PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles girls basketball team remains unbeaten and all alone in first place in the Olympic League after fending off a Bainbridge comeback thanks to some clutch plays from up and down their roster.
Bainbridge came in to Tuesday’s game with a chance to tie the Roughriders for first place. Instead, Port Angeles won 53-46 to sweep the Spartans, giving them a two-game edge over Bainbridge and putting themselves in prime position for a league championship, though the Roughriders still have important games left with Kingston and second-place Sequim. Coincidentally, after the conclusion of the game, there was a Roughrider-green glow in the night sky over the Port Angeles gym from the northern lights.
“We were not doing a good job on the boards [in the first half],” said coach Michael Poindexter. In fact, Bainbridge had a 28-8 edge on the offensive boards, which led to 16 Bainbridge points. Port Angeles countered with six 3-pointers to just one for the Spartans.
“We got on them at halftime about rebounding,” Poindexter said. “Our press lost a little of its intensity. We eventually went to a 1-3-1.”
Still, Poindexter was pleased with how the Riders handled Bainbridge’s comeback attempt.
“Our physical and mental stamina have been good twice against them,” he said.
The Riders lean heavily on Teanna Clark and Lindsay Smith to come through at crunch time, but in Tuesday’s win over Bainbridge, several bench players played huge roles in the victory.
Becca Manson had a huge bucket with 1:37 left in the game and a clutch rebound and assist with 37 seconds left to help lead the Riders to the win.
“I’m really glad I was able to contribute and create opportunities for my teammates,” Manson said. “We need to keep it up and play well down the stretch to continue this win streak.”
Port Angeles got up big in the second quarter at 31-18 as Clark was on fire with 14 first-half points. The Spartans were getting almost all of their points inside from 6-foot-2 Anna Rowe, who scored 15 in the first half.
The Spartans ended the first half on a 6-0 run, clawing to within 31-24 at the halftime break. Bainbridge maintained its momentum early in the second half, getting to within two points at 37-35. London Bourland off the bench scored just four points, but they all came in the third quarter when the Riders were struggling to score and were trying to fend off a Bainbridge surge. Her points kept the Riders in the lead.
The score remained at a two-point gap at 39-37 early in the fourth quarter when the Riders began opening up a gap. Clark scored four points on free throws and had a beautiful assist to Smith for a basket as Port Angeles got up 46-39.
Again, Bainbridge battled back to make it 46-44 with 1:53 left. Manson had just two points in the game, but she made a clutch basket at 1:37 to give the Riders a two-possession lead at 48-44. After a Bainbridge score, Manson made another clutch play, getting an offensive rebound and hitting Smith with a pass for a bucket and a foul with 37 seconds left. Smith made her free throw to make it 51-46, again pushing the lead to two possessions.
Finally, the Riders got the last bucket on a breakout play from an inbounds pass as Morgan Politika sprinted to the basket and scored.
Bainbridge got to within two points of the Riders on three occasions, but the Spartans were never able to tie or take the lead. The Riders’ defense also kept the ball away from Rowe inside as she only had two field goals in the second half, finishing with 23 points.
Clark led the team with 19 points, four assists, three steals and three blocks. Smith had 16 points and nine rebounds and Manson seven rebounds. Politika finished with nine points.
Port Angeles (8-0, 10-5) next plays at Olympic (2-7, 4-11) on Friday.
Port Angeles 53, Bainbridge 46
BI 8 16 11 11 — 46
PA 18 13 8 14 — 53
Port Angeles (53) — Clark 19, Smith 16, Politika 9, Bourland 4, Moses 3, Manson 2.
The view outside the Port Angeles gym after the Roughriders girls basketball victory Tuesday night. (Pierre LaBossiere/Peninsula Daily News)
