SEQUIM — In a battle between a No. 1 team and a No. 2 team, the Neah Bay girls basketball team showed that it can be considered the top team on the Olympic Peninsula.
And perhaps in a few weeks, we’ll see if the Red Devils are the top team in the state.
Neah Bay, ranked No. 1 among 1B schools, used some hot outside shooting and relentless defense in the second half to beat Sequim 70-55. The Red Devils finished the regular season with an outstanding 16-1 record, including wins over 2A teams from Sequim, Port Angeles and Kingston and a win over Pacific 2B League co-champion Forks. That one loss was to Sequim way back in early December when Neah Bay only had six kids available.
“They played a great game. They were lights out tonight,” said Sequim coach Joclin Julmist. “They made everything they put up tonight. Great win for their kids.”
It was a battle of two teams looking to go deep into the postseason. Sequim came into Tuesday’s night game undefeated and ranked No. 2 among 2A schools. While Neah Bay’s win spoiled Sequim’s quest for a perfect regular season, the 18-1 Wolves have a perfect Olympic League record (14-0) and their first undisputed league title since 1987. The Wolves will be a top three seed at the District 2/3 tournament that begins next week.
Neither team faced each other at full strength this year. Sequim beat Neah Bay 60-52 in the first game of the season before the Red Devils had all their players available. On Tuesday, the Wolves rested their top scorer, Jolene Vaara, who injured an ankle a couple of weeks ago.
Sequim was hurt by a couple of fouls and technical fouls in the first half. The Red Devils’ Allie Greene had a rare five-point play when she hit a bucket and was fouled, then a technical was called on Sequim. Greene made three straight free throws to go with her basket to open up a 17-12 Neah Bay lead. In the second quarter, a second technical was called on Sequim after a foul call. Amber Swan and Greene made four straight free throws to give Neah Bay a 33-21 lead. The Wolves never got closer than eight points after that sequence.
The Red Devils went into the break with a 44-34 lead after Sequim’s Jelissa Julmist hit a shot at the halftime buzzer. They allowed just 21 Sequim points in the second half.
Neah Bay was great from the line with Greene shooting 5-for-5 from the charity stripe, with Greene taking her free throws from 17 feet out. The team as a whole shot 12-for-15 on its free throws. The Red Devils also shot 8-for-16 from beyond the 3-point line with Greene hitting four 3-pointers on 4-for-9 shooting.
Greene led Neah Bay with 21 points and seven rebounds. Ryana Moss scored 17 to go with seven rebounds. Amber Swan made two 3-pointers and scored 16. Angel Hattunen scored eight.
Julmist led the Wolves with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Hannah Bates had 11 points and four assists while Sammie Bacon had six points, five rebounds and five assists. Libby Turella hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored six while Dani Herman had seven points.
“We struggled on the defensive side tonight, but the girls never gave up,” coach Julmist said. “Jelissa had a great game on both sides. Dani gave us some good minutes. Hannah worked very hard on both sides, and Libby came in and gave us some good minutes. Sammie played very well also.”
Neah Bay gets a first-round Tri-District tournament bye and begins postseason play Tuesday, hosting a second-round game. Sequim begins District 2/3 playoffs Tuesday, hosting a first-round game. The Wolves will move on to the second round win or lose.
Neah Bay 70, Sequim 55
NB 20 24 16 10 — 70
Seq. 16 18 11 10 — 55
Neah Bay (70) — A. Greene 21, R. Moss 17, Swan 16, Halttunen 8, Q. Greene 4, C. Moss 3, Martin 1.
Sequim (55) — Julmist 20, Bates 11, Herman 7, Bacon 6, Turella 6, Mixon 3, Johnson 2.
Sequim’s Hannah Bates drives around the defense of Neah Bay’s Amber Swan on Tuesday in Sequim. (Emily Matthiessen/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
