PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles boys basketball team bounced back from a loss this weekend, holding off a surge from an exceptionally tall and athletic W.F. West squad in a nonleague 63-51 victory.
W.F. West is probably one of the biggest teams the Roughriders will see. The Bearcats were bigger than a lot of community college teams, featuring a squad with players of 6-foot-8, 6-foot-7, 6-foot-5, 6-foot-3 and four more over 6 feet. They weren’t slow, either. This was a team that could run and leap.
The Roughriders used their quickness and long arms to counter the Bearcats’ size, creating baskets through steals and blocked shots for a hard-fought victory. They also drilled six 3-pointers for the game.
“I’m so proud of this group. Coming back after that game Saturday [a 57-55 loss to Neah Bay] really showed the character of this group. I’ve been here for 10 years, I don’t think I’ve been more proud of this team than tonight,” said head coach Kasey Ulin. “Our defensive intensity was great.”
Isaiah Shamp had a huge game with 18 points, all of them inside against all that size, and at least four blocked shots.
“Isaiah was an absolute monster all night,” Ulin said. “He was aggressive and assertive.”
Ulin also said Ezra Townsend showed “unbelievable efforts and intensity” off the bench.
Kason Albaugh had a great game with four 3-pointers, including a clutch trey in the fourth quarter when the Bearcats were clawing their way back into the game. He finished with 18 points. Parker Nickerson had 14.
“We just locked in on defense and were disciplined as a group,” Albaugh said.
The game was close for a while as W.F. West held a 23-19 lead early in the second quarter. The Riders finished the half on a 12-0 run to take a 31-23 lead into the half.
The Riders opened that lead to 47-31 near the end of the third quarter, but W.F. West began a big rally of its own to make Port Angeles work hard down the stretch.
The Bearcats got the final bucket of the third, then started the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run to make the score 49-41 with 6 minutes left, down just three possessions with plenty of time to make a run at the Riders.
The Riders didn’t flinch though and made clutch play after clutch play in the final minute to keep W.F. West from getting any closer.
Gus Halberg had a steal and started a fast break, getting an assist on a basket by Albaugh. Albaugh then hit a huge 3-pointer with 3:18 left to make it 56-44.
“There was a crucial point of the game when it could have gone either way,” Albaugh said.
“That felt awesome” when the fourth-quarter 3-pointer went in, Albaugh said. “I knew there was no way I was missing that one.”
Shamp had a steal, a block and a bucket in the final 3 minutes, and Albaugh had another basket.
At 60-48 with a minute left in the game, Ulin was finally able to empty his bench.
Halberg had a good game, getting all five of his points in the second half.
Port Angeles (3-1, 4-2) played another nonleague opponent, Enumclaw, on Wednesday after press deadline.
The Riders play a pair of games at the Yakima SunDome — Tumwater at 8 p.m. Dec. 28 and West Valley of Yakima at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 29. Both of those game are scheduled on the NFHS Network.
Port Angeles 63, W.F. West 51
W.F. West 13 10 10 18— 51
Port Angeles 15 16 16 16— 63
Port Angeles (63) — Albaugh 18, Shamp 18, Nickerson 14, Halberg 5, Dunning 3, Miller 3, Townsend 2.
W.F. West (51) — Klatush 15, Eiswald 12, Brumfield 10, Hoff 7, Jones 5, Westlund 2.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
Port Angeles’ Isaiah Shamp, front, slides to the lane around W.F. West’s Parker Eiswald on Tuesday night in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles’ Blake Sohkberg, right, advances downcourt defended by W.F. West’s Lucas Hoff on Tuesday at Port Angeles High School.
