2A Prep Boys Basketball: R.A. Long holds off Columbia River in 1st-place clash

Hostile Takeover— Lumberjacks in first place after dropping Rapids, 48-42

R.A. Long’s TraMayne Jenkins hauls in a rebound over Columbia River’s Alex Pont (1) while Aaron Hoey (23) looks on for the Rapids on Friday, Jan. 24. The Lumberjacks went on to win 48-42 in the season rematch, which left the teams tied for first place in the 2A GSHL standings. — Candy Durgeloh for Blast Zone Media

Nick Sisson for Blast Zone Media

THE LUMBERDOME — R.A. Long is no stranger to high-stakes basketball games. The decade of the 2020’s has seen the Lumberjacks capture multiple league and district championships while time and time again giving their supporters the sick, pitted feeling deep in the gut that goes hand in hand with playing the best teams the great state of Washington has to offer.

It’s only after Longview’s team in red and black digs deep and does just enough to exit the court as the victors that a collective sigh of relief can be heard from the Lumberjack faithful. And Friday night was no different when R.A. Long held off a big second half rally by the top-10 ranked visitors and got even with Columbia River in order to move into first place all by themselves in the 2A Greater St. Helens League after a 48-42 win at The Lumberdome.

Rhet Young led R.A. Long with 13 points against his former team, but perhaps the most important points scored in the game were the nine from junior guard Cam Newsome, all coming in the second half.

With 29.4 seconds left in the game and R.A. Long leading 43-42, Newsome stepped up to the line with a chance to provide his team with some breathing room. Newsome saw his previous four attempts at the stripe go off the mark, but he was able to put those in the rear-view mirror and deliver when it mattered most.

R.A. Long’s Cameron Newsome puts up a shot over Tyler Miles of Columbia River during a league game, Friday, Jan. 24, at The Lumberdome. Newsome scored nine points in a 48-42 win. — Candy Durgeloh for Blast Zone Media

“I had just missed four in a row, and honestly I thought all four of them were going in, but they didn’t, so I just said to myself that I have to make these,” said Newsome.