FORKS — Forks handled Wahkiakum in the first half of a Class 2B nonleague boys basketball game.
Then the Mules shook off the four-hour bus ride and sank some shots to erase a 33-18 deficit and sink the Spartans 60-52 Monday night.
“They started hitting shots in the second half,” Forks coach Rick Gooding said. “They had a long, long bus ride then it took them a little while to wake up. They had a kid hit four 3s in the third. We did a couple of little things to adjust but they didn’t work out.
“I have to do a better job adjusting. I took too long to get us out of zone and into man and then too long to get into the three-quarter court pressure.”
Gooding said the pressure defense helped Forks close from down 10 to trail by four points late, but that’s as close as the Spartans would get.
“We didn’t shoot exceptionally well in the second half and we only got to the [free-throw] line five times,” Gooding said.
Ashton Doyle led Forks with 14 points.
“Ryan Rancourt twisted his ankle against Ocosta, so Ashton got to start and he had a varsity high in points,” Gooding said.
Forks (4-1, 5-5) had its Tuesday contest away at Chief Leschi pushed to Friday.
The Spartans are scheduled to visit North Beach on Thursday.
Wahkiakum 60, Forks 52
Wah. 10 6 25 19 — 60
Forks 15 18 5 14 — 52
Forks (52) — Doyle 14, Pursley 13, Olson 10, Lausche 6, Salazar 5, Micheau 4, Davis.