SEQUIM — Winning streaks and bragging rights are on the line tonight in Rainshadow Rumble rivalry basketball games between the Sequim and Port Angeles boys and girls basketball teams.
Tipoff for the girls game is 5:15 p.m., while the boys game starts at 7 p.m. Both games are at Rick Kaps Gymnasium.
The Roughrider girls own the longer of the two streaks, 14 consecutive triumphs against the Wolves stretching back nearly eight years.
Sequim last topped the Port Angeles girls in a 62-49 victory at home on Jan. 19, 2007.
That streak weighs on the minds of the senior-laden Wolves team.
“We do have a one-game-at-a-time motto, but I know, in the back of our girls minds, especially with six seniors, five of whom have been in the program for four years, they know [about the streak],” Sequim coach Evan Still said.
“They know that stuff, and all year long it’s in the back of their minds.”
Still is confident his team will adjust to whatever defense Riders coach Michael Poindexter employs.
“I would imagine they will zone us. That’s what I’ve been told by other coaches and what Mike [Poindexter] told me,” Still said.
“We get zoned so much that we work more on our zone plays and packages a lot more now, so I’m excited for that, and if they do go man I think our experience and height inside will give us a big advantage.”
Still thinks he may have to instill some calm into his team early on.
“If anything, we might be a little anxious, a little too excited, where we might start off a little chaotic and have to call a timeout to calm them down,” Still said.
“That’s what we’re hoping to guard against.”
Poindexter knows his team, rebuilding after last season’s run to state, has it’s hands full.
“Friday’s going to be tough,” Poindexter said.
“The Sequim kids have so much more experience, varsity-wise.
“I think they’re one of the top defensive teams in the league, along with Kingston.
“And I hope we’re in that mix.”
The Riders can defend but have struggled to put up points this year.
“We just got to be able to score,” Poindexter said.
“If we can’t score, it’s going to be a long night. If we can, we could make it close.”
Sequim boys’ win streak is six
On the boys side, Sequim has six consecutive victories against Port Angeles dating back to a 57-49 Riders win at home on Feb. 8, 2011.
“We’ve watched them a few times,” Wolves coach Greg Glasser said.
“I have a lot of respect for [Port Angeles head coach] Kasey [Ulin] and [assistant coach] Jordan [Justus], and if they can keep them they will build a solid program quickly.”
Glasser said his team must work to match the Riders intensity .
“All the Port Angeles kids enjoy scoring against us, so we’ll have to watch out for more than [Hunter] Hathaway or [Lambros] Rogers,” Glasser said.
“Hathaway, he can hit more difficult shots, more contested shots than nearly anybody I’ve ever seen.
“We will have to make sure to get out on him and impact those shots and try to keep him from having an impact on the boards.”
After a tough loss to Chimacum, Ulin is hoping his team can rally for a rivalry upset.
“If we come fight and scrap, and it’s not going to be pretty, but we fight and fight and we lose by two late in the game, whatever, you know, I can live with that,” Ulin said.
“The biggest key for us is, are we going to come and show our character? Are we going to play as a team and fight and believe in each other?
“Or are we going to come and go through the motions and do what we did tonight?
“Friday will be a clear sign of what’s going to happen the rest of the season. We only have four weeks left.”
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Sports Editor Lee Horton contributed to this report.
