BOYS BASKETBALL: Riders’ defense kennels Bulldogs
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, January 29, 2020
PORT ANGELES — North Mason ran into a defensive buzzsaw in Port Angeles, as the Roughriders bounced back from a league loss to crush the Bulldogs 70-23 in an Olympic League boys basketball game Tuesday night.
How dominant was the Port Angeles defense? It built up leads of 31-1 and 45-7 and allowed no field goals in the first quarter, one field goal in the first half, four points in the first half and seven field goals for the entire game.
The Bulldogs didn’t make their first field goal until 13½ minutes into the game. A regulation game only goes 32 minutes.
“That was us playing a high level of basketball,” said coach Kasey Ulin. “That was great defense. Relentless defense. We pride outside on trying to be the best defensive team in the state.”
Defensive stoppers
It was the seventh game this year in which Port Angeles gave up fewer than 40 points — and they have another game that the Riders allowed just 43.
It was a nice bounceback win after an emotional loss to first-place North Kitsap last Friday that dropped the Riders into second place in the Olympic League 2A Division.
Sophomore sparkplug Xander Maestas led the way for Port Angeles with 18 points. Damen Ringgold scored 14, with 12 of those points coming mostly inside in a 23-1 Riders’ first quarter.
John Vaara and Chase Cobb each scored nine points as a total of nine Port Angeles players scored.
It was typical of many of the Riders’ wins this year in which a lot of players score and a different player each game ends up the leading scorer.
“Being unselfish and decision-making is what we’re working on,” Ulin said. “At times with North Kitsap, we didn’t do that.
The Riders’ reliance on passing, “is a fun style to play and difficult to scout for,” Ulin said.
Kobe’s legacy
Ulin said the team had a meeting this week to discuss Kobe Bryant’s death Sunday in a helicopter accident. They talked about dribbling the shot clock out to honor Bryant, but decided against it. Instead, they talked about his legacy to basketball.
“We had a team meeting yesterday,” Ulin said We want to make these players better young men and stronger men. Life is so fragile … you want to take advantage of the time that you have here.”
With the win, the Riders have a two-game lead in the loss column over Bremerton for second place. The Knights, who beat Port Angeles earlier this year, visit Port Angeles on Tuesday with the Riders looking for a bit of revenge.
Port Angeles (7-2, 12-5) next plays on the road Friday at Olympic (4-5, 6-11), looking to stay within a game of first-place North Kitsap.
Port Angeles 70, North Mason 23
North Mason 1 3 12 7 — 23
Port Angeles 23 15 11 21 — 70
North Mason (23) — Williams 5, Collins 4, Minaker 3, Beattie 3, Crosswhite 3,Seyffarth 2, Davis 2, Crookshank 1.
Port Angeles (70) — Maestas 18, Ringgold 14, Vaara 9, Cobb 9, Hughes 6, Johnson 5, Clark 5, Nickerson 2.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
