PORT ANGELES — Despite a spectacular game from Port Angeles’ Parker Nickerson, the Sequim boys basketball team gave Port Angeles everything it could handle until near the end of the third quarter Tuesday night at a jam-packed Port Angeles gym.
Then the Roughriders’ Bryant Hoch got hot.
Sequim’s Garrett Little hit a 3-pointer to bring the Wolves to within 51-43 near the end of the third quarter as the Riders held the lead virtually the entire game, but could never shake Sequim.
Hoch answered with a 3-pointer. He hit another 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer and added a third trey to open up the fourth quarter. In a minute of play, an eight-point lead grew to a 17-point lead at 60-43. Hoch’s big shots sparked a 25-6 Port Angeles run that put the game away, as the Riders went on to win 76-49.
Hoch said after he hit that first 3-pointer, he felt confident he could keep hitting them.
“After the first half, I felt I was ready for it. I was kind of frustrated that I wasn’t getting the ball,” he said. “After I made that first one, I felt fearless.”
The final score was misleading as Sequim stayed within single digits for three-quarters of the game. Every time the Riders went on a little run, Sequim answered with a run of its own to stay in contact. That was until Hoch’s aerial bombardment.
Sequim coach Craig Brooks was happy with how his team battled. The Wolves got off to a slow start this season, but came in to the Port Angeles game on a two-game Olympic League winning streak.
“We did a lot of really good things,” said Sequim coach Craig Brooks. “We did a great job of drawing charges.” The Wolves drew at least three charging calls, helping to put Port Angeles post player Isaiah Shamp in foul trouble.
Port Angeles’ Dallas Dunning, top, passes over the head of Sequim’s Keenan Green on Tuesday night in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Nickerson was a force in the first half, scoring 25 points. Six of those points came on tomahawk slam dunks. Nickerson, at 6-foot-3, said he had never had more than one dunk in a game. He had a chance for a fourth dunk in the second half on a fast break, but with a Sequim defender right behind him, he shot and made a layup instead.
“I was feeling a little tired,” he said.
Nickerson finished with 31 points in the biggest game of his career for the Riders.
“Sequim always fights hard,” Nickerson said. “We knew it would come down to a couple of big shots and couple of big stops.”
“Give credit to Sequim, they played hard,” said Port Angeles coach Kasey Ulin. “That first three quarters was a classic Sequim, Port Angeles game. We made a couple more plays at the end.”
Ulin thought the Riders’ defense was the difference. Sequim scored 43 points in the first three quarters but only six in the fourth. “Our defense was a little more disciplined in the second half,” he said. Ulin also said the bench played great with Shamp in foul trouble.
Tyler Hunter hit three 3-pointers and scored 17 for the Riders, while Shamp, saddled with foul trouble, still was able to tally 10 points. Hoch finished with nine.
For the Wolves, Vince Carrizosa led the team with 13 points. Cole Smithson and Zach Thompson each scored eight.
Port Angeles remains all alone in second place in the Olympic 2A League after the win. The Riders (6-1, 8-4) play at Bremerton (2-5, 2-6) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Sequim is in a tie for fourth with Olympic. The Wolves (3-4, 5-8) play at Bainbridge (5-2, 6-5) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Port Angeles 76, Sequim 49
Sequim 16 14 13 6 — 49
PA 24 13 20 19 — 76
Sequim (49) — Carrizosa 13, Smithson 8, Thompson 8, Moore 4, Green 3, Judd 3, Grider 3, Little 3, Wiker 1, Brown 1.
Port Angeles (76) — Nickerson 31, Hunter 17, Shamp 10, Hoch 9, Dunning 4, Albaugh 3, Long 1, Gonzalez 1.
Crescent 53, Chief Kitsap 10
SILVERDALE — Crescent improved to 8-3 on the season with a dominant 53-10 win over Chief Kitsap on Tuesday.
Dom Sprague led the Loggers with 17 points while 10 different Crescent players scored.
“Our defense was pretty solid against an inexperienced Chief Kitsap team,” said coach Chris Ferrier. “We were able to get shots against their packed in zone. We played 15 guys, including some guys who haven’t gotten much varsity playing time. We got a lot of balanced scoring.”
The Loggers next play Clallam Bay on Friday.
Crescent 53, Chief Kitsap 10
Crescent 14 24 10 5 — 53
CK 2 2 4 2 — 10
Crescent (53) — JSprague 17, Ka. Love 8, Bauers 6, Ky. Love 4, White 4, Ferro-May 4, L. Love 3, L. Bourm 2, Emery 2, Owens, M. Love, Grooms, H. Bourm, Willard, Chartier.
Port Angeles’ Tyler Hunter, center, watches a ball get away as Sequim’s Charlie Grider, left, and Isaiah Moore, right, look on during Tuesday’s game in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Sequim’s Zackary Thompson looks for a passing opportinity as Port Angeles’ Parker Nickerson, left, and Josiah Long close in on Tuesday at Port Angeles High School. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles’ Isaiah Shamp, right, pushes past Sequim’s Isaiah Moore on the way to the lane on Tuesday night in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
