PORT ANGELES — The Sequim boys basketball team had won every game this season relatively easily, with an average margin of victory of 26.7 points coming in to Tuesday’s matchup against rival Port Angeles.
Afterward, the Wolves remained unbeaten at 9-0, one of the top Class 2A teams in the state, but they were seriously tested in earning this win. The Roughriders held a brief lead in the third quarter and were down just one possession with less than five minutes left to play.
Sequim made clutch plays down the stretch in a raucous and packed Rider gym and pulled out a hard-fought 56-43 victory that was closer than the final score showed.
In their 9-0 start, the Wolves have yet to allow their opponent to score 50 points.
“It was a pretty good game for us defensively,” said coach Craig Brooks. “That was our toughest game, but we knew Port Angeles would be ready for us. Our guys came through at the end. That fourth quarter, we played well.”
“We played through it. I think it was good for us. The atmosphere was one-sided, but once we got used it, it took a second for us get rolling,” said Sequim’s Jericho Julmist.
“They are a very good team. We just gave them too many chances. Too many offensive rebounds,” said Port Angeles coach Kasey Ulin. “They made some good plays.
“We didn’t play well enough to win. We have to play better to beat good teams like Sequim,” Ulin said.
Highlight-reel moments
The game featured some spectacular plays from both teams.
Matthew Miller, at 6-foot-0, made what could have been the play of the game when he blocked a layup attempt above the rim against 6-foot-3 Solomon Sheppard, who can easily dunk, on a fast break.
But moments later, after Miller made a nice drive to the hoop to score with two or three seconds left in the first half to cut a Sequim lead down to 28-25, Julmist made the shot of the game with a 60-foot heave at the first-half buzzer that touched nothing but net.
Sequim had control much of the game but couldn’t shake the Riders until the last couple of minutes. The Wolves were able to build up a lead of 26-12, but the Riders went on a 13-2 run to make it close before Julmist’s bomb from three-quarters court.
Despite Julmist’s shot, Port Angeles regained the momentum early in the second half, holding Sequim scoreless for four minutes of clock. A Hunter Flores 3-pointer gave the Riders a brief 33-31 lead at 4:20 in the third. The game remained close most of the second half.
After a Mason Rapelje bucket gave Sequim a lead at 42-36 with 5:30 left in the game, the Riders called timeout, and out of the timeout, they ran a play to open up Gus Halberg beyond the arc, who drilled a 3-pointer to make it 42-39.
That was the closest Port Angeles would get as the Wolves responded with a Julmist 3-pointer and a Sheppard 3-pointer to get the lead right back to 48-39. After a Zeke Schmadeke steal and basket, Sequim built the lead to 52-41 with a couple of minutes left and was able to cruise.
Sheppard finished with 19 points and Julmist 16. Rapelje had 11. For Port Angeles, Halberg had 14, Miller seven and Keatyn Hoch seven.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Riders (1-4, 4-6) as they next face a powerful Bremerton team (4-1, 5-2) at home at 7 p.m. Friday. The Knights beat Olympic 80-31 on Tuesday. Sequim (5-0, 9-0) also has a big test, facing perennial powerhouse North Kitsap (3-2, 5-5) at home at 7 p.m. Friday.
Sequim 56, Port Angeles 43
Sequim 18 13 6 19— 56
Port Angeles 12 13 10 8— 43
Sequim (56) — Sheppard 19, Julmist 16, Rapelje 11, Grider 7, Schmadeke 2, Melnick 1.
Port Angeles (43) — Halberg 14, Miller 7, Hoch 7, Hope 6, Sohlberg 6, Flores 3.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
