SEQUIM — Even with a four-point lead after one quarter of play, Port Townsend girls basketball coach Randy Maag didn’t feel comfortable.
As the next 16 minutes would soon illustrate, that was with good reason.
Sequim outscored the Port Townsend Redskins 25-6 between the second and third quarters to run away with a 49-36 Olympic League victory Tuesday night.
Lea Hopson and Rylleigh Zbaraschuk scored 12 points to lead a group of eight Wolves scorers, as Sequim (6-3 in league, 9-5 overall) took sole possession of third place in league heading into Thursday night’s home game with Port Angeles.
“All of the girls get along with each other, not only on the court, but off the court, and it’s showing,” said Sequim coach Stephanie Lewis, whose team finished 0-20 each of the past two seasons. “When we’re watching game film, and it’s not like a dreaded thing anymore.”
The Wolves might want to fast forward to the second quarter when they re-watch Tuesday night’s game.
Sequim held Port Townsend to two points during that frame as it flipped a 13-9 deficit into a 25-15 halftime lead.
The Wolves’ fullcourt press defense hounded Port Townsend into numerous turnovers — the Redskins turned the ball over 27 times — with many leading to easy baskets.
During one 12-minute stretch between the second and third quarters, the Redskins sank just two baskets while Sequim went on a 25-4 run.
At that point, the Wolves were ahead 34-17 and well on their way to ending a four-game losing streak.
“We had a new look [on our press], than what we had the first half of the season,” Lewis said. “We’re having Lea kind of fly all over the place . . . and we’re denying the reversal pass, which is causing a little bit of havoc.
“We implemented that on Monday, so this is our first time using that. And we’re going to be using that again.”
With good reason.
Almost all of Hopson’s game-high four steals came off of that press. Zbaraschuk had three steals of her own on the night.
“It was funny because I looked at my assistant coach [after the first quarter], and I said, ‘Hey we’re up, but I feel like we’re just flat,” Maag said.
“[The Wolves] play really, really physical. They play really hard, and you’ve got to either step up to that or they are going to run right over you.
“And they just ran right over us.”
Port Townsend knocked down just 11 of 52 shots on the night, with all but six of those made baskets coming during the first quarter.
Kerri Evalt finished with a game-high 12 points while hauling down eight rebounds. Kiley Maag added 10 points, while Caroline Dowdle had six points and four assists.
That wasn’t enough to overcome a strong team performance from the Wolves, who got points from eight different players.
Taylor Balkan dropped in 11 points for the Wolves and hit 4 of 4 free throws down the stretch to help keep Port Townsend at bay. Haleigh Harrison added four points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Sequim sank 15 of 55 shots from the field and out-rebounded the Redskins 41-38.
Hopson had a bit of a scare in the fourth quarter when she landed awkwardly on her back on a hard drive to the basket. But Lewis said the injury likely wasn’t anything major.
“She said shes feeling OK,” Lewis said. “She just got the wind knocked out of her. She’ll be fine. She’s a tough girl.”
Sequim 49, Port Townsend 36
Port Townsend 13 2 4 17 — 36
Sequim 9 16 9 15 — 49
Port Townsend (36)
Johnson 1, Evalt 12, Maag 10, Dowdle 6, Fox 4, Hallinan 2, Hossack 1.
Sequim (49)
Balkan 11, Hopson 12, Harrison 4, Guan 4, Soha 2, Briones 2, Zbaraschuk 12, Besand 2.
