PORT ANGELES — It’s a new era for the Port Angeles boys basketball team.
After nine years of Kasey Ulin being at the helm, the team has a new coach in Kevin Ruble, who has a long resume of experience in both high school and college basketball.
The team will also be moving on from Olympic League first-teamer and leading scorer Gus Halberg, who is now playing for Peninsula College.
Ruble brings a wealth of experience to the team. He was an assistant with the University of Portland women’s team and before that an assistant at George Fox University in Oregon. He was also a head coach at Lake Oswego and Beaverton high schools in Oregon.
Ruble said the Roughriders weren’t able to start practicing until Nov. 17 but so far, he has been impressed with his player.
“This team is doing awesome,” he said. “The kids are awesome. This is a super group.”
The Riders have shown they will be competitive, dropping their first game, but by only four points to Fife, 56-52. Fife went 7-7 in the South Puget Sound League last year.
Varsity experience
The Riders have plenty of players back from last season, and plenty of height, led by 6-foot-10 post Brock Hope, still just a junior though it feels like he has been with the team for years. Hope isn’t just a banger inside with his size. He has a soft touch on a midrange 10- to 12-foot jumper and he is a good passer.
Ruble said Hope’s backup, Abe Brenkman, has good size, too at 6-foot-7. Brenkman, a junior, will get a chance to see more varsity time this season.
One of the big focuses on the offense will be Brody Pierce, who gave the Riders solid minutes off the bench last year. This year, he gets to start and is another tall, lanky player at 6-foot-3. Pierce led the Riders in scoring against Fife with 17.
Flores a force
Another banger inside will be Hunter Flores, who was huge for Port Angeles at times last year. Flores, an all-league first teamer as an offensive and defensive lineman in football, is 6-foot-2 with a wide, football body and should be a force on the boards this year.
John Ruddell, a junior, is part of the team’s length at 6-foot-5. Other tall trees on the team include Jagger Hjelmseth at 6-foot-3 and Daniel Benoit at 6-foot-2.
Ruble sees Ashton Gedelman as the team’s primary point guard.
“He’s a good little floor general. He’s an unselfish player,” Ruble said.
Other players on the varsity squad include Alik Ross, Ian Smithson, Izaiah Alonzo, Kieler Point and Gregory Jourdan III. An intriguing player is Jude Wallace, one of the football team’s best athletes.
Port Angeles had an odd season last year, losing a lot of close, tight games. A couple of those losses just came down to sheer bad luck. They went into the district playoffs with a losing record, but the Riders got hot in the postseason, winning three games at district and coming within one game of qualifying for state.
The Riders (0-1) get their first shot at a league opponent today in North Mason (0-1). Defending state champion Bremerton is considered the favorite to win the league as they still have all-state player Jalen Davis. Bainbridge is expected to be a good team this year and Sequim, despite not having Jericho Julmist, should still be tough.
Port Angeles Roughriders
• Head Coach: Kevin Ruble, first year
• Last year: 11-14, went 2-2 at district tournament.
• Returners: Brock Hope, Brody Pierce, Hunter Flores.
• Newcomers: Abe Brenkman, John Ruddell, Ashton Gedelmn, Daniel Benoit.
• Outlook: A total wild card with a new coach and new assistants. All-Olympic League Gus Halberg plays for Peninsula College now. Look for Pierce, Hope and Flores to shoulder much of the scoring.
The team does have plenty of length with 6-foot-10 Hope, 6-foot-7 Brenkman, 6-foot-5 Ruddell and 6-foot-3 Pierce. Flores is 6-foot-2 and built like a football player.
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Sports editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
