PORT ANGELES — Soon after checking into the game for the first time in the third quarter, Clallam Bay’s Caiton Smith drilled a 3-pointer.
The Shoreline Christian defenders gave Smith some space, and the freshman made them pay.
It seemed like the spark the Bruins needed to finally get going.
Instead, it was their last stand of the season.
The Chargers scored 12 unanswered points over the remaining 2 minutes, 41 seconds of the third quarter and then cruised in the fourth to defeat Clallam Bay 61-47 in Tuesday’s Class 1B Tri-District loser-out pigtail game at Port Angeles High School.
“I thought we could get this one,” Bruins coach Kelly Gregory said. “It was there, it was possible.”
Clallam Bay’s boys sports teams have become accustomed to being low on numbers the past few years. On Tuesday, the Bruins also were without key contributors momentum and rhythm.
They just couldn’t get either to work in their favor. For most of three quarters, though, they seemed close to breaking out.
That’s why Smith’s trey seemed potentially flammable. It brought Clallam Bay to within four points, 30-26, with nearly 11 minutes remaining in the game.
But Tyrell Bonner immediately answered with a 3 of his own to start Shoreline Christian’s decisive stretch and smother the Bruins’ rally before it could get started.
Neither team’s offense managed to do much early.
“We started too slow and jittery,” Gregory said. “I’m sure they were, too.”
The Chargers led 7-5 at the end of the first quarter. After Clallam Bay tied the score at 11-11, Shoreline Christian went on a 10-2 to take a 21-13 lead with 2:38 left in the first half.
The Chargers were on the verge of taking control, but the Bruins held them scoreless for the rest of the half while scoring six straight points to cut the lead to 21-17.
Shoreline Christian built a nine-point lead of 28-19 midway through the third before Clallam Bay made a 7-2 run, capped by Smith’s 3-pointer.
Then came Bonner’s answer.
Bonner didn’t start for the Chargers but led all scorers with 30 points — 21 of those in the second half, and 20 came after Smith’s 3.
“They had that one ballhandler,” Gregory said of Bonner. “He was tough. He penetrated on us and hurt us big-time.”
Bonner made nine of Shoreline Christian’s 18 field goals in the game. Four of his nine field goals were 3-pointers. He also made 8 of 10 free throws.
Led by freshman Clayton Willis, Clallam Bay finally found a semblance of offensive success in the fourth quarter. Willis scored nine of his team-high 15 points in the final period, during which the Bruins scored 19 of their 47 points.
“I was happy with it. They never quit, they never gave up,” Gregory said.
“Three seniors and the rest freshman, I thought they did fine.”
Willis, who also had six rebounds, and fellow freshman Ryan McCoy (nine points, nine rebounds) highlight Clallam Bay’s promising future. Six of the nine players who suited up Tuesday were freshmen or eight-graders.
The other three were seniors Alan Greene, Kyle Keys and Dakotah Cowdrey.
Greene scored eight points, dished out four assist and blocked two shots. Keys finished with six points, and Cowdrey had four points and eight rebounds.
“I’m proud of all the seniors,” Gregory said. “Especially Alan Greene. He’s our MVP, there’s no doubt. Just relentless. He’d wear himself out if you let him.
“I really feel for . . . the seniors. We get here [to play-in games] every year, but we can’t get over the hump. I don’t know what it is.”
The rest of the Bruins each have at least three years of high school basketball remaining. They might be the ones to finally scale that play-in game hump.
“Seeing them in middle school, that group, they’ll be something special, I hope,” Gregory said.
“Ryan, he’s only a freshman. He’ll be a terror before he’s done, I’m sure.
And Jamari [Signor], he’s a freshman. A lot of young kids coming back.
“Clayton, he’s going to be a terror, too. He just started late [this season]. We didn’t get him until midseason. He’s quick and he’s fast, he’s athletic.”
Gregory said Clallam Bay needs to be stronger around the basket in 2016-17.
“We’ve got to have more of an inside game,” he said.
“You know, with the 3-point line, everybody wants to go out there.
“So that’s going to be our focus, try to get that [inside game].”
The Bruins finish the season with an 11-8 record. They placed second to Neah Bay in the North Olympic League.
Shoreline Christian improves to 9-12. The Chargers move on to play at Evergreen Lutheran in a Tri-District play-in game tonight.
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Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
