SEQUIM — Sophomore Jericho Julmist poured in 37 points and Sequim now stands one win away from sealing a Class 2A state tournament berth after the Wolves opened West Central District boys basketball tournament play with a controlled performance in a 76-50 win over the Foss Falcons.
Tournament No. 3 seed Sequim (18-3) advances to face South Puget Sound League champ No. 2 Franklin Pierce (18-3) tonight at 5 p.m. at Foss High School in Tacoma.
A Wolves win clinches a state berth and a spot in Saturday’s district title game at 3 p.m. at Mount Tahoma High School.
A Sequim loss sends the Wolves to a winner-to-state, loser-out game at 5 p.m. Saturday back at Foss.
In Wednesday’s win, Julmist scored early and often, putting up 15 of his points in the opening frame, including getting to the free-throw line five times.
“Jericho played great,” Wolves coach Craig Brooks said. “He attacks the basket and doesn’t stop moving.”
The Wolves clamped down defensively in the second quarter, taking command of the contest by keeping Foss out of the paint and off the offensive glass, limiting the Falcons to just five points on the way to building up a 41-21 halftime lead.
“The second quarter defense was about us taking care of the ball so they don’t have easy baskets and protecting the paint,” Brooks said. “We had a lot if guys play great defense on and off the ball.”
Senior Ethan Melnick added 14 points and junior Solomon Sheppard added 12 for Sequim.
Sequim 76, Foss 50
Foss 16 5 13 16 — 50
Sequim 23 18 15 21 — 76
Foss (50) — Stubblefield 27, Adkins 10, Mack 6, Chinnell 2, Montgomery 2, Rountree 2 Gueye 1.
Sequim (76) — Julmist 37, Melnick 14, Sheppard 12, Rapelje 4, Schmadeke 4, Gray 2, Grider, Tennell, White.
Bremerton 82, Port Angeles 30
BREMERTON — The Port Angeles boys basketball team knew from an game earlier this season that it could hang with co-Olympic League champion Bremerton for at least three quarters, but in the Roughriders’ second-round District 3 tournament game, they never got on track.
Port Angeles (10-13) is still alive in the tournament and will play Clover Park (13-8) at Clover Park High School in Lakewood at 6 p.m. today in a loser-out game. If the Riders win that game, they will move on to a winner-to-state game at 5 p.m. Saturday against either Franklin Pierce (18-3) or Sequim (17-3) at Foss High School.
“Bremerton was as good as advertised, give them a lot of credit,” said Port Angeles coach Kasey Ulin. Ulin said the Riders did a good job defending Bremerton’s star player Jalen Davis, but the Knights responded with 12 3-pointers from a variety of players.
“Our focus is now is on Clover Park. We’re going to go down there and play our best basketball. Our focus is what it’s been all year, which is refusing to quit,” Ulin said.
The Knights, ranked No. 5 in the state in RPI, got off to a fast start, getting up 28-3 in the first quarter with the Riders making just one field goal, a 3-pointer by Blake Sohlberg.
Port Angeles fought back in the second quarter, at one point outscoring the Knights 16-11 to get back in the game at 39-19. Sohlberg hit two more 3-pointers during that stretch.
But the Knights finished the half on a 4-0 run and then began the third quarter on an 18-2 run to blow the game open at 61-21.
It was similar to a regular-season game between when Bremerton got up 23-0 against the Riders in the first quarter. Port Angeles fought back to get the lead down to 11 a couple of times and ended up outscoring the Knights for the rest of the game but fell 66-52.
Gus Halberg added nine points for the Riders and Brock Hope six.
Bremerton 82, Port Angeles 30
PA 3 16 5 6 — 30
Brem. 28 15 27 12 — 82
Port Angeles (30) — Sohlberg 9, Halberg 9, Hope 6, Pierce 2, Gedelman 2, Benoit 2.
Forks 65, Mossyrock 54
CASTLE ROCK — The Spartans will play for a Class 2B state tournament berth after ousting the young Loggers in a Southwest District 4 Tournament loser-out contest.
Forks opened strong, limiting Mossyrock to an eight-point first quarter in building a 19-8 advantage.
“Good job by our guys from pretty much start to finish… We really focused on pushing the ball and attacking the rim quickly,” coach Keith Weekes said.
Brody Lausche led the Spartans with 23 points. Bubba Hernandez-Stansbury added 17 and Kyle Lohrengel had nine.
“Brody did a great job staying within the game and keeping his focus,” Weekes said. “His shots were rolling off the rim most of the first half but came out after halftime and continued to attack their big guy.
“Bubba did well using his speed bursts to get to the hoop before they could get back on defense or be in a proper position.
“One of the biggest changes we made for this game is our point guard Kyle played a lot of post in the game, with his length we felt he had the advantage over their small guards and he did a great job.”
Forks will face Napavine (19-3) in a loser-out, winner-to-state game tonight at 6 p.m. at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.
Forks 65, Mossyrock 54
Mossy 8 18 12 16 — 54
Forks 19 16 14 16 — 65
Forks (65) — Lausche 23, Hernandez-Stansbury 17, Lohrengel 9, Foster 6, Willenbrink 5, Ramos 3, Olson 2.
Emily Matthiessen/Olympic Peninsula News Group Sequim sophomore Jericho Julmist rises above a Foss triple team to find teammate Jamison Gray cutting to the basket during the Wolves’ 76-50 Class 2A West Central District Boys Basketball Tournament victory Wednesday at Rick Kaps Gym. Sequim’s Zeke Schmadeke also is pictured.
Emily Matthiessen/Olympic Peninsula News Group Sequim sophomore Jericho Julmist puts up a 3-point shot during the Wolves’ 76-50 Class 2A West Central District Boys Basketball Tournament victory Wednesday at Rick Kaps Gym.
