PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles girls basketball team didn’t shoot particularly well Saturday night.
They only hit three 3-pointers all game, and a couple of those came late in the game. They shot 15 percent from beyond the arc (3-for-20).
They still won by 38 points. Against North Kitsap, long one of the most feared girls’ programs in the Olympic 2A League.
The Roughriders didn’t shoot that well, and they showed that they don’t really have to. They’re so good, they simply found other ways to win. They rode a stifling defense, created turnovers and relied on fast-break buckets to win easily 64-26, improving their perfect record to 7-0.
The Port Angeles girls are not only perfect, they’ve outscored their opponents 460-184, with an average score of 66-26. They’ve only had one game, against a good Sequim team, that was within 20 points.
The Riders found themselves in a game early against North Kitsap, up just 13-9 toward the end of the first quarter. Their shots weren’t falling and North Kitsap managed to hang around for the first 7½ minutes of the game.
“We just decided to take it to the hole,” said Eve Burke, who scored 16. Many of her points came inside. Millie Long was a terror driving to the basket, leading the Riders with 18 points, many coming from inside the key.
Every time the Vikings rallied a little, the Riders answered.
Port Angeles’ Camille Stensgard heads for the lane defended by North Kitsap’s Jade Sunnenburg on Saturday at Port Angeles High School. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
The Riders went on a 10-0 run to open the lead up to 23-9. After a three-point play by North Kitsap’s Miliyah Reed made the score 27-17 near the end of the half, with the Riders still somewhat within reach, Long responded with six straight points on three baskets to end the half to make it 33-17.
North Kitsap’s Mia McNair, formerly a Chimacum player, hit a 3-pointer to make it 33-20 in the first minute of the second half to open the scoring.
From that point on, the overwhelmed Vikings finally ran out of gas as the Riders completely dominated, outscoring North Kitsap by a stunning 31-6 over the final 15:30 of the game.
Coach Michael Poindexter said North Kitsap is down a bit this year with only eight girls on the varsity roster.
“I think greater depth was the difference,” Poindexter said. “Their starting group is decent. We’re just deeper.”
While it might seem like nitpicking to criticize the shooting, it just showed how versatile and good this team is that it can dominate even without outside shots falling.
“I was pleased with how we scored inside. It was another outstanding night of passing,” Poindexter said.
“Bailee Larson in particular had some superb passes in our fast breaks,” he said.
This is a team that would almost assuredly do damage at a state tournament. Burke said that with no state tournament being held this year, this year’s Roughriders are playing for each other.
“I feel like everyone, especially on the bench, is supporting each other. We’re really close this year,” Burke said.
Burke also said the team doesn’t really talk about going undefeated.
“We don’t want to jinx it. We’re just playing hard every day,” she said.
The Riders shot 59 percent from the floor on two-point shots, with most of those shots layups.
Jaida Wood hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight to go with nine rebounds. McNair hit two 3-pointers for North Kitsap and finished with six points. Long had six steals, Wood five and Burke four. Larson and Burke led the team with four assists each.
Port Angeles should get a good challenge Tuesday. The Riders host 3A Central Kitsap, which is 6-3 overall, at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Port Angeles 64, North Kitsap 26
NK 9 8 7 2 — 26
PA 15 18 19 12 — 64
North Kitsap (26) — Reed 7, McNair 6, Sunnenberg 6, Wetzsteon 5, Beers 2.
Port Angeles (64) — Burke 18, Long 16, Wood 8, Stensgard 7, Walker 6, Petty 4, Gedelman 2, Shamp 2, Sprague 1.
Port Angeles Millie Long, right, sets up a pass around the defense of North Kitsap’s Maliyah Reed on Saturday in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
