HOOD RIVER — The Hood River Valley (HRV) boys resumed basketball action after the holiday break with three games in five days. The Eagles, led by head coach Chris Dirks, lost to Wilsonville (7-4), 72-44, on Jan. 5 at Wilsonville High School, beat Hillsboro High School (6-3), 83-82, on Jan. 7 at HRV and lost 68-59 to visiting La Salle Prep (1-8) on Jan. 9.
In game one of the week against Wilsonville, HRV gave the Wildcats fits in the first half, trailing 14-13 at the end of the first quarter and 33-21 at the end of the second, but Wilsonville pulled away early in the third quarter and never let up.
HRV senior post Cooper Wells led the Eagles in scoring with ten points. Junior Grant Dunn added nine points.
In game two against Hillsboro, HRV took charge first, leading 25-17 at the end of the first quarter. Hillsboro quickly cut down the lead in the second quarter, tying it at 27-27 with 5:30 left in the second quarter.
The Spartans used a 9-2 scoring run in the early second to propel into a 42-37 halftime lead and a 57-69 lead through three quarters. Hillsboro also led for the bulk of the fourth quarter, but in the final minutes, the Eagles were waiting in the wings.
Hillsboro led 78-68 with 3:23 minutes left to play when the Eagles rattled off a 13-4 run spurred by swarming defense, bringing the score to 82-81, Spartans, with nine seconds left.
Deacon Ybarra brought the ball up the floor and dished it to Talon Britt on the right side of the wing. Britt swung the ball to JJ Poole in the right corner, who worked back to his left, putting up a 3-pointer with three seconds left.
Poole’s shot missed wide left, but Ybarra was in perfect position for the board and flipped up a layup on the left side of the basket with .04 on the clock.
HRV’s final game of the three-game stretch came against the La Salle Prep Falcons on Jan. 9 at home. Both teams battled throughout the game in another back-and-forth match-up, but La Salle got the best of HRV, winning 68-59.
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