BELLEVUE — Jesse Ellis and Taylor Larson combined for 27 points to spark the Peninsula College women’s basketball team to a crucial 55-53 win against Bellevue.
In the men’s game, though, the Bellevue Bulldogs got some breathing room in the second half after a tight first half to beat the Pirates 80-69 as the two schools split games.
In the women’s game, the tough Saturday road win gave the Pirates a needed boost in the NWAACC North Division standings.
The Pirates are now tied for second place with Bellevue and Skagit Valley. All three teams are 5-2 in conference.
Skagit Valley kept pace by stomping hapless Olympic into the ground by a score of 102-35 on Saturday.
Whatcom, which the Pirates next play on Feb. 2 after a bye Wednesday, leads the division at 6-1, 13-6 overall.
Peninsula plays at Whatcom in Bellingham at 4 p.m. this coming Saturday.
The Pirates, 10-7 overall, had to hold off the Bellevue Bulldogs after leading 31-21 at halftime.
The Bulldogs, 12-8 overall, outscored the Pirates 32-24 in the second half but came up two points short.
Ellis sank a team-high 14 points on 7 of 10 shooting from the field while Larson was right behind with 13 on 5 of 8 shooting from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line.
Demarea Caples had 18 points for the Bulldogs while Kaitlynn Bunger sank 16.
Larson also had a strong day on the boards for the Pirates with seven rebounds while Abigail Jones broght down a game-high nine for Peninsula.
Karli Brakes, meanwhile, led the Pirates with game-high seven assists and three steals.
Bunger had a team-high six boards and a blocked shot for Bellevue.
The Pirates next home game will be Feb. 6 against Edmonds (1-6, 5-13).
Men’s Basketball
Bellevue 80, Peninsula 69
BELLEVUE — Andrew Squiers’ double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds sparked the Bulldogs against the Pirates on Saturday night.
The win put Bellevue within a game of Peninsula in the tight North Division standings.
Powerhouse Edmonds leads everybody in NWAACC with 8-0 division and 18-2 overall records while Peninsula and Whatcom are tied for second at 5-2 each.
The Pirates are 14-6 overall while the Orcas of Bellingham are 13-6 overall.
Bellevue, meanwhile, sits in fourth place at 4-3, 12-7 overall.
Peninsula has a bye Wednesday and then takes on No. 2 Whatcom there Feb. 2 and hosts No. 1 Edmonds on Feb. 6.
Against the Bulldogs, Salim Gloyd led the Pirates with 18 points and eight rebounds while Donald Gaddy and Xavier Bazile popped in 15 points each.
Gaddy ripped the nets with a 7 of 9 night in field goals.
Aaron Clark earned a game-high six steals while Gloyd added a blocked shot for the Pirates.
The Bulldogs had two other players score in double figures as Tyler Stracener knocked down 16 points and teammate Daniel Greer added 14.
Squiers had a standout all-around game for the Bulldogs as he had four assists and three steals to go with his double-double.
