SEQUIM — A late Olympic High School surge was too much for the Sequim boys basketball team to overcome in a 56-48 loss that gives the Trojans sole possession of first place in the Olympic League.
The game, coming Friday on the first evening of each school’s winter break, was played at a level and in an atmosphere akin to a late-season playoff contest, with the lead changing hands 12 times and the game tied on eight occasions.
Before the game, Wolves (2-1, 5-2) coach Greg Glasser was concerned about how his guards would handle the speed and quickness possessed by the Trojans (3-0, 6-2) .
But his charges protected the ball, only coughing up six turnovers, in the face of a 1-2-2 zone press in the back court and tight man-to-man defense in the front court.
Despite the defeat, Glasser praised his team’s ability to hang with faster and taller Olympic.
“I told them, and I know it’s a coaching cliche, but I told them I was proud of them,” Glasser said.
“To face that type of pressure, that quickness, and to only have six turnovers, that was impressive.
“We won’t face another team in league play that can play like that.”
Sequim fought through a cold start by its top player, Alex Barry, to lead 11-7 after one quarter.
Barry missed his first four shots and picked up his second foul with 2 minutes left in the period.
He came on strong with eight points in the second quarter, and the Wolves received some help from the officiating crew to hold a 24-21 lead at halftime.
Barry would finish with 22 points on 8 of 23 shooting, including three 3-point buckets.
Olympic’s best player guard Makaleb McInnis was whistled for his third foul in the second quarter and quickly picked up a fourth foul with 5:27 left in the third quarter.
To their credit, the Trojans weren’t rattled with McInnis on the bench, instead using their height inside to get baskets from Jumier Johnson, who finished with 14 points, Tyler Yost, who had seven and Damarius Johnson, who ended up with six.
Barry did his best to keep Sequim in the game, hitting a brilliant step-back 3-pointer over the arms of the 6-foot-6 Jumier Johnson for a 35-32 Wolves lead with 3:06 to go in the third quarter.
With the score tied at 36-all heading to the fourth quarter, Barry launched an NBA-range 3 and then drove and dished to Sequim post Josh McConnaughey for a pretty layup and a 41-38 lead with 5:12 to play.
Olympic’s Erik Turnquist came through with two huge 3’s to trim a four-point Wolves lead to 1, and after two Barry free throws, tied the game at 46-all with 3:25 to play.
The Trojans inserted McInnis back into the game and he made a quick impact, catching a rebound off a missed Dusty Bates one-hand runner and charging down the court for a layup and foul and a 49-46 lead.
Barry pulled Sequim back within one with 2:01 to play, but the Wolves went cold from the floor and a big score inside from Keshun McGee, followed by free throws from McInnis, wrapped the contest.
“I knew coming up here we would face a disciplined and skilled opponent and a tough atmosphere,” Olympic coach Devin Huff said.
“Before the game I talked with the team about maintaining our poise, and really made a big point about how important that would be. And we didn’t let ourselves get taken out of the game and we went and earned this.”
Glasser was encouraged by his team’s play and likes where they are thus far on the season.
“This was a terrific high school basketball game,” Glasser said.
“Some teams take some time to put it together and this team is doing well at making the climb and getting better.”
The Wolves are off until winter break games at Ingraham on Monday, Dec. 29 and Sammamish on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
Olympic 56, Sequim 48
Olympic 7 14 15 20— 56
Sequim 11 13 12 12— 48
Individual scoring
Olympic (56)
McInnis 16, J. Johnson 14, McGee 7, Yost 7, Turnquist 6, D. Johnson 6.
Sequim (48)
Barry 22, Bates 8, Willis 7, McConnaughey 6, Oliver 3, Earley 2
