By Brent Sorenson Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College men’s basketball team tipped off the new season with an impressive 87-72 victory over Highline Community College on Saturday night.
Pirates’ guard Ryan Rutherford of Sequim led the way with a game-high 21 points with two 3-pointers.
He also had a team-high five assists.
Rutherford scored the first hoop of the season, a 10-foot baseline jumper on Peninsula’s first possession.
The Sequim guard’s first-half defense kept the Pirates close.
The game was tied 37-all at halftime.
The Pirates offense was rushed and out of sync most of the first period with forward Jason Gamblin picking up three fouls.
The Pirates took over halfway through the second half.
Christian Manzanza, a forward, led a 12-3 run that finally put some distance between the teams with seven minutes remaining and he had an emphatic slam dunk on a perfect feed from Rutherford.
Manzanza sank 16 points for the Pirates.
“I’m very pleased with the contributions of all 11 men [on the team],” Peninsula coach Peter Stewart said.
“It’s players that make the games. I stayed out of the way and they did a heck of a job,” said Stewart.
Though the game turned out to be a strong start for the Pirates, Stewart identified some areas of play that need improvement.
“We need to learn where and when to go offensively and to be more patient.”
Manzana also was 8-for-8 in free throws and led the team with eight rebounds.
Jason Gamblin added 14 points while Tre Musgrow had 11 for the Pirates.
Peninsula next travels to the Red Devil Classic at Lower Columbia College in Longview on Friday.
