Hoquiam’s Maddie German made the most of her first start of the season — and ensured a repeat win over rival Aberdeen in the process.
German scored five of her 16 points in the final 2:14 as the Grizzlies held off a Bobcat rally for a 58-54 win in a non-league girls basketball game Thursday night at Hoquiam Square Garden.
Only 5-foot-5 but a strong presence in the paint, German enjoyed an exceptional all-around outing. She hauled down 16 rebounds and handed out seven assists as the Grizzlies (3-5) repeated a previous 52-42 win over the Bobcats.
“German was a monster tonight,” Grizzly coach Mark Maxfield said. “She plays so hard and with so much passion.”
Karlie Krohn, the lone Hoquiam senior, tallied 8 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter.
Angel Jones scored 16 points, with Emmy Walsh and Reagan Glanz adding 13 and 11 points respectively for the Bobcats (1-7).
Despite the loss, Aberdeen coach John Yonich understandably expressed pleasure with his team’s fortitude.
Plagued by turnovers, the Bobcats trailed by 12 early in the third quarter. But pressing the Grizzlies into their own set of miscues (Hoquiam committed nine turnovers in the fourth quarter alone), Aberdeen roared back to take a couple of late leads before losing what proved to be a war of attrition in a foul-filled fourth quarter.
Despite having Jones and Glanz (their two top scorers for the season) foul out, the Cats nosed in front 52-50 on Ryder Heikkila’s jumper from the left wing with 1:37 remaining.
The Grizzlies, however, still had German and Krohn on the floor. And, after missing nine of their first 10 free throws, they were overdue to make some from the line.
After Krohn’s basket at the 1:14 mark tied it, German hit the first of two free throws to give Hoquiam the lead, then rebounded her missed second shot. Hoquiam’s Kylee Bagwell made two foul shots at 0:43 and German stole the ball in backcourt for a layin with 38 seconds on the clock.
Following a Walsh basket, Hoquiam’s Jade Cox connected on the second of two free throws with 4.6 seconds left to ice it.
“I’m happy with the effort,” Yonich said. “The game could have gone either way. I just ran out of players.”
In addition to Jones and Glanz, Aberdeen’s Aliyah Tageant and Hoquiam’s Maya Jump fouled out.
“We made some poor decisions,” Maxfield said of his team’s fourth-quarter performance. “But I liked our effort and at the end we believed.”
Bagwell scored 11 points and was credited by Maxfield with fine playmaking.
Bill Wieland, a former standout Hoquiam and Grays Harbor College athlete, received a Hoquiam Hero award during pre-game ceremonies. Wieland returned to Hoquiam after a 32-year career as a teacher and coach at Foster High School near Seattle and has volunteered with such programs as the Hoquiam Food Bank, the Polson Museum and the Kids First Levy Committee.
Both teams will resume action next Thursday. The Bobcats host North Mason, while the Grizzlies will face Darrington in the Raymond holiday tournament.
Aberdeen 12 8 15 19 — 54
Hoquiam 15 11 14 18 — 58
Aberdeen (54) — Glanz 11, Walsh 13, Pruett 2, Heikkila 4, Jones 16, Tageant 8, Orona, Stewart. FG — 18-57 (.316). FT — 15-23.
Hoquiam (58) — Jade Cox 3, Jump 10, Bagwell 11, Krohn 14, German 16, Vonhof 1, Jordan Cox 3. FG — 23-64 (.359). FT — 11-28.
JV — Hoquiam 28, Aberdeen 26. Hoquiam’s Taylor Strom made two free throws in final 20 seconds.
C squad — Aberdeen won.
