Hoquiam honored its 2004 state-championship team in a Myrtle Street Rivalry game against Aberdeen as we review Friday’s prep hoops on the Harbor.

Hoquiam 66, Aberdeen 62

Hoquiam paid homage to its past state-championship team in the best ways it knows how: Beating Aberdeen.

The Grizzlies pleased a jam-packed Hoquiam Square Garden crowd by defeating the Bobcats 66-62 in a non-league game on Friday.

With entire lower and upper sections filled with fans for a Myrtle Street Rivalry game where Hoquiam honored its 2004 state-championship team at halftime, it was Aberdeen that drew first blood by hitting four threes in the first quarter for a 20-17 lead.

But the Grizzlies (8-9 overall) beared down after that, holding the Bobcats (6-10) t0 11 points in the second quarter and took a 34-31 lead into the half thanks to a three by freshman point guard Lincoln Niemi just before the buzzer.

Hoquiam took the third quarter 22-19 – led by Niemi’s 13 points in the frame – but Aberdeen stayed close as senior forward Baylor Ainsworth scored 16 of his team’s 19 points in the period.

Ainsworth added seven more points in the Bobcats’ 12-point fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough as Hoquiam earned the 66-62 win.

Ainsworth led all scorers with 33 points while teammate Isaac Garcia added 10 points for the Cats.

Aberdeen went 24 for 57 from the floor (42%), including 8 of 24 from the 3-point line (33%) and hit 6-of-11 free throws (55%).

“(Aberdeen) kind of bombed us in the first quarter and hit a bunch of threes,” Hoquiam head coach Jeff Niemi said. “That was our big thing all night was limiting their threes.”

Lincoln Niemi led the Grizzlies with 30 points and six assists while committing just four turnovers from his point-guard position.

Center Chris Bryson had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four blocked shots for the Grizzlies.

Hoquiam senior forward Zander Jump scored seven points and grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds in the victory.

The Grizzlies went 23 of 59 from the field (40%) and hit 13-of-26 free throws (50%).

Both teams took care of the ball, with Aberdeen committing 14 turnovers to 10 for Hoquiam, and were an even 40-40 in rebounding.

Though it was a non-league game, the raucous atmosphere was a good learning experience heading into the playoffs.

“It was packed,” Coach Niemi said. “I told the kids, ‘You just got to play in a playoff atmosphere.’ So it was pretty good timing for what’s coming up.”

Hoquiam plays a league game at Eatonville at 7 p.m. on Monday.

Aberdeen hosts Shelton in a 2A Evergreen Conference game at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Aberdeen 20 11 19 12 – 62

Hoquiam 17 17 22 10 – 66

Scoring: Aberdeen – Ainsworth 33, I. Garcia 8, Quezada 7, M. Garcia 2, Ancich 2. Hoquiam – Niemi 30, Bryson 14, Bozich 9, Jump 7, Butcher 4, LaBounty 2.

Naselle 56, Willapa Valley 48

Willapa Valley lost a 1B Columbia Valley League game 56-48 to Naselle on Friday at Naselle High School.

Valley (7-9, 6-4 1B CVL) led 33-30 at halftime before the Comets (15-2, 11-1) took control of the game in the second half, particularly with a 19-11 fourth quarter.

“We struggled in the third quarter to score and that same struggle started in the fourth,” Vikings head coach Derek Rask said. “We got going a little bit offensively down the stretch, but so did Naselle. I thought our effort was fantastic, we just didn’t do enough to win the game.”

Nathan Fluke led Valley with 22 points while Blane King and Hank Swartz added eight apiece for the Vikings, which shot 36% from the field on 18-of-50 shooting and hit 4-of-13 free throws (31%).

Naselle shots 18 of 48 from the field (37.5%) and hit 15-of-23 free throws (65%).

The Vikings sit in fourth place in the league standings and are scheduled to play at Firm Foundation Christian at 7 p.m. on Monday.

Willapa Valley 17 16 4 11 – 48

Naselle 16 14 7 19 – 56

Scoring: Willapa Valley – Fluke 22, King 8, Swartz 8, Ritzman 5, Young 3, Russell 2.

Other scores

Boys Prep Basketball

Mary M. Knight 55, Lake Quinault 54

Oakville 74, Wishkah Valley 20

Girls Prep Basketball

Forks 59, Ocosta 31

Naselle 52, North Beach 50

Mary M. Knight 65, Lake Quinault 17