outscored 17-2 as Stevenson took a 25-23 lead into halftime.
But Washougal, which has one player taller than 6-foot-3, came out pushing the tempo in the third quarter to take a 40-34 lead.
“We need to play faster and more aggressive, Murray said. “We’re not a big team.”
Murray had 15 points in the second half. Alex Orr had two key baskets early in the fourth quarter, including a crossover that put a defender on his backside and sent Washougal’s student section into a frenzy.
Stevenson’s offense fizzled in the fourth quarter after reigning 1A Trico League MVP Isaac Hoidal fouled out with 7:18 to play. Hoidal scored a team-high 16 points.
Washougal won’t play another home game until Jan. 5. The time until then includes several tough non-league tests, including traveling to the Harlan Carter Invitational in Redding, Calif., at the end of this week.
“We’ll be playing against tougher teams, so we’ll learn how to rally if we’re down,” Orr said.
The Panthers will continue to play for their injured teammate as long as Davis is out. But Labree said the next few weeks, especially the trip to California, will be vital for possibly finding a new identity.
“We’ve got to figure out what our chemistry is now without Jakob,” Labree said. “What do we look like? What are our strengths? What units work well together on the floor? I have a feeling we’re going to get some pretty stiff competition down there, but that’s why we play these games now.”
WASHOUGAL 58, STEVENSON 39
STEVENSON — Brady Hall, Jesse Miller 2, Jono Blackledge 13, Preston Lowery 2, Charles Hobbs 1, Alec Van Pelt 5, Isaac Hoidal 16, Ethan Haight 0, Cooper Morrison 0, Bennet Wright 0. Totals 13 (4) 9-14 39.
WASHOUGAL — Jakob Davis 4, Kol Mael 13, Alex Orr 6, Carter Murray 22, Brevan Bea, Dalton Payne 8, Blake Deming 0, Ian McEwen 1, John Miner 0, Aaron Ackman 5. Totals 25 (4) 4-9 58.
Stevenson 8 17 9 5—39
Washougal 21 2 17 18—58
JV — Washougal 75-27
