SEQUIM — Sequim overcame Port Angeles’ game-long tenacity with a fourth quarter flurry of pressure defense, jump shots and a sweet drive to the rim to earn a come-from-behind 58-49 win and sweep the Rainshadow Rumble boys basketball rivalry.
To upset a rival on the road a team needs a ferocious start — Port Angeles had that, up 19-9 after one quarter — before the Wolves woke up.
“Port Angeles is tough, they always play us tough,” Sequim coach Craig Brooks said. “They shot it really well from three.”
Friday night’s contest opened with the Roughriders running and gunning — Gus Halberg hitting a pair of early threes among his 13 first-quarter points and Keatyn Hoch draining another and then driving baseline for a sweet layup in the second quarter among the first half highlights.
Halberg had 16 points but was held scoreless after halftime.
“A fantastic high school basketball game,” Riders coach Kasey Ulin said. “Sequim is really good and at their house is always a great atmosphere. We were hoping to come away with the win.”
Senior Jamison Gray scored eight of his team-high 15 in the second quarter as the Wolves cut the PA lead to 29-25 at halftime.
“He talked to me Wednesday at practice and all he said was I think I can do more,” Brooks said of Gray. Looking for him to be more aggressive and score more. Senior on the home floor against his rival.
The two squads played to a stalemate in the third quarter with a Brock Hope basket followed by a block on the other end in the final 30 seconds putting Port Angeles up 43-39 entering the final frame.
“Third quarter we gave them too many second chances, gave them five extra shots on their first two possessions and we have to dominate the defensive glass, that’s key for us,” Ulin said.
Jericho Julmist drained an elbow jumper to tie the game at 43-all with 6:20 to play and after a scoreless couple of minutes, Solomon Sheppard stole a long inbounds pass at halfcourt and fed senior Ethan Melnick for the go-ahead bucket with 4:08 left.
Melnick had 14 points in the contest.
“We were able to get huge contributions from our senior guys,” Brooks said of Melnick, Gray and Charlie Grider.
But the Riders weren’t ready to relent. Hoch followed Sequim’s basket with an answer 3 of his own on the left wing to make the score 46-45 with 3:49 to play that reawakened the Port Angeles fans in the crowd.
It was the Riders’ first points of the fourth quarter and they wouldn’t score again until a late 3 with the game decided.
“Fourth quarter, too many empty trips offensively,” Ulin said. “We weren’t able to get enough quality shots and I think we ran out of gas a little. I know Gus and Brock were still feeling a little ill.”
Unfortunately for Port Angeles, Julmist had more tricks up his sleeve. He drained another elbow jumper to put Sequim up for good and then converted an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Wolves up 51-46.
Solomon Sheppard added a corner 3 to put Sequim up late and the Wolves finished the game out at the line.
Sequim 58, Port Angeles 49
PA 19 10 14 6 — 49
Seq. 9 16 14 19 — 58
Port Angeles (49) — Halberg 16, Hoch 8, Angevine 8, Hope 7, Miller 5, Sohlberg 5.
Sequim (58) — Gray 15, Melnick 14, Julmist 12, Sheppard 9, Grider 6, Rapelje 4.
