PORT ANGELES — Despite Sequim’s shooting struggles, the Port Angeles girls basketball team found itself in a close battle late against the Wolves, who gained the momentum early in the fourth quarter behind six straight points by Gracie Chartaw.
Two of the Roughriders’ top scorers, Teanna Clark and Lindsay Smith, were having trouble getting their shots to fall, too. Despite dominating much of the game, the Riders found themselves up just 30-22 with 4:08 left in the game.
That was when Port Angeles’ Morgan Politika took over. Politika, who had hit a 3-pointer earlier in the fourth, scored five straight points with a 2-pointer and a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 35-22. That seemed to open up the Riders’ offense, as Becca Manson and Clark added a pair of 3-pointers. The Riders outscored the Wolves 14-0 down the stretch to win 44-22, a final score that didn’t show how close the game was halfway through the fourth.
The win keeps the Riders unbeaten in the Olympic League in first place at 3-0.
Politika scored eight points in the fourth and led all scorers with 16.
Coach Michael Poindexter said he was not surprised with her offensive outburst.
“That didn’t come out of the blue. She’s been averaging seven points a game. She single-handedly turned the tide,” Poindexter said. “She let us breathe [on offense]. She loosened us up, really. Someone had to hit something out there.”
“I give credit to my teammates who got the ball to me,” Politika said. “Obviously, beating your rival is a good feeling.”
“We just couldn’t get anything to go. We were right there the whole game, but we just couldn’t get anything to fall,” said Sequim coach Joclyn Julmist. The Riders held the Wolves to 9-for-55 shooting.
Julmist thought his team rebounded well. The Wolves had 33 rebounds with Indi Mixon and Hailey Wagner leading the team with nine each. Jordyn Julmist had six rebounds. Chartaw led the team with 13 points, but the Riders made her work for it as she took 32 shots. Julmist said she did better when she drove to the rim more in the second half.
“We have to get her going downhill more,” Julmist said.
Clark scored six points in that pivotal fourth quarter and finished with 10 points, six rebounds and five steals. Smith had nine points and 12 rebounds, while Sariah Doherty had six points and six rebounds for the Riders.
Port Angeles (3-0, 5-5) had a makeup game Wednesday night after press deadline against league-leading Bainbridge (4-0, 6-4). The Riders next play Bremerton (0-5, 1-8) at home at 7 p.m. Friday. Sequim (3-2, 3-4) is in third place and next hosts North Kitsap (2-2, 4-3) at 7 p.m. Friday.
Port Angeles 44, Sequim 22
Seq. 7 2 5 8 — 22
PA 12 10 3 19 — 44
Sequim (22) — Chartaw 13, Wagner 4, Robinson 3, Barros 2.
Port Angeles (44) — Politika 16, Clark 10, Smith 9, Doherty 6, Manson 3.
