PORT TOWNSEND — The Sequim boys overcame a slow start, getting 27 points from Riley Cowan, including some clutch points down the stretch, to get back on the winning track with a 61-59 win over 3A Ferndale on Friday at the opening game of the Crush in the Slush.
In addition to his 27 points, Cowan also pulled down nine rebounds. Kyler Rollness was huge for the Wolves, hitting three 3-pointers and making four crucial steals.
Nate Despain also had a nice game with 14 points and eight assists.
Coach Greg Glasser said it was good for the Wolves after losing three tough games in December to “right the ship” against Ferndale.
“We had a rough week prior to Christmas. The kids have been working hard [since],” he said.
“It starts with defense for us. When we get stops, we like to get out and go,” Glasser said.
Despain was sporting a huge welt on his elbow after the game that required icing.
“I thought our energy really changed [in the second half],” he said. “Kyler hit a couple of big threes and Riley is doing really good for us. It felt good to get back on the board with a win.”
Cowan didn’t realize he has scored 27 points. He credited his teammates for getting him the ball where he could score. Many of Cowan’s points came on cuts to the basket set up by good passing.
“I think the coaches came up with a good game plan. We went to a 1-2-2 and we were able to attack,” Cowan said.
The Wolves started off the game falling behind 8-1 and 17-6 before fighting back to make it a game in the second quarter.
Sequim went into the half still down 29-24. Ferndale stretched its lead out to 45-36 midway through the third quarter when the Wolves began their big comeback.
Nate Despain got the rally going with a three-pointer, then he stole the back and laid it in for a bucket and a foul for a three-point play. Cowan hit a 3-pointer, then stole the ball on the next possession and hit a pair of free thows to cap an 11-0 run.
The game remained close with the Wolves hanging on to a 49-47 midway through the fourth when Ferndale’s coach was thrown out of the game when he got a double-technical, arguing that a foul should have been called on Sequim during a Ferndale shot.
The ejection seemed to give the Wolves a lot of momentum as Sequim went on a 10-5 run late in the fourth quarter. The Wolves seemingly had the game in hand with two minutes left and a 61-55 lead, but a referee’s call on Cowan could have been a disaster for Sequim. Cowan got pushed out of bounds and as he was falling out of bounds, he threw the ball at the legs of a Ferndale defender. The referee called a foul on Ferndale, but he also called a technical on Cowan. Ferndale made its two free throws, then got the ball back with the lead now down to four points at 51-47.
But, the Wolves hung on down the stretch with Rigo Langston drawing a crucial charging call against the Golden Eagles in the final minute.
Sequim (3-2, 6-4) played Port Townsend (1-1, 5-3), which also won its Crush game Friday, late Saturday after press deadline.
Sequim 61, Ferndale 59
Ferndale 19 10 16 14 — 59
Sequim 12 12 23 14 — 61
Ferndale (59) — Monks 20, Fairbain 15, Le 6, Peters 2, Leighton 5, Schlichting 7, Guillory 2.
Sequim (61) — Cowan 27, Despain 14, Rollness 11, Christiansen 4, Eaton 3, Young 2.
Other Boys’ Crush games
Port Townsend 45, Eastside Prep 40
PORT TOWNSEND — The Redhawks got 20 points from Noa Montoya and overcame an extremely tall Eastside Prep squad to win their Crush in the Slush opener Friday 45-40.
Eastside Prep had a 6-9 player, Cameron Bayer, plus 6-4 and 6-3 players. Coach Tom Webster said Nico Winegar, at 6-1, did an outstanding job defending Bayer, who did end up with nine blocks. Winegar responded with 10 rebounds.
Webster said that while Montoya’s 20 points were big, the entire Redhawks’ team did a lot of little things to win the game. Jaden Watkins had six rebounds to go with seven points, Cole Crawford had seven points and five offensive rebounds and other players made big buckets coming off the bench. Eight different Redhawks scored.
Port Townsend built up a 36-26 lead at the end of three quarters, but then the Eagles came back and tied it at 36-36. The Redhawks responded by closing the game out on a 9-4 run.
It wasn’t the prettiest game, but it was a good win,” Webster said.
The Redhawks (1-1, 5-3) played Sequim (3-2, 6-4) after deadline late Saturday.
Port Townsend 45, Eastside Prep 40
EP 10 9 7 14 — 40
PT 17 5 14 9 — 45
Eastside Prep (40) — Bayer 13, Carmichael 8, Goetsche 8.
Port Townsend (45) — Montoya 20, Crawford 7, Watkins 7, Winegar 3, Babahar 2, Petta 2, Krol 2, Coggins 2
Charles Wright 45, Neah Bay 41
PORT TOWNSEND — The Neah Bay boys had chances in the fourth quarter against Charles Wright, but too many lost rebounds and turnovers down the stretch cost the Red Devils in a 45-41 loss.
The Red Devils and Tarriers were close much of the game and were locked in a tie at 33-33 when Charles Wright went on a 7-0 run in the fourth quarter to open up a 40-33 lead.
Neah Bay responded with a huge 3-pointer by Darrin Horejsi with 2:29 left in the game. Sean Bitegeko hit a pair of free throws with 1:25 left to make it 40-38.
But, the Red Devils’ last possessions ended in turnovers as the Tarriers opened up a 45-38 lead at the end of the game. Jay Brunk hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the final margin.
Brunk and Bitegeko led the Red Devils with 12 points each. David Martinez scored eight points.
“We were a little better with our half court sets,” said coach TJ Greene. “We’re still struggling a bit with our rebounding and turnovers.”
Neah Bay (0-0, 3-5) played Northwest School (0-4, 1-7) on Saturday. Results were not known before press deadline.
Charles Wright 45, Neah Bay 41
Neah Bay 10 6 10 15 — 41
C. Wright 5 10 12 18 — 45
Neah Bay (41) — Brunk 12, Bitegeko 12, Martinez 8, Engram 4, Horejai 3, Soeneke 2.
Charles Wright (45) — Hosannah 12, Jacobson 12, Dearth 11, Floyd 10.
