FORKS — Forks fought back from a 20-point halftime deficit to pull within one in the final seconds but couldn’t get a look at a game-winning or tying basket and fell 67-63 to Montesano on Tuesday in an Evergreen League boys basketball contest.
The Spartans trailed the hot-shooting Bulldogs 44-24 at halftime.
“They shot the lights out,” Forks coach Rick Gooding said. “I think they hit eight 3s in the first half and Sam Winter, their point guard, hit six of them. That second quarter they put one to us. It’s so hard to change on the fly and expect kids to know how to change.”
Gooding said his team needed to make better decisions and value the basketball.
“It wasn’t their press that was hurting us, it was lazy passes that were hurting us,” Gooding said.
“We missed some gimmes, they made some shots and we fell into that trap.”
At halftime I said it was like being in quicksand — either step out and do something to change it or sit there and sink.”
The Spartans were led by 24 points apiece from Cort Prose and Braton Armas.
Forks (1-1, 9-4) visits Elma (0-2, 1-12) tonight.
Girls Basketball Chimacum 45, Port Townsend 24
CHIMACUM — The Cowboys pressured the ball to the tune of 33 steals and got scores in transition as Chimacum bested the rival Redhawks for the second time this season.
With the win, the Cowboys secured the three-game season series and earned back the Janelle Perillo Traveling Trophy for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.
“Our entire group played and gave a good, solid contribution across the board,” Chimacum coach Trevor Huntingford said. “Defensively, offensively or on the boards everybody came in and gave us something.”
Huntingford said Jada Trafton had nine steals, Grace Yaley added eight steals and Mia McNair swiped six balls.
He also praised Clara Noble for her work on the offensive glass in the first half and Diamond Young for her efforts down low in the second half.
Chimacum (3-0, 6-5) can wrap up a postseason berth Friday at home against Klahowya (1-1, 5-5).
“We can secure the league title Friday night if we can handle our business against Klahowya,” Huntingford said.
“That was a goal entering the season, to get back the trophy and we did that, and another goal is a league title and we are closing in on that goal.”
Chimacum 45, Port Townsend 24
Port Townsend 5 1 13 5— 24
Chimacum 11 8 13 13— 45
Port Townsend (24) — Brown 7, Hammett 6, Hoffman 5, Asbell 4, Johnston 2, Salmon, Berry, Ballard, Dow.
Chimacum (45) — McNair 16, Yaley 10, Trafton 9, Noble 3, Young 3, Nordberg 2, Horner 2, Huntingford, Dowling, Clark.
Montesano 63, Forks 27
FORKS — The Spartans struggled from the field against a hot-shooting Bulldogs team in an Evergreen League contest Tuesday.
“We knew they were good shooters, they have a girl down low that is 6-foot-3 but we thought we could match up with their size,” Forks coach David Hurn said.
“They were hot in the first half and it seemed like they couldn’t miss.
“They played some pressure defense and we couldn’t buy a shot. I had us down for 18 percent [shooting] from the field. We had quite a few open looks, but the shots weren’t falling. That’s kind of been the story for the last few games, so you know what we will be working on in practice.”
Chloe Leverington led Forks with eight points. Rian Peters added five and Rylee Bouchard had five.
The Spartans (0-2, 5-6) visit Elma (1-0, 12-0), the No. 5 team in the Class 1A RPI, today.
Montesano 63, Forks 27
Montesano 17 18 14 14— 63
Forks 5 8 4 10— 27
Forks (27) — Leverington 8, Peters 5, Bouchard 5, Kilmer 3, Horton 2, Rowley 2, Johnson 2, Olson, Sandoval.
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Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
Chimacum won back the Janelle Perillo Traveling Trophy awarded to the winner of the annual rivalry girls basketball series between the Cowboys and the Port Townsend Redhawks with a 45-24 win over Port Townsend on Tuesday. Team members and coaches are: kneeling, from left, Mia McNair, Jada Trafton, Hunter Haralson, Savannah Huntingford and standing, Amiyah Fisher, Grace Wenzloff, Jadeah Nordberg, Grace Yaley, Clara Noble, Diamond Young, Katie Clark and Maddie Dowling. Coaches Trevor Huntingford and Mike Dowling are in back.
