POULSBO — One would be hard-pressed to find a prep basketball game played at such a high level for the entire 32-minute contest.
That was the takeaway from taking in Port Angeles’ tense, tight and relentlessly competitive scrap with No. 1 North Kitsap on Thursday.
Yes, the Vikings did walk off the floor 76-74 winners over the Roughriders after Quanah Wheeler’s last-second look at a potentially game-winning 3-pointer missed.
Port Angeles coach Kasey Ulin came away proud of his team’s performance and ready to get back on the court.
“I love the game of basketball and that was one of the best games of my lifetime,” Ulin said. “Highest-level I’ve ever seen, both teams competed, executed and fought and that’s what it’s all about — two elite teams going at it for 32 minutes in a fun atmosphere.
“I’m extremely proud of where we are with all our culture pieces and we are still getting better and we will learn from this. We gave them some really untimely offensive rebounds and second chances and we didn’t finish on some opportunities in the fourth.
Going forward, we want to make sure we win that game in March [at the state tournament] and if we didn’t, I would be speaking a different tune.”
Some dogged defensive efforts and four first-half 3-pointers from Wheeler pushed Port Angeles to its’ largest lead of the game, 34-20 late in the first half.
But the defending state champs responded, going on a 15-5 run over the final four minutes of the quarter to trail 39-35 after a Johny Olmsted triple just before the buzzer.
State player of the year candidate Jonas La Tour heated up in the third quarter, knocking down three 3s and scoring 12 of his 23 points for the Vikings.
North Kitsap sophomore Harry Davies also was instrumental in the second half, scoring all 17 of his points, including a deep three late in the fourth.
The Riders countered with big man John Vaara inside and a big 3-pointer at the end of the third by Wheeler to tie the game at 58-all in the fourth.
Port Angeles held a 71-67 lead at one point in the final frame, but Davies’ big shot and a La Tour put back inside handed the lead back to North Kitsap.
The Riders went for the win on their final possession with Wyatt Dunning setting a beefy pick on La Tour at the top of the key and Wheeler rolling to his right.
La Tour still managed to work around the screen and get a long arm up near the shot attempt.
“Quanah off the dribble is lights out, he had five 3s in the game to that point and for us to get it dialed up in the center of the rim like that? I’ll bet my mortgage on that shot, I’ve seen him make it everyday.”
Port Angeles (6-1, 8-4) is scheduled to get one more regular season game with North Kitsap (9-0, 14-2), Feb. 10 at home.
North Kitsap 76, Port Angeles 74
NK 9 8 13 4 — 74
PA 26 13 9 10 — 76
Port Angeles (74) — Vaara 18, Maestas 18, Dunning 17, Wheeler 17, Nickerson 4.
North Kitsap (76) — La Tour 23, Olmsted 19, Davies 17, Olmstead 9, Orness 8.
Sequim 53, Kingston 51
SEQUIM — Isaiah Moore’s put-back at the buzzer completed the Wolves’ comeback from a 13-point halftime deficit.
Moore led a balanced Sequim scoring attack with 12 points.
“Kristian [Mingoy] and Jayden [Possin] did a great job on their two big scorers,” Sequim coach Greg Glasser said.
“We also had timely 3s from Keenan [Green], Kristian and Jayden. And Pryce [Glasser] took a charge with 35 seconds left to give us the last possession.”
Sequim (3-6, 4-9) is scheduled to play at Kingston on Monday.
Sequim 53, Kingston 51
King. 13 20 6 12 — 51
Seq. 11 9 13 20 — 53
Sequim (53) — Moore 12, Possin 10, Mooney 9, Green 9, Glasser 6, Smithson 4, Mingoy 3, Thompson.
Kingston (51) — Mead 18, Standley 15, Carter 7, Walter 5, Oliver 4, Patricio 2.
Forks 60, Northwest Christian 35
FORKS — Riley Pursley scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the first quarter as the Spartans held back the Wolverines.
“We moved the ball fairly well, especially getting the ball inside to Riley early,” coach Rick Gooding said.
“Everybody who suited up scored for us, first time in a while that’s happened which is great.”
The win set up a big game for Forks (7-4, 9-8) with Raymond (7-4, 10-4) late Saturday, likely for the third seed to the district tournament.
Forks 60, NW Christian 35
NWC 4 11 9 11 — 35
Forks 18 17 8 17 — 60
Forks (60) — Pursley 20, Salazar 11, Rancourt 5, Davis 5, Micheau 2, Doyle 2, Earls 2, Lausche 1, Northcut 1, Brandon Galeana 2, Olson 9.
NW Christian (35) — Babber 7, J. Babber 13, Brooks 2, Walker 0, Mavega 2, Lanham 4, Dunning 7.
