PORT ANGELES — They did it again. And against a bigger and better opponent than the first time around.
A night after dismantling Rochester via a 43-0 run over 13 minutes of game time, Port Angeles broke open a close game early with a 29-0 run that stretched over 12 minutes and 52 seconds of the first, second and third quarters, to smash Class 4A Auburn Mountainview 60-21 Saturday.
A reminder: there’s only 32 minutes of regulation time in a high school basketball game.
The victory earned Port Angeles (2-1, 5-2) its first Port Angeles Holiday Basketball Tournament title in the event’s three-year history and cemented the Roughriders as a wrecking ball of a defensive unit. In their two tournament wins combined, the Roughriders outscored their opponents 145-40.
“Defensively, we were phenomenal all night long,” Port Angeles head coach Kasey Ulin said. “Our ball pressure was good, defensive intensity was good, we were flying around and just causing havoc.
“This group can be special defensively. Gabe [Long], Kyle [Benedict] and Gary [Johnson] can really pressure the ball. Garrett [Edwards] and Liam [Clark] can guard inside and outside and Anton [Kathol] can guard out on the perimeter [as well as inside]. We can do so many things. I think we are a really good offensive team. We can shoot it, we can score inside, we share the ball, but when we have a great defensive night it’s really fun to watch.”
Up 11-8 early against a Lions team that looked like they would be no pushover, Port Angeles clamped down — pitching their second consecutive second quarter shutout in as many days to go up 31-8 at halftime.
And the shots kept falling after the break as the Riders eventually went up 40-8 with 5:24 in the third. The 40-point running clock kicked in for the second straight game as well with Port Angeles leading 52-12.
“One of the things we drill and we joke and talk about in practice is this concept of spurtability,” Ulin said.
“Digger Phelps on ESPN is always talking about spurtability, what teams can go on these big runs? So how do you do it? You pressure the ball, you take care of the ball, you get out in transition — and all of a sudden two baskets turn into a 12-0 run. And the thing for us is when other teams go on a run, its limited to four points, or six points.
“We still need to work on unnecessarily turning the ball over, work on learning what an early forced shot is, but if we can keep improving that way offensively, we can be really scary.”
Kyle Benedict led a balanced Riders offense with 16 points.
Ulin was pleased to take home the tourney title, and even more enthused with the play of his senior guard.
“One more point of emphasis this season is we want to play better when our best is required,” Ulin said. “I thought tonight for 32 minutes we did a really good job of having great intensity. I don’t know how many assists we had but our ball movement was really good and I just … I can’t say enough about Kyle. That might have been the best game of his career — just a complete game. Handling the ball, playing with poise, numerous assists, he scored the ball, he was disruptive defensively, he rebounded the ball.”
Payton Schmidt added 11 and Liam Clark had nine points and four blocked shots.
Port Angeles will head to Yakima for the SunDome Shootout to face two more 4A teams in West Valley on Thursday and Davis on Friday.
Playing bigger schools is one aspect of the trip. The other is getting a feel for playing inside the Yakima SunDome, site of the Class 2A State Basketball Tournament.
“We want to be familiar with the SunDome,” Ulin said. “We want to be familiar there. Our goal’s always going to be to make the state tournament and see what happens there.”
Port Angeles 60, Auburn Mountainview 21
AM 8 0 4 9— 21
PA 16 15 23 6— 60
Auburn Mountainview (21) — Daniels 8, Tsyvan 3, DeHan 3, Miguel 3, Mirreh 2, Lakoity 2.
Port Angeles (60) — Benedict 16, Schmidt 11, Clark 9, Long 7, Edwards 6, Kathol 4, Cobb 3, Jarnagin 2, Johnson, Methner, Maestas, Bowechop, Nickerson, Irwin.
Port Angeles 60, Auburn Mountainview 21
AM 8 0 4 9— 21
PA 16 15 23 6— 60
Auburn Mountainview (21) — Daniels 8, Tsyvan 3, DeHan 3, Miguel 3, Mirreh 2, Lakoity 2.
Port Angeles (60) — Benedict 16, Schmidt 11, Clark 9, Long 7, Edwards 6, Kathol 4, Cobb 3, Jarnagin 2, Johnson, Methner, Maestas, Bowechop, Nickerson, Irwin.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Liam Clark goes up and over Auburn Mountainview’s Brandon Miguel in the championship game of the Port Angeles Holiday Tournament on Saturday at Port Angeles High Scchool.
