Othello's Hampton joins Huskies 1,000-point club, despite loss

OTHELLO — The fairy book ending to Macy Hampton’s night would have been to come off the screen out on the wing and bury the game-winning 3-point shot as time ran out, that’s the way Josh Tovar drew it up during the timeout with 11.4 seconds remaining in the Huskies’ Central Washington Athletic Conference game with Grandview (10-4, 9-4 CWAC).

Earlier in the night, Hampton became just the seventh player in Othello girls basketball history to reach the 1,000-point mark, but her chance for one more shot came up short when the Greyhound press forced the ball to the sideline and instead of getting the call for the block they hoped for, the officiating crew said the ball was dribbled off the sideline and the turnover, plus a couple of free throws helped the Greyhounds remain in the postseason chase with a 60-56 victory.

Despite everything, it was still Hampton’s night. The 5-foot-8 senior went into the night needing just 14 points to reach the historic plateau that would include her name with Othello athletic director Jenny McCourtie (1999-2002), who tops the list at 1,508 career points. The fans knew it, the Greyhounds knew it, even the referees knew what was at stake in front of the near capacity crowd.

“I was trying not to think about it really,” said Hampton, who finished with a game-high 24 points. “I was just trying to let the game come to me.”

Hampton cut the needed number in half in the first eight minutes, scoring seven in the first quarter. She closed the gap to just three by the intermission. The crowd was hanging on every shot the four-year Husky varsity player made in the initial stages of the third period. Hampton hit a runner as she cut down the baseline as the crowd came to its feet, knowing their senior needed just one more basket.

On the very next possession, Hampton sliced through the lane and put the ball up and off the glass over the outstretched hands of 5-11 Grandview defender Bailey Duis for the basket that put her in the Othello Hall of Fame and made her a charter member of the 1,000 club.

“It felt awesome,” she said. “I just drove off a screen, then stopped and popped. It was a weight off my shoulders, that’s for sure.”

McCourtie stopped the game and presented Hampton with the game ball and allowed her family to come down and enjoy the moment. The exact breakdown wasn’t readily available, but Hampton scored at least 250 points in each of her four seasons as a varsity player. The Huskies are trying to change the culture a little bit, but Hampton’s total, like most of the scorers on the list, was tabulated from the regular season.

“I was able to present her the game ball, which I think is really cool. All of her teammates signed it after the game,” said McCourtie, who averaged 26.6 points a game her senior season. “We’ll add her picture to the hall of fame outside the gym door, which is another big honor. I’m really excited for her and she is very deserving.”

Tovar drew it up with Hampton shooting the game-winner in mind. It didn’t go down like they hoped, but his standout player did answer the call.

“It’s a great accomplishment. We’ve put a lot of pressure on her to be our scorer the past four years,” the Huskies coach said. “She hasn’t had a lot of help and she’s been able to carry the weight of our offense.

“We’ve watched her grow from someone that used to just shoot with her left hand to the effective shooter that she is today.”

Grandview 4 19 16 21 - 60

Othello 13 12 20 11 - 56

Grandview - Andrea Laurean 8 Ejah Rivera 3, Katrina Fajardo 6, Michelle Ruiz, 22, Aulani Benitez 9, Cassidy Eucker 3, Bailey Duis 9. Totals: 18 18-24 60

Othello - Janissa Garza 1, Lane Simpson 2, Macy Hampton 24, Maciah Tovar 9, Hailee Guzman 4, Ashley Perez 6, Alexis Coronado 10. Totals: 19 14-20 56