Hoquiam took its shots but was off the mark.
When it was Montesano’s turn, the Bulldogs didn’t miss.
Monte saw a once double-digit lead reduced to a single bucket in the fourth quarter, but after Hoquiam failed on multiple chances to tie the game, the Bulldogs pulled away for a 54-45 win on Wednesday at Montesano High School.
Montesano (7-6 overall, 2-0 1A Evergreen) stretched a first-half lead to as much as 12 points at 22-10 on a three by junior guard Terek Gunter midway through the second quarter.
Leading by nine at halftime, Monte held as much as a 14 point lead four separate times in the third quarter, but sparked by eight points by sophomore guard Lincoln Niemi, Hoquiam (4-7, 0-1) scored eight of the period’s final 11 points to get back to within double digits at 44-35 heading into the fourth frame.
The Grizzlies carried the momentum through the early minutes of the final stanza, opening the quarter on a 6-0 run. Hoquiam sophomore guard Ryker Maxfield stole the ball then assisted on a shot off the glass and in by guard Ethan Byron to pull the Grizzlies to within three at 44-41 with less than 1:30 elapsed in the frame.
After Monte sophomore forward Caden Grubb hit an elbow three to temporarily stop the bleeding, Grizzlies junior guard Joey Bozich scored off a feed from Niemi, who followed that possession with a baseline jump shot to trim Monte’s lead to 47-45 with 4:24 to play.
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Caden Grubb (middle) puts up a contested shot during the Bulldogs’ 54-45 victory over Hoquiam on Wednesday in Montesano.
Then Hoquiam went cold over its next three possessions with an opportunity to tie or take the lead.
“We were telling them to trim it to five (by the end of the third quarter) then get the lead and don’t turn it around and we were right there,” Hoquiam head coach Jeff Niemi said. “We had them trapped and they shot a really quick three and Grubb hit it and that’s just basketball.”
A Hoquiam missed three, a turnover and a traveling call kept Monte in front by a bucket until Gunter stepped up to hit a clutch three and put the Bulldogs up 50-45 with just under three minutes on the clock.
“I came around from the right wing and got a screen from Nathan (Dowler) and I was just wide open. It was a wide-open look and a good screen,” Gunter said of his clutch shot. “”We needed that. We needed that momentum change.”
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano guard Terek Gunter shoots a 3-pointer while defended by Hoquiam’s Ryker Maxfield during the Bulldogs’ 54-45 victory on Wednesday at Montesano High School.
The Grizzlies came up empty in their next two trips to the offensive end, leading to Monte junior forward Mason Fry taking a pass from Gunter and burrying a dagger 3-pointer to extend the lead to 53-45 with 1:52 to go, celebrating with the Monte student section as he ran back down the court.
“I saw they were playing pretty high on Terek and I said, ‘If he passes it, I’m going to shoot it,’” Fry said. “(The shot) was lined up and it felt good and I looked at the student section. They came out tonight, our fans were here, the gym was packed and it was an amazing atmosphere.”
Hoquiam spent several precious seconds fouling to get to the five fouls needed to send Monte to the free-throw line and stop the clock, but it was too late as the Bulldogs earned the 54-45 1A Evergreen League victory.
“It’s the little things,” Coach Niemi said of the loss. “We had a couple of travels late and stuff like that. We’ve got to get shots at the end of games. But good plan by (Montesano). They did a good job.”
“Any team worth their salt is going to make a run at you and Hoquiam is that team,” Monte head coach Doug Galloway said. “They made a run and we just had to call a timeout, collect our thoughts and get adjusted. I’m super proud of the boys for continuing to play hard and having the courage to take those shots. That’s big and it shows the confidence that (Grubb, Fry and Gunter) have in their game.”
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam’s Tage Dayton (right) scores while Montesano’s Caden Grubb defends during the Bulldogs’ 54-45 victory on Wednesday in Montesano.
Gunter led Monte with 21 points, including 5-of-11 3-pointers (45%) to lead the Bulldogs, which went 0 for 5 from 2-point range but hit 3-of-6 threes in the fourth quarter.
Fry added 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists while Grubb scored 11 points and had seven boards for Monte.
The Bulldogs went 18 of 52 from the field (35%), with a perfect split between 2-point shots (9-26) and 3-pointers (9-26).
Hoquiam was led by Niemi with 18 points – 15 in the second half – followed by Maxfield with 11.
“I think it’s huge,” Fry said of the league victory. “I think we have a good chance with this young team and we’re really coming together after those first rough few games.”
“We’re finally clicking. We’re finally getting it,” Gunter said. “We’re playing better. We’re swinging the ball better, playing better defense, we’re doing good.”
Hoquiam plays at Tenino at 6:45 p.m. on Friday.
Montesano takes on Rochester at 6:45 p.m. Friday at Rochester High School.
Hoquiam 6 12 18 10 – 45
Montesano 13 14 17 10 – 54
Scoring: Hoquiam – Niemi 18, Maxfield 11, Bozich 6, Byron 4, Azevedo 4, Dayton 2. Montesano – Gunter 21, Fry 13, Ca. Grubb 11, Ames 5, Barnes 2, Dowler 2.
