PORT ANGELES — Top-seeded Port Angeles overwhelmed overmatched North Mason 77-10 in a first round Olympic League girls basketball tournament contest at home Saturday.
The Roughriders (12-0) scored the first 16 points of the contest and led by as much as 56-2 midway through the third quarter.
Port Angeles substituted freely all contest long and did what it could to limit the disparity in talent between the teams — not pressing defensively late or fast breaking in transition.
And the Riders were selfless with the basketball, looking to set up open teammates all contest long.
“We kept sharp today,” Port Angeles coach Michael Poindexter said. “All year long, our passing decisions are not just unselfish but really well executed, no matter who is on the floor. It is a team-wide value of movement and we are passing to open people because we move well without the ball.”
Eve Burke was the recipient of a number of those passes and led the Riders with 17 points. Millie Long added 16 and Jenna McGoff had 11 in her first start of the season.
Bailee Larson added 10 for Port Angeles, and Ava Brenkman and Jayde Gedelman each scored six off the bench.
“Great support from our kids,” Poindexter said. “They were trying to get kids buckets. It was kind of a dead gym but our kids had great energy on the bench and were supportive of everyone out there. This is a fun group to coach.”
Poindexter said his team used the contest to run through some things before their league semifinal contest against North Kitsap at home at 7 p.m. tonight.
“We are looking forward to playing North Kitsap on Monday,” Poindexter said. “North K was with us for a half [Friday in a 68-29 Riders’ win].
“We were able to run a defense tonight that we can use against NK.”
Port Angeles 77, North Mason 10
NM 2 0 6 2 — 10
PA 16 27 17 17 — 77
North Mason (10) — Griffey 6, Youngman 4.
Port Angeles (77) — Burke 17, Long 16, McGoff 11, Larson 10, Brenkman 6, Gedelman 6, Wood 4, Shamp 2, Sprague 1, Stensgard.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Millie Long, front, charges to the lane as North Mason’s Rachel Youngman ties to keep up on Saturday at Port Angeles High School.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Jaida Wood, center, drives down court with the ball surrounded by North Mason’s Rachel Youngman and Tessa Griffey as Wood’s teammate, Bailee Larson, left, keeps pace.
Keith Thodrpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles Eve Burke, center, finds herself surrounded by North Mason defenders from back, Tessa Griffey, Jillian Maiuri and Rachel Youngman on Saturday in Port Angeles.
