All-star weekend for high school seniors

Alyssa Blankenship had an all-star weekend to remember.

The Washougal High School senior scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out four assists and picked up two steals for the 2A all-state girls basketball team Saturday, at King’s High School, in Seattle.

“It was so much fun getting to play with girls I’ve played with or heard about for years,” Blankenship said. “There’s a lot of talent, and when you put it all together, it’s just amazing.”

Uju Chibuoghu, from the 2A state championship Shorecrest team, added 18 points to Blankenship’s 20, but the 1A all-state girls team beat the 2A stars 87-80.

Blankenship and Woodland’s Jessica Flanagan, the 2A Greater St. Helens League Co-Players of the Year, got to be on the same team for the first time. They both eclipsed 1,000 career points for their high schools on the same night and congratulated each other on Twitter.

Blankenship and Flanagan were on separate all-star teams during Sunday’s Les Schwab Roundball Shootout Sunday, at Clark College. It was the final official high school game for Washougal teammates Blankenship and RaeAnn Allen. They will be remembered for leading the Panthers to fourth place at the 2016 2A state tournament.

“It doesn’t go in the stat book, but it counts in the memory bank,” Allen said. “It puts a cap on the whole high school experience. It’s hard to believe that it’s actually over, but I couldn’t be happier with how it ended.”

Camas High School seniors Matt Murphy and Ethan Unger, and Daniel Davis of Washougal, teamed up in the boys Roundball Shootout.

Murphy threw down two jams to secure second place in the slam dunk contest.

During the game, Murphy scored six points and grabbed a game high eight rebounds.

“I pride my game on hustle,” Murphy said. “It’s cool to see camaraderie and the all hard work we put in pay off in one day.”

Davis drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer before halftime. He also jump started the 3-point contest by sinking 15 treys in one minute.

“It was my last game, and I was playing with the best kids around,” Davis said. “People underestimate me because of my size. I just wanted to go out there and show all the hard work I’ve been doing.”

Davis finished with 10 points in the game. He made five clutch free throws in the fourth quarter to ensure the South beat the North 90-83. Davis also assisted on a 3-pointer and a slam dunk by his teammates.

Unger scored all seven of his points in the first half. He then won the 3-point contest during halftime with 18 threes.

“It’s a nice little trophy to have,” Unger said. “The biggest thing is spending time with the guys I grew up with. Even through we’re rivals, we respect each other.”