PORT ANGELES — Going up against one of the best teams in the NWAC, the Peninsula men had a seven-point lead midway through the second half against the Everett Trojans.
Everett at 17-3 is the No. 6-ranked team in the NWAC and the Trojans showed why they’re considered one of the elite teams in the league, using both its impressive size and its outside shooting to come from behind and storm past the Pirates 72-61.
The Pirates played the Trojans strong, holding a 48-41 lead with 9 minutes left in the game. They were holding the Trojans, a 90-point-a-game team, to a pace of 55 points.
The Trojans hit three 3-pointers and went on a 15-2 run over five minutes to take control of the game at 56-50. After a Nate Despain (Sequim High School) basket cut the lead to 56-52, the Trojans responded with two more 3-pointers.
A Davien Harris-Williams 3-pointer gave the Pirates a chance with 41 seconds left, cutting the lead to 65-59, but that was Peninsula’s last gasp as Everett hit its free throws down the stretch.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Peninsula’s Nate DeSpain, right, looks to pass as Everett’s Bobby Martin closes in during first-half play on Saturday in Port Angeles.
Everett is a team that boasts seven players between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-8 and can shoot from outside. The Trojans hit eight 3-pointers, with seven of those bombs coming in the second half. Everett shot 7 for 12 from beyond the arc in the second half.
Meanwhile, the Pirates struggled from outside, shooting 7 for 24 from beyond the arc for the game (29 percent).
Rollman said the Pirates can’t be intimidated by another team’s size. Officially, Everett had zero blocks, but their inside players affected a number of shots.
“We just have to do a better job of committing to finish through contact,” said coach Donald Rollman.
The Pirates got off to a great start, holding a 30-23 lead at the half and holding Everett to just 32 percent (9 for 28) shooting. Peninsula’s biggest lead came at 41-32 halfway through the third quarter.
“I think we got a little bit tired. We weren’t able to deny the passing lanes like we did in the first half,” Rollman said. “In the first half, we were closing out [on the 3-point shots]. We lost that focus in the second half.”
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Peninsula’s Devien Harris-Williams, front, tries to outroun Everett’s Tyler Walker as Pirate teammate Everett Rores-Kahapea brings up the rear on Saturday in Port Angeles.
The Pirates were led by Jaylin Reed with 14 points. Malik Moore was a workhorse inside, often surrounded by two or three 6-foot-7 players on the boards and managed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Harris-Williams struggled from the field but still ended up with 13 points. KeAndre Hunter-Holiday had 12 points.
With a win, the Pirates would have been in second place in the North Division. The loss drops them down to fourth at 3-2. Peninsula (3-2, 13-4) has a couple of important games coming up against Shoreline (3-2, 8-9) on the road Wednesday. A win keeps the Pirates in playoff position.
On Saturday, the Pirates will finally get a chance to play first-place, No. 1-ranked Skagit Valley, which is 20-0. That game is on the road in Mount Vernon.
Everett 72, Peninsula 61
Everett 23 49 — 72
PC 30 31 — 61
Everett (72) — Martin 24, Makuei 12, Smith 11, Seybold 11, Walker 9, Underwood 4, Crumley 1.
Peninsula (61) — Reed 14, Harris-Williams 13, Hunter-Holiday 12, Moore 11, Torres-Kahapea 6, Despain 4, Artis 1.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Peninsula’sMalik Moore, top, battles for a rebound with Everett’s Devin Smith, front, and Bobby Martin on Saturday in Port Angeles.
