By Michael Carman and Pierre LaBossiere
Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — Balanced scoring and players in the right spots in Port Angeles’ press defensively yielded a 70-30 girls basketball triumph over Olympic on Friday.
“We started the game with five minutes of the best full-court press positioning and decision-making we’ve had this season,” Roughriders coach Michael Poindexter said. “That’s an encouraging sign as we head to postseason play soon.”
Six Port Angeles players scored eight or more points in the victory.
Millie Long filled up the stat sheet for the Riders, leading the team in scoring with 16 points, tying with Myra Walker for the team-high in rebounds and adding six steals and five assists.
“We had a balanced scoring night: 19 of 41 on two-point shots, 8 of 19 for 3s, with five different players hitting 3s for us,” Poindexter said. “Anna Petty’s 10 points came on a perfect 4 of 4 shooting night.
“Our starting group was especially effective passing the ball both in transition and in our half-court zone offense.”
Jaida Wood added 10 points and six rebounds and Eve Burke added eight points and six boards.
Port Angeles (10-0, 14-4) can clinch a share of its third-consecutive Olympic League championship with a win at Bremerton (0-12, 2-16) on Tuesday.
Port Angeles 70, Olympic 30
Olympic 7 5 14 4 — 30
Port Angeles 19 21 14 16 — 70
Olympic (30) — Willis 18, Jameson 4, Riley 4, Bode 2.
Port Angeles (70) — Long 16, Petty 10, Wood 10, Brady 8, Larson 8, Burke 8, Brenkman 3, Gedelman 3, Walker 2, Noel 2, McGoff, Stensgard, Brown.
Port Townsend 44, Chimacum 32
CHIMACUM — The Port Townsend girls won their third game in a row and their second in a week over Chimacum with a 44-32 victory.
“I’m pleased with how we played. I didn’t know if we would have a letdown after the Clallam Bay game [a come-from-behind win for the Redhawks on Tuesday],” said coach Lorraine Rimson.
Rimson said Izzy Hammett and Gina Brown played well inside. “They dominated inside. That’s something we thought we could do,” Rimson said. She also said Sorina Johnston had a great game.
Hammett led all scorers with 17 while Brown had 12. Chimacum’s leading scorer was Katie Clark with 13.
What did this game mean for Port Townsend? The Redhawks’ Mackenzie Lake got the wind knocked out of her Friday night against Chimacum and was taken out of the game.
However, the Port Townsend senior at the end of the game with the Redhawks firmly in control, she begged her coach to go back in the game.
“She said, ‘coach, it’s my last Chimacum game,’” Rimson said. “This rivalry means something to them.”
“We knew they were going to press and we made a couple of bad plays in it early,” said Chimacum coach Trevor Huntingford. “We kind of settled down and found our footing and it looked like we were going to stay around with them.”
Huntingford said the game got “sloppy” in the second half. “It turned into kind of a mess. We didn’t do as good a job on the boards, but I can’t fault the effort.”
He said Chimacum’s Amiyah Fisher twisted her ankle, forcing Jadeah Nordberg and Clark to stay on the floor for the rest of the game.
”Midway through the second could see the physical wear and tear and we started to look tired,” Huntingford said.
Rimson said the three straight wins and the way the Redhawks won over Clallam Bay last week, pulling the game out despite being down seven points with 3 minutes left, have boosted Port Townsend’s confidence.
“Our basketball IQ has increased significantly and it’s showing on offense and defense,” Rimson said.
Port Townsend (3-2, 7-11) next plays at North Mason on Tuesday, while Chimacum (0-5, 7-9) next plays at Klahowya (5-0, 11-7), also on Tuesday.
Port Townsend 44, Chimacum 32
Port Townsend 14 9 8 13— 44
Chimacum 8 6 4 14— 32
Port Townsend (44) — Brown 12, Asbell 8, Johnston 4, Lake 2, Fountain 1, Hammett 17.
Chimacum (32) — Clark 13, Anderson 2, Vandenberg 6, Nordberg 5, Fisher 4.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Jaida Wood, top, keeps control of the ball as Olympic’s Jakyiiah Willis falls to the floor on Friday night in Port Angeles.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Millie Long makes a frantic throw to keep the ball inbounds during Friday night’s game against Olympic in Port Angeles.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Myra Walker, left, scrambles for a loose ball with Olympic’s Aaliyah Williams as Port Angeles’s Millie Long, right, prepares to dive in during Friday Night’s game at Port Angeles High School.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Ava Brenkman, center, is surrounded by Olympic defenders, from left, Kaylani Riley, Elisa Turnquist and Amiya Jameson, on Friday night at Port Angeles High School.
