POULSBO — North Kitsap’s Kobe McMillian hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game to give the Vikings a hard-fought 58-54 win over Port Angeles in an Olympic League 2A Division boys basketball contest.
McMillian then had a steal in the final seconds of the game as the Roughriders never got a chance at a last-second shot to tie it. A free throw gave the Vikings their final margin of victory.
“I thought it was a state-caliber game early in the year,” Port Angeles coach Kasey Ulin said. “Two teams battling it out, kids taking charges, selling out for balls on the floor, just a high-level basketball game. It was good to be apart of.”
Port Angeles, hoping to knock off one of the top teams on the Olympic League 2A Division on their home floor, went into the halftime break with a 32-27 lead and built the lead up to 37-29 at one point midway through the third quarter after a Peyton Schmidt 3-pointer. The Vikings roared back with a 17-5 run to close out the third, taking a 46-42 lead into the fourth.
North Kitsap built the lead up to 49-44, but it was the Riders’ turn to come roaring back as Long and Edwards hit back-to-back buckets to give Port Angeles a 50-49 lead with just over three minutes left.
The game ended up tied at 50-50, 52-52 and 54-54 down the stretch. It was still knotted at 54-54 when McMillian hit his clutch shot in the waning seconds.
“We had 22 turnovers, a couple of possessions went their way at the end, a couple of calls, and Garrett [Edwards] getting in foul trouble had an impact with how well he’s been playing for us,” Ulin said.
“It could have gone either way. You could have flipped a coin.”
Ulin said he didn’t think his team should have been in the position to fall late.
“We controlled most of the game, most of the tempo,” Ulin said. “We value the basketball a little better and we are having a different conversation, but that’s on us as coaches.”
The Riders were led by Kyle Benedict’s 14 points and Schmidt returned from an extended sickness with 12. Edwards and Gabe Long had nine points each.
Port Angeles (1-1, 2-2) hosts North Mason (1-2, 4-4) at 7:15 p.m. Friday.
North Kitsap 58, Port Angeles 54
PA 16 16 10 12 — 54
NK 11 16 19 12 — 58
Port Angeles (54) — Benedict 14, Schmidt 12, Edwards 9, Long 9, Clark 5, Johnson 5.
North Kitsap (58) — Humphrey 22, McMillian 10, Siebers 10, Baker 9, Chmielewski 5, Moore 2.
Sequim 59, Bremerton 51
BREMERTON — The Wolves are in sole possession of first place in the Olympic League 2A Division after beating the Knights 59-51 on the road.
“Any time you can go on the road, you’re happy to come out with a win,” said coach Greg Glasser. “We had to grind it out down the stretch.”
Glasser said the entire team played well, especially the bench.
“A number of guys stepped up. We’re a little deeper than we have been. When we go to the bench, they respond,” Glasser said. He said Kyler Rollness, who scored eight points and Michael Young, both played well off the bench.
The Wolves remain unbeaten in league at 3-0, 5-1 overall, a half-game ahead of North Kitsap. Sequim next plays a nonleague game at Klahowya (2-0, 4-1) at 5:15 p.m. Friday.
Neah Bay 77, Taholah 68
TAHOLAH — Cameron Moore scored 25 points and the Red Devils opened up a 20-point lead after three quarters in a nonleague win over the Chitwins.
Keith Johnson Jr. added 17 points for Neah Bay while Jay Brunk scored 12 and Sean Bitegeko 10. Moore, who shot 9 for 13 from the floor, led with seven rebounds and Bitegeko had six. Johnson had 10 assists.
Neah Bay (2-2) will take a nine-day break and then play Crosspoint on the road in Port Angeles on Dec. 21 in a nonleague game.
Neah Bay 77, Taholah 68
Neah Bay 21 23 20 13 — 77
Taholah 10 21 13 24 — 68
Neah Bay (77) — Moore 25, Johnson 17, Brunk 12, Bitegeko 10.
Taholah (68) — Orozco 18, Underwood 15, Mowitch 14, Waugh 10, Dan 5, McCord 3, James 3.
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Kitsap News Group’s Mark Krulish contributed to this report. Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group Port Angeles’ Kyle Benedict goes up for a layup while defended by North Kitsap’s Kobe McMillian. Benedict led the Riders with 14 points in a 58-54 loss to the Vikings.
