Elma’s boys and Willapa Valley’s girls hoops team won as we review Monday’s Twin Harbors prep basketball games.

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BOYS PREP BASKETBALL

Elma 48, Rainier 33

Elma overcame a rash of illness to earn a 48-33 victory on Monday at Elma High School.

The Eagles (11-7 overall) had to go deep down the bench as only seven players suited up for the game due to four players being out due to illness.

Trailing by a point entering the second quarter, Elma’s defense held Rainier (10-7) – which had two of its top scorers out due to illness – to just six points in the second period to take a 20-16 halftime lead.

The Eagles defense outscored the Mountaineers 28-17 over the final two quarters of the game to earn the non-league victory in its Elma’s first home game since Jan. 8.

“Both teams played some kids that don’t normally get to see a lot of playing time,” Elma head coach Matt Ferrier said. “And it was a pretty competitive basketball game.”

Elma junior forward Isaac McGaffey led the Eagles with 19 points on 9-of-18 shooting (50%) and grabbed nine rebounds.

PHOTO BY MIKE ROBERTS Elma’s Isaac McGaffey (3) puts up a shot against Rainier’s Peyton Shaeffer during the Eagles’ 48-33 win on Monday at Elma High School.

Senior guard Traden Carter scored 18 points and seven rebounds while senior point guard Theo Flores had three points and a team-best five assists for Elma.

Elma shot 44% from the floor on 19-of-43 shooting and hit 7-of-12 free throws (58%).

The Eagles had 33 rebounds – six on the offensive glass – nine assists, six steals and 19 turnovers as a team.

“Our energy level, we basically willed ourselves to win,” Ferrier said. “Aramani Phan stepped up pretty well and Spencer Olsen played more minutes than he typically does. … Obviously, guys had to come off the bench and play and they did a good job. Cole Niemi hit huge bucket for us in the third quarter and the kids just kind of relaxed and handled being able to play at that particular level.”

Elma faces Hoquiam in a key 1A Evergreen League game set for 7 p.m. on Thursday at Elma High School.

PHOTO BY MIKE ROBERTS Elma point guard Theo Flores (5) dribbles against Rainier’s Nehemiah Linson during the Eagles’ 48-33 win on Monday at Elma High School.

Rainier 10 6 8 9 – 33

Elma 9 11 13 15 – 48

Scoring: Elma – McGaffey 19, Carter 18, Flores 3, Webb 3, Phan 2, Niemi 2, Olson 1.

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Other games

Shelton 53, Aberdeen 43

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GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL

Willapa Valley 44, Naselle 29

Willapa Valley picked up a key 1B Coastal League victory with a 44-29 victory over Naselle on Monday at Naselle High School.

The Vikings (8-8, 5-2 1B Coastal) held the Comets (9-7, 5-3) to just three points to take an 11-3 lead after one period of play, despite committing nine turnovers in the frame.

After leading 24-17 at the half, Valley extended their lead with a 12-5 third quarter and held Naselle to just 12 points over the final 16 minutes of play to secure the victory.

“Naselle has always been a really hard place to play and an extremely difficult place to come out with a win,” Valley head coach Dawn Keeton said. “Fortunately for us, Naselle struggled against our defense. … Our defense worked very well today and moved to where the ball was going and didn’t allow many open shots.”

Freshman standout Tylar Keeton had a monster game with 18 points, 21 rebounds and three blocks to lead Valley.

Junior guard Lauren Matlock added 12 points and three steals for a Vikings team that went 17 for 62 from the field (27%) and had 51 rebounds – 20 offensive – and seven blocks as a team.

Valley sits a game behind Taholah for the top spot in the 1B Coastal League.

The Vikings face the Chitwhins at 7 p.m. on Friday at Taholah High School.

Willapa Valley 11 13 12 8 – 44

Naselle 3 14 5 7 – 29

Scoring: Valley – Keeton 18, Matlock 12, Merkel 6, Hurley 6, Fluke 2. Naselle – Katyryniuk 10.

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Green River 80, Grays Harbor 58

Grays Harbor College lost to Green River 80-58 on Saturday at Green River College in Auburn.

The Chokers (10-11, 2-4 NWAC West) trailed 47-29 at halftime after the Gators (19-2, 6-0) shot 59% on 10-of-17 shooting from the 3-point line in the first half, led by Chase Degraffenried’s 18 points.

The Chokers never caught up as GHC shot 39% from the field on 22-of-56 shooting in the game, including 3 of 20 from beyond the arc (15%).

The Chokers were led by Kane Wood, who was the only GHC player in double figures with 19 points and had a double-double with 13 rebounds.

Grays Harbor had 24 turnovers to 12 for Green River.

The Chokers host Lower Columbia at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Grays Harbor 29 29 – 58

Green River 47 33 – 80

Scoring: GHC – Wood 19, Adamsel Jr. 9, Chouhan 8, Savusa 7, Kulang 7, Muon 5, Garza 3. Green River – Degraffenried 21, Feroah 14, Weidauer 14, Wright 12, Spencer 8, Vaughan 6, Bailey 3, Mangala 2.