State champion coach Scott Thompson to take over Camas boys basketball program

Camas basketball coach Scott Thompson, who won a state title in 2024 coaching the girls team, has accepted the head coaching position for the boys team at the school. Photo by Mike Schultz

Scott Thompson, who guided the Camas Papermakers to a state championship in girls basketball in 2024, has accepted the top position with the boys program, a move that will allow him to keep coaching and follow his sons’ careers

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

It turns out, Scott Thompson was out of coaching for only a month.

The head coach of the 2024 state champion Camas girls basketball team resigned after the 2025 girl basketball season, but this week, the school introduced him as the next boys basketball coach.

“I’m beyond thrilled,” Thompson said, adding that the decisions he has made recently have all been motivated by family.

Thompson, who had previously coached the Fort Vancouver boys basketball team, coached the Camas girls team for the past seven seasons. Those teams went to state six out of a possible six tournaments, plus had the best record in the region in the abbreviated season during the pandemic. The Papermakers finished fourth, second, first in state, and then made the elite eight at state this past season.

His daughter Keirra was a senior on that team. He has two younger sons who play basketball as well.

“I didn’t want to be done coaching. I also couldn’t coach the girls anymore,” Thompson said, referring to the hectic winter schedule. “I was only able to go to five JV (boys) games this year.”

His son Cason, a freshman, played for the Camas JV team. Another son, Kyler, is a seventh-grader. Scott Thompson said he wanted to be able to watch his sons play.

“It was either sit on one side as a parent or apply to get this job,” Scott Thompson said. “I didn’t want to be done coaching.”

Camas school officials thanked Brian Witherspoon for his performance as head coach of the boys program this past season. Witherspoon took over on an interim basis just three days before the start of the basketball season. The Camas boys also reached the state tournament, advancing to the elite eight before placing sixth. Camas had always intended to open the position after the season, though.

Thompson, who said he was rejuvenated this past season due to the joyous group he coached, opted to apply.

“There was a time, especially last year with the state title team, I did start to feel exhausted,” Thompson said. “This year, I had a team that was new. It was young. It was energetic. It was eager to learn. The girls brought out the best in me this year. I got done with the season, and I didn’t want it to be over.”

He knew, though, that he couldn’t coach the girls and watch his boys. By becoming the boys coach, this is the best of both worlds. He can continue coaching and keep a promise to his family.

Still, Thompson said his intention is to be a long-term coach at Camas.

“Jumping over to the boys gives me an opportunity to be around my kids, but at the end of the day, my goal is to build something special here and be here longer than my kids are playing basketball here,” Thompson said.