Willapa Valley boys surge in second half to stay unbeaten

WESTPORT — A near-flawless second half enabled Willapa Valley’s unbeaten boys to turn a potential thriller into a blowout.

Logan Walker scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half as the Vikings pulled away from Ocosta, 75-56, in a Pacific 2B League boys basketball game Monday night at Westport.

For a half, it appeared that this game might well go down to the wire. With Zach Allton pumping in 16 points, Ocosta trailed only 28-27 at the end of a first half that included five ties and eight lead changes.

After the break, however, the Vikings (6-0, 7-0) essentially did everything well.

Unable to connect with any regularity from the perimeter earlier, they pounded the ball inside for high-percentage shots. Willapa Valley hit 57 percent of its field-goal attempts and 10 of 11 from the foul line in the final two quarters.

The Vikings also dominated the offensive glass, bedeviled the Wildcats (2-4, 4-4) with a pressing, trapping defense and didn’t commit a second-half turnover until midway through the fourth quarter. They were guilty of only five turnovers for the game.

“The whole key, I thought, was we attacked the basket,” Valley coach Jay Pearson said. “I thought, in the first half, we settled for the outside shot. Defensively, I thought we were solid. I’m very pleased. They’re a good team and (it was in) their gym.”

Walker, a fluid freshman comfortable in all sectors of the court, led a quartet of Vikings in double figures.

Junior guard Matt Pearson, not as sharp from the outside as in recent outings, still contributed 18 points and seven assists. Senior forward Ryon Ashley had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds while sophomore Peter Hamilton barely missed that distinction with 10 points and nine boards.

Hamilton and Frank Roonsburg were largely responsible for containing Allton in the second half.

The senior sharpshooter nevertheless topped Ocosta with 23 points and five assists. Sophomore guard Cole Hatton scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half for the Wildcats.

Walker’s 3-point basket — his team’s first of the game — capped an 11-3 Willapa Valley run to open the second half. It was 50-40 at the three-quarter mark and the Vikings removed the remaining suspense by reeling off the first 16 points of the fourth quarter.

“They stepped up physically and in intensity and we played very soft,” Ocosta coach Jason Quinby reflected. “We were slow on rotating and allowed them to get position in the post.”

Sixth man Richard Dueber led Ocosta rebounders with eight. Wildcat point guard Alex Bailey took a blow to the head on the game’s opening possession and, as a precaution, saw only limited action thereafter.

The Wildcats visit Raymond on Wednesday. The Vikings face a tough test Thursday at Chief Leschi.

W. Valley 14 14 22 25 — 75

Ocosta 15 12 13 16 — 56

Willapa Valley (75) — Flemetis 7, M. Pearson 18, Hamilton 10, Ashley 14, Walker 24, Roonsburg 2, Deniston. FG — 26-54 (.481). FT — 20-24.

Ocosta (56) — Bailey 2, Allton 23, Hatton 15, Beck 5, Bjornsgard, Dueber 7, Toste 2, Waara, Sevilla 2. FG — 21-58 (.362). FT — 6-9.

JV — Ocosta 58, Willapa Valley 24.