HOQUIAM — A banged up Hoquiam Grizzlies boys basketball team nearly pulled off a mild upset, taking the Castle Rock Rockets to overtime before eventually falling by a score of 57-49 in overtime on Tuesday.

Hoquiam (2-2 overall) was without the services of one of their leading scorers and rebounders, Matt Brown, who was out due to an undisclosed illness.

Further complicating Hoquiam’s situation was an arm injury to senior forward Bryson Eccles, limiting his playing time.

Coupled with the fact that projected starter Rayyon Dayton has been out all season with a finger injury, the Grizzlies had just two of their typical five starters available on Tuesday.

Despite the woes, the Grizzlies hung tough, holding a lead late in the fourth quarter before eventually losing in overtime.

Hoquiam took a 41-37 lead with 7:20 to go in the fourth quarter on a Dane McMillan corner three.

But the Grizzlies went cold from the field, failing to score over the next six-plus minutes, allowing Castle Rock (3-2) to take a 43-41 lead with 1:55 left in the game.

With 33.1 left, Hoquiam’s Kyle Larsen buried two free throws to tie the game at 43-43.

On the ensuing inbound play, Hoquiam’s Cameron Bumstead stole the ball and scored on a layup to give the Grizzlies the lead.

The Rockets would return the favor with less than 10 seconds left in the game. A steal on a Hoquiam inbound pass turned into an offensive rebound and putback from Castle Rock freshman Landon Gardner, sending the game to overtime at 45-45.

In the extra frame, Castle Rock scored the first six points as Hoquiam remained cold from the field, scoring just four free throws in extra time.

Hoquiam’s Dane McMillan, left, defends a pass against Castle Rock on Tuesday. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

“We just didn’t shoot the ball well,” Hoquiam head coach Curtis Eccles said. “Started some young guys. I thought for the most part the energy was high, we just didn’t shoot the ball well.”

Though it was a tough loss for a depleted Hoquiam squad, coach Eccles took a positive outlook after the defeat.

“The one thing we took out if was some of these young guys stepped up and gave us a chance to win, even being banged up,” he said.

Hoquiam is back in action against Cascade Christian at 7 p.m. on Friday at Hoquiam Square Garden.

Castle Rock 10 17 11 7 12 — 57

Hoquiam 17 8 11 9 4 — 49

Top Players: Hoquiam — Bumstead (18 pts.), McMillan (11 pts.), Jackson Folkers (6 pts.); CR — Connor Edwards (28 pts.), Gardner (10 pts.).

PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

Willapa Valley 73, South Bend 28

Just a day after a statement-making win over Life Christian Academy, the Willapa Valley Vikings avoided the dreaded trap-game scenario by defeating the South Bend Indians 73-28 on Tuesday at South Bend High School.

Freshman point guard Tyler Adkins scored a team-best 14 points and hit on 4-of-7 3-point shots to lead the Vikings (6-0).

Logan Walker had 13 points and Matt Pearson scored 12 for Willapa Valley, which also got a double-digit scoring night from Frank Roonsburg, who had 10 points to go along with six steals off the bench.

South Bend (0-5) jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Vikings found their stride and took control of the game, outscoring the Indians 43-3 through the remainder of the first half.

“We had a slow start,” Willapa Valley head coach Jay Pearson acknowledged. “We challenged our players not to have a letdown after beating Life Christian (on Monday). It ended up being a good, all-around team win.”

Nathon Ashley had a double-double in a losing effort for the Indians, scoring 10 points while snaring 11 rebounds. The Indians’ sophomore also had five steals in the game.

Drew Rose added seven points for South Bend.

“Valley is a very good team and they have great role players that come in and do their thing,” said Indians head coach Manuel Rangel, who added the Vikings half-court trap gave his offense fits. “It put us in a tough position to score, caused some turnovers and created some offensive opportunities for them. … Our kids worked hard, but sometimes we are outmatched man-to-man.”

South Bend plays at Chief Leschi at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Willapa Valley hosts Ocosta on Friday. Tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.

Willapa Valley 15 28 15 15 — 73

South Bend 4 3 10 11 — 28

Top Players: WV — Adkins (14 pts.), Walker (13 pts.), M. Pearson (12 pts.), Roonsburg (10 pts., 6 stl.); SB — Ashley (10 pts., 11 reb., 5 stl.), Rose (7 pts.).

Black Hills 69, Montesano 52

Shaydon Farmer scored a team-high 23 points but it wasn’t enough as the Montesano Bulldogs fell to Black Hills 69-52 on Tuesday at Black Hills High School.

“It was a good challenge for us,” Monte head coach Doug Galloway said. “I liked the effort by our kids tonight.”

Down by seven at the half, Monte (3-1) made a game of it down the stretch by trimming the Wolves’ lead to six with four minutes remaining in the game. But Black Hills (2-2) capitalized on some Bulldogs miscues to extend the lead to 17 by game’s end.

“They had a number of fortunate bounces,” said Galloway, who offered his team will use its first loss of the season as a learning experience. “We just got to get over that hump of closing out games, playing one possession at a time and taking care of the ball.”

Farmer had five steals to go along with his 23 points. Evan Bates added 11 points for Montesano while Sam Winter scored five points, dished out seven assists and grabbed four rebounds in the losing effort.

Monte will take on Tumwater at 7 p.m. on Friday at Tumwater High School.

Montesano 12 11 16 13 — 52

Black Hills 19 11 17 21 — 69

Top Players: Montesano — Farmer (23 pts., 5 reb.), Bates (11 pts.), Winter (5 pts., 7 asst., 4 reb.), Tanner Nicklas (9 reb.)

Elma 48, Rochester 46

The Elma Eagles jumped out to a 13-3 lead and held on for a 48-46 victory over Rochester on Tuesday at Rochester High School.

Elma (1-4) picked up its first win of the season thanks in large part to co-captain Cody Vollan, who scored a team-leading 24 points.

Not to be outdone was a smothering Eagles defense, which held the Warriors (0-4) to three points in the first quarter and forced 29 turnovers. Elma also held a 29-19 rebounding advantage for the game.

“We started out great and our press really bothered them throughout (the game),” Elma head coach Jeff Niemi said.

Rochester got back in the game by getting to the free-throw line. The Warriors made 16-of-24 fouls shots (66 percent) while the Eagles made 6-of-16 (37 percent).

“We battled back in the end and were able to do just enough to win.” Niemi said.

Carter Jacobson came up big for Elma late in the game, scoring seven of his 10 points in the final quarter.

Josiah Jones had four steals and was credited by Niemi for playing “outstanding defense.”

Elma hosts Seattle Christian at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Elma 13 12 6 17 — 48

Rochester 3 14 9 20 — 46

Top Players: Elma — Vollan (24 pts.), Jacobson (10 pts.), Jones (4 stl.)

Raymond 60, North Beach 43

Raymond’s Tre Seydel scored a game-high 25 points as the Seagulls won their second game in a row with a 60-43 victory over North Beach on Tuesday at North Beach High School.

Raymond (2-4, 2-3 Pacific 2B) held a 37-25 lead at the half and outscored the Hyaks (1-4) 19-9 in the fourth quarter to earn the victory.

“We did a decent job of controlling the pace of the game and playing aggressive defense,” said Raymond head coach Derek Rask, who lamented his team scoring a mere four points in the third period. “We really had an ugly third quarter, but were were able to weather the storm, so to speak, and finish the game strong in the fourth.”

In addition to Seydel’s efficient offensive night, Raymond’s Brian Sida scored nine points, most coming in the first half to help the Seagulls extend their lead.

Cesar Delgado added seven points and pulled down a team-best 11 boards for the Seagulls.

Senior guard Chance Beck led North Beach with 15 points. Patrick Heyd added nine points for the Hyaks.

Raymond 17 20 4 19 — 60

North Beach 11 14 9 9 — 43

Top Players: Raymond — Seydel (25 pts.), Sida (9 pts.), C. Delgado (7 pts., 11 reb.), Devine Souvannavanh (7 pts.); North Beach — Beck (15 pts.), Heyd (9 pts.), Marcus Pope (7 pts.).

Neah Bay 77, Taholah 68

Taholah put together an impressive fourth quarter with 24 points, but the comeback fell short in a 77-68 loss at Neah Bay on Tuesday.

Chitwhin guards Jayson Mowitch and James Orozco shouldered the majority of the scoring responsibility with 19 and 18 points, respectively.

However, their scoring was not enough in the face of Cameron Moore and Keith Johnson, each scoring 25 points.

“(We) played hard as a team offensively, but Neah Bay started off strong and really did well working the ball to the high post and low post,” Taholah head coach Riel Pardon said.

Taholah will try to bounce back with a game at Wishkah Valley on 5:45 p.m. on Friday.

Taholah 10 21 13 24 – 68

Neah Bay 21 23 20 13 – 77

Top Players: Taholah – Jayson Mowitch (19 pts.), James Orozco (18 pts.); Neah Bay – Moore ( 25 pts.), Johnson Jr. (25 pts.).

— Hasani Grayson, Grays Harbor News Group

PREP BOYS SWIMMING

River Ridge 100, Aberdeen 80

Senior Conner Gates won two individual events and Aberdeen claimed six overall wins, including two relays, in a 100-80 loss to host River Ridge in a non-league boys swimming dual meet on Tuesday.

Gates blasted to wins in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 butterfly and was a part of the winning 200 medley relay with Russell Bates, Kai Kawashima and Logan Sias.

Bates won the 100 backstroke and Kawashima won the diving event.

The Bobcats finished the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay — Colton Burns, Noah Johnson, Brice Kola and Toby Courts.

“It is always tough to travel on the road, go into your rival’s natatorium and come away on the short end of the scoreboard,” Aberdeen head coach Rob Burns said. “The boys swam hard, performed very well and represented themselves well. There were plenty of time drops and improved swims to come away with a good vibe, even in a dual meet loss.”

Gates’ two wins came in district qualifying times, while Sias earned a district berth with his swim in the 100 butterfly. Bates and Kawashima already qualified for the district meet in their events.

At 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aberdeen will finish a two-day, two meet sprint with a home meet against Timberline at the YMCA of Grays Harbor pool.

Results: 200 MR — 2:01.53 — Aberdeen (Bates, Kawashima, Gates, Sias), River Ridge, River Ridge. 200 Free — 2:08.72 — Doane (RR), Francom (RR), Anderson (A), Johnson (A), Chambers (RR). 200 IM — 2:27.85 — Lachiver (RR), Burns (A), Kola (A), Carlson (RR), Ly (RR). 50 Free — 26.11 — Gates (A), Nasleanas (RR), Erdbommer (RR), Bates (A), Shockley (RR). Diving — 145.75 — Kawashima (A), Cisneros-Cornelo (A). 100 Fly — 1:05.79 — Gates (A), Conway (RR), Sias (A), McCoy (RR), Deboma (RR).

100 Free — 59.94 — Nashleanas (RR), Burns (A), Erdbommer (RR), Courts (A), Carlson (RR). 500 Free — 6:02.80 — Shockley (RR), Diane (RR), Deboma (RR), Anderson (A), Farias (A). 200 FR — 1:45.73 — River Ridge, Aberdeen, River Ridge. 100 Back — 1:10.11 — Bates (A), Francom (RR), Ly (RR), McCoy (RR), Courts (A). 100 Breast — 1:16.84 — Lachiver (RR), Conway (RR), Kawashima (A), Kola (A), Eder (RR). 400 FR — 4:31.67 — Aberdeen (Burns, Johnson, Kola, Courts), River Ridge, River Ridge.