Montesano picked up a league victory while Aberdeen defeated Raymond-South Bend in a nail-biter as we review Thursday’s prep basketball action on the Harbor.

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL

Montesano 61, Eatonville 47

Montesano was determined to rid the bad taste of Tuesday’s league loss to Tenino off its palate entering Thursday’s home matchup with Eatonville.

The Bulldogs did just that, jumping out to a big halftime lead en route to a 61-47 victory over the Cruisers at Montesano High School.

Monte (10-2 overall, 1-1 1A Evergreen) controlled the game from start to finish, leading by seven after one quarter and dominating the second quarter 25-10.

The Bulldogs went 9 for 17 from the field in the second frame (53%), including hitting 4-of-7 3-pointers (57%).

After Eatonville (6-6, 0-1) trimmed Monte’s lead to 14 after the Bulldogs offense chilled to score just six points in the third quarter, the two teams played even over the final eight minutes of the game.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Soren Cobb, left, scores a basket during the Bulldogs’ 61-47 victory over Eatonville on Thursday at Montesano High School.

“We had control of the game, but Eatonville was very scrappy and very athletic. … I’m really proud of my kids. It’s a great team win with all of them contributing,” Monte head coach Leonard Barnes said. “They were ready to go play. They were ready to put that loss (to Tenino) in the rear-view mirror.”

The Bulldogs went 24 of 69 from the field (35%), including 4 of 17 from the 3-point line (23.5%) and 9 of 17 from the free-throw line (53%).

Montesano seniors Gabe Bodwell (14 points), Tyce Peterson (11 pts.) and Soren Cobb (10 pts.) each scored in double figures as eight different Bulldogs put points on the board in the contest.

As a team, Montesano had 34 rebounds, 12 assists, nine steals and four blocks to 13 turnovers.

Barnes said he could sense his team was determined to play better after letting a first-half lead slip away in a 59-46 loss to Tenino earlier in the week.

“They were dialed in and focused,” he said. “I didn’t have to say too much because of their maturity and leadership. I could sense it in the locker room and the way we practiced yesterday.”

Montesano hosts Elma in a key league matchup set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Eatonville 13 10 14 10 – 47

Montesano 20 25 6 10 – 61

Scoring: Eatonville – Klumper 12, Samuel 11, Stogsdill 8, Nueva 5, Clevenger 4, Taylor 4, Goode 2. Montesano – Bodwell 14, Peterson 11, Cobb 10, Gunter 9, Chan 6, Wilson 5, Damasiewicz 4, Taylor 2.

Shelton 47, Aberdeen 35

Starting each half on the wrong foot proved costly for Aberdeen in a 47-35 loss to Shelton on Thursday at Shelton High School.

The Bobcats (3-8, 2-4 2A Evergreen) outscored the Highclimbers (6-6, 3-1) 29-21 in the second and fourth quarters combined, but opened the game trailing 12-3 after the first quarter and were outscored in the third 14-3.

Aberdeen struggled from the floor, hitting on 25% of its shots on 13-of-51 shooting, including 8 of 35 from inside the 3-point line (23%).

Aberdeen senior guard Manny Garcia had 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field (38%), but no other Bobcat scored more than six points in the game.

The Highclimbers defense held sophomore guard Jhacob Quezada (12.1 ppg), Aberdeen’s leading scorer, without a point for the first time this season.

Aberdeen grabbed 24 rebounds, had 12 steals and committed 14 turnovers as a team.

The Bobcats are scheduled to face Black Hills at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 at Black Hills High School.

Aberdeen 3 15 3 14 – 35

Shelton 12 12 14 9 – 47

Scoring: Aberdeen – M. Garcia 15, Brooks 6, LaRocque 6, Ancich 3, Raya 3, Zarate 3, I. Garcia 2.

Tenino 59, Hoquiam 45

For the second straight game, Hoquiam’s foul troubles proved costly in a 59-45 loss to Tenino on Thursday at Tenino High School.

Hoquiam (6-5, 0-2 1A Evergreen) played even at 11-11 against a tall, athletic Beavers team in the first quarter.

But foul troubles to key post players, including senior center Aiden Butcher, led to a 32-26 rebounding advantage for Tenino (9-4, 2-0), 15-9 on the offensive glass.

The disadvantage on the boards was most prevalent in the second quarter, where Tenino took advantage of Butcher on the bench after picking up his second foul to outscore the Grizzlies 19-10.

The two teams played even again in the third quarter and the Grizzlies’ smaller lineup was no match for the longer Beavers as Hoquiam was outscored by five in the final frame.

“We just could not keep them off the glass, especially in the second quarter,” Hoquiam head coach Jeff Niemi said. “They probably had seven or eight offensive rebounds in that second quarter. They’re big, they’re long, they’re tough. … At the end of the day, scoring 45 points ain’t going to work in league.”

Freshman guard Lincoln Niemi had 22 points and three assists while senior forward Zander Jump added 14 points and six rebounds for the Grizzlies.

Hoquiam went 18 for 45 from the field (40%) and had 15 turnovers to 13 for Tenino.

“Giving up 59 to Tenino is not that bad. But we’ve now scored 45 and 47 (in two league games). We’ve got to figure that out,” Coach Niemi said. “We’re either going to have to figure out how to keep our big guys out of foul trouble or figure out how to play smaller when they are out.”

Hoquiam takes on Forks in a non-league contest set for 7 p.m. on Monday.

Hoquiam 11 10 14 10 — 45

Tenino 11 19 14 15 — 59

Scoring: Hoquiam — Niemi 22, Jump 14, Butcher 4, LaBounty 3, Bryson 2. Tenino — Schow 20, Burkhardt 15, Moore 12, Gonia 6, Strawn 6.

Willapa Valley 47, WA School for the Deaf 44

Nathan Fluke showed nerves of steel in Willapa Valley’s 47-44 win over the Washington School for the Deaf on Thursday in Puyallup.

With the two 1B Columbia Valley League teams tied at 44 in the final seconds of the game, Fluke was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer with one second on the clock.

The Valley guard stepped to the line and buried all three free throws to secure the Vikings fourth league victory.

“This was a tough night for us on both ends of the floor, and we were very fortunate to come away with a win,” Valley head coach Derek Rask said.

Fluke and teammate Blaine King scored 14 points apiece to lead the Vikings.

Brody Ritzman added seven points to go along with 12 rebounds and four steals for Willapa Valley.

The Vikings (5-5, 4-0 1B Columbia Valley) went 19 of 67 from the field (28%) and hit 6-of-12 free throws (50%).

Valley hosts Naselle at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday in a key league matchup in Menlo.

Willapa Valley 13 13 5 16 – 47

WSD 14 8 19 3 – 44

Scoring: Willapa Valley – Fluke, 14, King 14, Ritzman 7, Swartz 6, Russell 4, Keeton 2.

PHOTO BY LARRY BALE Aberdeen’s Annie Troeh (2) and Zoe Troeh (3) apply pressure to Raymond-South Bend’s Avalyn Stigall (24) during the Bobcats’ 46-42 win on Thursday in South Bend.

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL

Aberdeen 46, Raymond-South Bend 42

Aberdeen twin sisters Annie and Zoe Troeh came up clutch down the stretch in the Bobcats’ 46-42 win over Raymond-South Bend on Thursday at South Bend High School.

Aberdeen (7-5) got out to an early lead on the back of its pressure defense, which forced 12 first-half turnovers by the Ravens (8-4) en route to a 29-21 halftime lead.

But RSB chipped away throughout the second half and took a one-point lead on a 3-pointer by sophomore Kassie Koski with 1:30 left to go in the game.

Aberdeen senior guard Annie Troeh responded with a drive and layup to take a 43-42 lead with 25 seconds left.

After a Ravens miss, Annie Troeh repeated the feat, scoring on another drive and layup to put the Cats up 45-42.

An Aberdeen steal followed by a Bobcats turnover gave the Ravens one last possession with six second on the clock.

But Zoe Troeh had other ideas, as the senior forward stole the inbound pass and fed her sister Annie, who was fouled. Annie Troeh buried 1 of 2 free throws to secure the Bobcats victory.

“(RSB) made some great adjustments and I was very impressed with the way they denied us the ball,” Aberdeen head coach Curtis Eccles said. “We had a very difficult time to get it in because they were scrappy.”

Annie Troeh led all scorers with 22 points while Zoe Troeh had a solid floor game with five points, 13 rebounds and six steals.

RSB was led by guard Megan Kongbouakhay with 14 points

“I really thought our kids did a nice job matching Aberdeen’s competitiveness and aggressive play giving themselves a chance to succeed,” RSB head coach Jason Koski said. “We need to continue to work on the little things to get us over the hump in these two-possession losses. We have lost four games by two possessions or less, so we aren’t too far away.”

Aberdeen takes on Shelton in a 2A Evergreen Conference League game at 7 p.m. in Aberdeen.

The Ravens play at Rainier in a non-league game scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday in Rainier.

Aberdeen 15 14 8 9 – 46

Raymond-South Bend 8 13 9 12 – 42

Scoring: Aberdeen – A. Troeh 22, Brown 9, Z. Troeh 5, Knutson 4, Lopez, 2, Lamont 2, Phimmasone 2. RSB – Kongbouakhay 14, Stigall 7, Kas. Koski 6, Kyn. Koski 6, Baugher 6, Glazier 2, Morley 1.