PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Rams were down by just two points late to the Tacoma Kings, but weren’t quite able to pull out a win, falling 94-88.
Abraham Venske of Neah Bay led the Rams with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Michael Janis scored 22 points with seven rebounds and five assists.
Daryl Svec and Ben Lierly came off the bench to score 13 points each, while Nick Camporini, a Peninsula College basketball assistant coach, scored 11.
“We were down two with a chance to tie it up in the last couple of minutes,” said coach Gerrad Brooks. “We just didn’t take care of the ball.”
Brooks said Tacoma was a good, tough, very athletic team.
“We did well,” Brooks said, but said the Rams’ “ur Achilles’ heel” right now is the turnovers.
Michael Janis (34) of the Port Angeles Rams dribbles around the defense of Dom Kirkley of the Tacoma Kings on Sunday afternoon at the Peninsula College gym. The Rams came close to knocking off the Rams, but fell 94-88. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
The Rams are averaging 85 points a game over their first two games with Venske averaging 28.5 points a game and Janis 23.5 points a game. They also lost 103-82 to a 10-2 Peninsula College team earlier this year that appears to be one of the elite teams in the NWAC.
Brooks said the team is greatly improved from last year, the inaugural year of the Rams.
“Working from last year, we’ve made huge strides,” Brooks said.
He said the team has a lot of energy and fights to the end of the games.
“And that’s a signal that they want to get better,” he said.
The Rams return to action Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. at the Peninsula College gym. The Seattle Mountaineers were the original opponent, but that game has been rescheduled.
