PORT ANGELES — Snow and icy roads disrupted the basketball schedules of most of the teams on the Olympic Peninsula, but the teams got some games in finally Friday night.
After a slow start that kept an outmatched Bremerton team in the game well into the third quarter, the Port Angeles girls basketball team turned up its trademark defense, finishing the game on a 38-7 run to blow the contest open en route to a 65-24 victory. That win set the Riders up to grab second all for themselves Monday night.
With a win Monday over Kingston, the Riders will earn a share of second place. The result of that game was after press deadline.
North Kitsap, which is tied with the Riders at 10-3, has a tougher game Tuesday against 13-0 Olympic League champion Bainbridge tonight. If Bainbridge wins, the Riders get second all to themselves.
The Riders’ 65 points was their biggest offensive output of the year and they did most of the damage in the second half, using their defense to create fast-break buckets, scoring 38 points over the final 13½ minutes of the game.
Despite the dominant-looking final score, the winless Knights managed to stick around well into the third quarter, down just 27-17 with 5:30 left in the quarter. That was when the floodgates opened for the Riders with a Becca Manson steal and a fast-break bucket by Lindsay Smith.
That became the theme of the whole second half.
Lindsay Smith led the way for the Riders with 23 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 10-for-16 from the field.
Freshman Sariah Doherty had one of her best games of the year, shooting 5-for-7 from the field and scoring 11.
Clark had 10 a to go along with eight steals and six assists. Lexie Smith had a solid game in her final regular-season game at home with nine points, while Manson had seven steals.
Tatum Moses and Mikkhia Stevens each hit 3-pointers during the Riders’ big 38-7 run.
North Kitsap 52, Sequim 26
SEQUIM — The Sequim girls basketball team got off to a slow start, falling behind 32-10 at halftime against a good North Kitsap team, eventually losing 52-26.
The Wolves did better in the second half, only outscored 20-16.
Taylor Heyting had a good game with 15 rebounds. Gracie Chartraw scored seven points.
The Wolves (2-11, 3-14) wrapped up their season looking to finish with a win with a road game Monday at last-place Bremerton (0-13, 0-15). That is a make-up of a game postponed due to snow.
Life Christian 43, East Jefferson 37
PORT TOWNSEND — Despite six 3-pointers and 22 points from Dylin Shockley, the East Jefferson girls basketball team fell to Life Christian 43-37 on Friday night.
East Jefferson (2-4, 9-9) hosts Seattle Christian (1-5, 6-10) at 7 p.m. today in Port Townsend in an important game for playoff qualifying.
Boys basketball
Sequim 77, N. Kitsap 47
SEQUIM — The Sequim boys basketball team took care of business in a 77-47 takedown of North Kitsap at home Friday to set up a clash with Bremerton today for a share of the Olympic League championship.
Bremerton (12-1, 14-4) earned a share of the title Friday night when the Knights beat Port Angeles 67-39, but a Wolves (11-2, 16-2) win Monday would split the two-game series between the teams.
That game was after press deadline. Results will be online today at www.peninsuladaily news.com.
Seniors led the way in Friday’s win.
Ethan Melnick led all scorers with 25 points, sinking five second-half treys.
“Ethan Melnick and Zeke Schamdeke played great,” coach Craig Brooks said.
Jericho Julmist added 17 points for Sequim, while Solomon Sheppard had 12 and Jamison Gray added 10 to pace the Wolves.
Port Angeles (3-10, 8-12) also played Monday night against Kingston (2-11, 4-15). With a win, the Riders could move up as far as fifth place in the Olympic League with a chance to qualify for the district tournament.
It would help Port Angeles’ cause if both Olympic and North Kitsap lose tonight. Olympic (4-9) will face North Mason (6-7), while North Kitsap (4-9) will face Bainbridge (10-3).
Life Christian 73, East Jefferson 62
PORT TOWNSEND — The Rivals were led by Julius Mercado’s 26 points in a senior-night loss to the Eagles.
East Jefferson (1-4, 5-12) is still alive for a playoff berth to the Class 1A District 3 Tournament.
The Rivals faced Klahowya (1-6, 3-17) on Monday night.
Crescent 56, Port Angeles C 32
JOYCE — The Loggers prepped for the postseason with a solid win over the youngest Roughriders.
“Levi and Henry Bourm both had strong games, and John Lium had a monster game on the glass, grabbing 11 rebounds to go with his eight points,” coach Chris Ferrier said.
Crescent (11-8) will face a to-be-determined opponent in a Saturday Class 1B Tri-District game.
The prep basketball recap contains information for our Tuesday print-only ready that had already published online at www.peninsuladailynews.com and in our Monday e-edition.
