PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles boys basketball team got off to a somewhat sluggish start, but got a huge boost from its bench, going on a 16-0 run in the second quarter to blow open a competitive game against Olympic.
In the end, the Roughriders ran away with another blowout win, crushing the Trojans 81-24. The Riders improved to 5-0 and have won all of their games by at least 20 points. They’re winning in different ways, dominating the offensive boards some games, hitting a flurry of threes in others. Against Olympic, the Riders forced 28 turnovers, using steals and blocks to create easy, fast-break layups.
Eleven different Roughriders scored and the bench contributed 31 points. Port Angeles’ lead became so big that the game went to a running clock in the third quarter.
Port Angeles’ Tyler Hunter, left, and Olympic’s Stephen Iugler, center, tangle in the lane as Port Angeles’ Parab Seera looks on at right during Tuesday night’s matchup at Port Angeles High School. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
The Riders allowed just eight points in the second half. Port Angeles is averaging 84.8 points a game and winning by an average margin of 40.8 points a game.
“Our bench was great tonight,” said coach Kasey Ulin. “When we have that kind of balance, we become tough to defend.”
When the Riders are able to play their entire roster and get 31 points off the bench, “We’re rewarding guys who are grinding every day in practice with minutes,” Ulin said.
The Riders had six players with at least eight points. Parker Nickerson led the team with 18 points, while Tyler Hunter had 14, Gus Halberg 10, Isaiah Shamp 10, Parab Seera 10 and Bryant Hoch eight.
The Riders were clearly in control, but Olympic managed to hang around entering the second quarter, down just 22-11. Halberg came off the bench and provided a huge spark. He scored six straight points, punctuated by a steal and a bucket to complete a 16-0 run by Port Angeles. He made a couple of other steals and assists during the run. The Riders outscored the Trojans 26-5 in the second quarter to take a 48-16 lead into the half.
Port Angeles’ Gus Halberg, left, looks to pass as Olympic’s Sean Clegg closes in on Tuesday in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
“Halberg has been slowly, incrementally getting better and better. Now, he’s at a point where he’s just going out and playing,” Ulin said.
The Riders ended the game with an 18-1 fourth quarter.
Port Angeles (3-0, 5-0) should have a tougher battle tonight, perhaps their toughest game of the year so far, against 3A Bainbridge (2-1, 2-1). That game is at 7 p.m.
Port Angeles 81, Olympic 24
Oly. 11 5 7 1 — 24
PA 22 26 15 18 — 81
Olympic (24) — Quinene 6, Whitiner 5, Wright 4, Silva 4, Barrett 2.
Port Angeles (81) — Nickerson 18, Hunter 14, Halberg 10, Shamp 10, Seera 10, Hoch 8, Dunning 3, Albaugh 3, Schmidt 2, Surina 2, Martinez 1.
Ilwaco 67, Forks 45
ILWACO — Forks had a rough second and third quarters in a 67-45 loss to Ilwaco on Tuesday.
The Fighting Fishermen outscored the Spartans 44-17 in the second and third quarters.
“We had a couple guys who started to get tired. Our younger guys got to play and worked hard,” said coach Keith Weekes.
Weekes felt that Klaton Helvey had a good game in only his second year of basketball. He scored 11 points.
“Helvey is a hard worker. Brandon Galeana had his best first quarter of the year,” Weekes said. He said Brody Lausche also worked hard inside and ended up with a bloody nose.
Aidan Salazar also scored 11.
Forks (2-1, 2-3) has a busy week with a game tonight at Raymond, a game at 1 p.m. Saturday at home against Coupeville and a rescheduled game at Neah Bay at 8 p.m. Monday.
Ilwaco 67, Forks 45
Forks 10 7 10 18 — 45
Ilwaco 14 20 24 9 — 67
Forks (67) — Salazar 11, Helvey 11, Davis 5, Galeana 4, Michaeu 4, Lausche 2, Olson 2, Davila 2, Lohrengel 2.
