Boys Prep Basketball Roundup: Montesano downs Hoquiam for key league victory on the road

Published 3:45 am Friday, January 9, 2026

Montesano and Elma moved to 2-0 in the 1A Evergreen League as we review Thursday’s boys prep baketball games on the Harbor.

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BOYS PREP BASKETBALL

Montesano 69, Hoquiam 64

Montesano made the plays in the second half to pick up a key league victory on the road with a 69-64 win over Hoquiam on Thursday at Hoquiam Square Garden.

The game was a close affair throughout, with the two teams trading barbs, and leads, throughout much of the first half.

The Bulldogs (9-4 overall, 2-0 1A Evergreen) held a slim 16-15 lead after one quarter of play thanks to eight points from senior post Mason Fry, whose free throw game Monte the lead with 27 seconds left in the frame.

Hoquiam (5-7, 0-1) had its best quarter in the second period as the Grizzlies quickly took the lead on a three to open the frame by junior point guard Ryker Maxfield.

With Monte hot on Hoquiam’s heels, the Grizzlies would extend its lead on a momentum-swinging sequence with three minutes left in the first half.

Bulldogs junior post Caden Grubb was fouled and made the second of his two free throws to pull Monte to within a point at 27-26. On the free throw, Monte guard Ryan Weidman was called for a flagrant foul while competing for a rebound against Hoquiam senior post Ryan Pullar.

Pullar hit 1-of-2 free throws the got a rebound on the Grizzlies subsequent possession. The ball was kick out and around to junior guard Lincoln Niemi, who splashed in a three to complete a four-point swing and put Hoquiam up 31-26, forcing a Monte timeout.

But the Bulldogs didn’t break as Weidman responded with a three from the top of the key to make it a one-possession game at 31-29 with 2:15 to play in the first half.

A little over a minute later, freshman guard K.J. McCoy scored on a reverse layup off an assist from Pullar to put Hoquiam up 35-30.

Monte senior guard Terek Gunter made 3-of-4 free throws in the final minute to cut Hoquiam’s lead to 35-33 at halftime.

The Bulldogs tied the game to start the third quarter on a Fry offensive rebound and putback and the two league rivals continued to trade buckets, with five ties through the first six minutes of the period.

Montesano would take a 51-47 lead on a Fry layup and-1 with 42.4 seconds on the clock.

Weidman followed with a three, with Niemi responding with a triple of his own with 22 seconds left.

Fry would close out the quarter with a layup off a drive and assist from Gunter to take a 56-53 lead into the fourth period.

McCoy opened the fourth with a bucket on an offensive rebound to cut Monte’s lead to 56-55, but Hoquiam went on a cold streak after that, with just one field goal – a scoop layup from Maxfield – over the next six minutes of game time.

The Bulldogs took advantage, extending its lead to as much as nine points on a jumper from Weidman to take a 66-57 lead with 2:06 to play.

Hoquiam cut the lead to 68-63 on a Niemi layup with 18 seconds to play and still had hope after Niemi was fouled shooting a three with 5.2 seconds left.

Niemi missed the first, hit the second then intentionally missed the third in hopes of getting his team a rebound and bucket, but Monte got the rebound to end any Hoquiam comeback hopes.

“We tried to slow it down and get great shots instead of good shots. Our posts did a pretty good job of passing with each other,” Monte head coach Shaydon Farmer said of his team’s performance in the second half. “Defensively, we held them to one shot per possession and that was huge. (Hoquiam) is obviously a very dangerous team with Niemi. If we can force a miss and get a rebound, that helps us a ton.”

Fry led Monte with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting (59%) and had a double-double with 15 rebounds.

Grubb also had a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 19 rebounds while Weidman (13 points, assist, steal) and Gunter (12 pts., 6 ast., 2 reb.) also scored in double figures for Montesano.

“We knew to target the paint a lot and beat them down low. We know we had size and height and knew we could beat them down low in the paint,” Fry said. “We just came together and we really cut the turnovers.”

The Bulldogs shot 46% from the floor on 25-of-54 shooting and hit 12-of-24 free throws (50%).

Both teams took care of the ball, with Montesano committing 12 turnovers to 11 for Hoquiam.

“Hats off to Monte. They did what they wanted, when they wanted, how they wanted, and where they wanted to do it,” Hoquiam head coach Jeff Niemi said. “Our effort was there. Monte just went and took it.”

Niemi led Hoquiam with 23 points with McCoy (14 pts.) and Maxfield (13 pts.) also scoring in double figures.

The Grizzlies went 25-for-62 from the field (40%), including 7-of-29 from beyond the arc (24%), and made 7-0f-13 free throws (54%).

Fouls were a problem for the Grizzlies as five players finished the game with three or more fouls, including senior guard Joey Bozich, who fouled out early in the fourth quarter and was hampered with foul troubles all night.

The win gives Montesano its second 1A Evergreen League win on the road this week after defeating Tenino two days earlier.

“We knew Hoquiam was going to be a little bit more competitive and tougher,” Fry said. “It’s huge to have a road win (in league).”

“Coming on the road, versus a team like this that is dangerous and can put the ball in the basket, to be able to contain them enough and score more points than they did is huge,” Farmer said. “I’m excited to get back home where it’s a little more comfortable.”

Montesano has its home league opener against Rochester at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Grizzlies face Tenino in league play at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday in Tenino.

Montesano 16 17 23 13 – 69

Hoquiam 15 20 18 11 – 64

Scoring: Montesano – Fry 24, Weidman 13, Ca. Grubb 12, Gunter 12, Co. Grubb 6. Hoquiam – Niemi 23, McCoy 14, Maxfield 13, Abbott 5, Byron 4, Pullar 3, Bozich 2.

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Elma 78, Tenino 44

Elma took control in the second half to beat Tenino 78-44 in a 1A Evergreen League game on Thursday at Tenino High School.

The Eagles (8-5, 2-0 1A Evergreen) extended their winning streak to five games by turning what was a 33-26 lead at halftime into a 34-point rout over the Beavers (2-12, 0-2).

“Tenino came out with a lot of energy and gave us a much needed game. We didn’t need another blowout. We needed to be tested and they accomplished it,” Elma head coach Matt Ferrier said. “Our first half defense and rebounding was pathetic. Lazy, lazy, lazy and Tenino made us pay for it.”

But led by a big third period from senior wing Trayton Webb, the Eagles outscored the Beavers 22-11 in the third quarter and put the game well out of reach with a 23-7 fourth frame.

“After halftime, we came out with a few offensive adjustments versus their funky defense,” Ferrier said. “Trayton Webb had a huge third quarter and (sophomore wing) Gavin Muir (4 points, 3 rebounds) played well off the bench. He just did great things, the stuff you don’t get recognition for.”

Webb led all scorers with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting (59%), including 5-of-10 from 3-point range (50%), to go along with three rebounds and two assists.

Senior wing Isaac McGaffey had 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, five steals and a block for Elma, which shot 47% as a team on 27-of-58 shooting, including 8-of-22 from beyond the arc (36%).

The Eagles had one of their better shooting night from the charity stripe in the victory, hitting 16-of-20 free throws (80%).

”Happy to be 2-0 in league, but a commitment to defense has to be reinstated,” Ferrier said.

Elma has a non-league game against North Beach at 7 p.m. Monday at Elma High School.

Elma 18 15 22 23 – 78

Tenino 15 11 11 7 – 44

Scoring: Elma – Webb 25, McGaffey 14, Moe 8, Yeager 7, Moreno 6, Myer 6, Muir 4, Niemi 3, Griensewic 3, Aguilar 2. Tenino – McKauge 12, Whitaker 8, Bennett 6, Johnson 6, Czuleger 5, Nelson 2, Borup 2, Noonan 2, Mathison 1.

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Other games

Willapa Valley 42, Ocosta 17