Girls basketball: Hockinson 64, R.A. Long 39

Hockinson girls basketball coach Damon Roche knew the importance of his team’s matchup Wednesday against R.A. Long, calling it a must-win against the 2A Greater St. Helens League’s second-place team in order to keep the Hawks playoff hopes alive, but made sure his team didn’t focus solely on the overall result.

The Hawks did get the result they wanted with defensive, execution and lighting it up from 3-point range that led to a 64-39 home win over the Lumberjills in their 2A Greater St. Helens League girls basketball game to remain in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Hockinson (8-7 overall) is now tied with Columbia River for fifth place in the 2A Greater St. Helens League with five games remaining.

“We’ve been waiting for this night to happen,” Roche said.

The Hawks hit 12 3-pointers, including five in the second quarter as part of a 21-point quarter. Five different Hawks in 3s in the quarter, Roche said.

Jasmine Shigeno led Hockinson with 16 points, and is now four 3-pointers away from breaking the single-season 3s record, set last season by Payton Wangler, now at Clark College. Wangler hit 59 3s last season.

In one of their more dominant defensive performances, the Hawks dind’t use their full-court press and instead, focused more on their half-court sets on defensive rotations, the coach siad.

“They did a phenominal job,” Roche said. “The kids absolutely responded.”

Emma Dietel added 14 points and Gracie Brammer had 12 for the Hawks.

HOCKINSON 64, R.A. LONG 39

R.A. LONG — Jayla Clark 0, Maddie McCoy 0, Miranda Lomax 7, Myah Bodily 0, Arianna Maryott 2, Eastyn Reeves 16, Rayana Randall 7, Kailey Sirnio 0, Bobbi Clark 7. Totals 14 (2) 9-16 39.

HOCKINSON — Brooklyn Byers 1, Emma Dietel 14, Mackie Kelly 2, Bailey Garner 2, Gracie Brammer 12, Adyson Dyer 3, Jasmine Shigeno 16, Meggie Kistler 3, Addie Chappelle 1, Lillie Mueller 2, Kylie Ritter 8. Totals 22 (12) 8-17 64

RA Long 9 10 11 9–39

Hockinson 8 21 23 12–64

JV — Hockinson won.