FORKS — The Forks Spartans overcame a barrage of 3-pointers from Hoquiam, coming from behind from a double-digit deficit to beat Hoquiam 65-58 on Friday night.
“They took it too us in the first half,” coach Keith Weekes said of Forks’ old Evergreen 1A League foe. He said Hoquiam’s Lincoln Niemi made at least eight or nine 3-pointers in the game. He made 10 3-pointers in a game earlier this season.
While Hoquiam built up a big first-half lead, the Spartans responded with a big 16-7 third quarter and actually got up by double digits themselves. They were able to fend off a comeback by Hoquiam in the fourth.
Aidan Salazar led Forks with 18 points and five rebounds. Landin Davis had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Dylan Micheau had 11 points and led the team with six assists.
Brody Lausche added eight points and 11 rebounds.
Weekes said the starters played almost the entire second half. In the first half, Titus Rowley and Landen Olson came off the bench “and gave us some huge minutes,” he said. Rowley finished with eight points.
Though it was a nonleague game, Weekes said this game against a tough 1A squad could be a turning point for the Spartans.
“We talked about making a leap,” Weekes said. “We’re beating teams we should beat,” Weekes said. “Now we [need] to beat teams we need to beat. We’ve been in other games. There’s games we were up 10 or 11 we could’ve won.
“I think the guys are realizing what they can do when they have more belief in themselves,” Weekes said.
Forks (5-2, 9-5) has a monster road game coming up Tuesday at Ilwaco. The Fighting Fishermen are 7-0 (11-3), ranked No. 10 in the state in Ratings Percentage Index and are in first place in the Pacific 2B League, with Forks and Chief Leschi in second.
Forks 65, Hoquiam 58
Hoq. 17 20 7 14 — 58
Forks 11 21 16 17 — 65
Forks (65) — Salazer 18, Davis 11, Micheau 11, Rowley 8, Lausche 8, Lohrengel 5, Olson 4.
Sequim 60, Clover Park 56
SEQUIM — In a battle of canids, the Sequim boys basketball team got some clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help fend off a tough Clover Park team 60-56 in a Saturday nonleague home game.
The Wolves led the Timberwolves just 50-49 going into the fourth. Keenan Green and Lars Wiker each hit big threes in the fourth.
“Mason Rapelje played great defense and led in scoring for us,” said coach Craig Brooks. “It was a good team effort. [Clover Park] played tough.”
Rapelje scored 15, hitting three 3-pointers of his own. Solomon Sheppard scored 14 and Green hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points total. The Wolves hit a total of 10 3-pointers.
The game was close throughout with Sequim holding a 29-27 lead at the half.
Sequim (3-4, 8-5) returns to Olympic League action Tuesday, hosting Bainbridge (5-2, 7-3) at 5:15 p.m.
Sequim 60, Clover Park 56
CP 13 14 22 7 — 56
Seq. 18 11 21 10 — 60
Sequim (60) — Rapelje 15, Sheppard 14, Green 12, Melnick 7, Wiker 5, Grider 4, Schmadeke 3.
