PORT ANGELES — With Hunter Flores and Brock Hope back in the mix, the Port Angeles boys basketball team relied on its size and some timely outside shooting to beat the Surfcoast Chargers, an international traveling team from Melbourne, Australia, 44-31.
The game, which was an exhibition and doesn’t count in the team standings, was a good tune-up for the Riders’ big matchup Tuesday against Olympic Peninsula rival Sequim.
The Riders took command of the game with a 21-3 second quarter, going into the halftime break with a 33-12 lead. Port Angeles stretched its lead to 39-14 at one point early in the third quarter as bench players got in a lot of time in the second half, allowing the score to tighten up at the end.
John Ruddell hit a pair of early 3-pointers and scored 12. Hunter Flores, back in the starting lineup, also hit a pair of 3-pointers and led the team with 14 points. Ashton Gedelman had seven. Brody Pierce, the team’s leading scorer, sat out to rest a sprained ankle.
“Everyone got to play at home. We executed really well. The offense shared he ball well,” said coach Kevin Ruble.
Port Angeles (2-1, 4-4) next plays at home against Sequim (2-1, 3-5). The winner of that game will be in second place in the Olympic League.
In other games Friday, Forks beat Tenino 70-53 and University Prep beat East Jefferson 60-41.
Port Angeles 44, Chargers 31
SC 9 3 4 15 — 31
PA 12 21 6 5 — 44
Port Angeles (44) — Flores 14, Ruddell 12, Gedelman 7, Benoit 5, Hope 4, Point 2.
University 79, Sequim 61 Eastmont 66, Sequim 38
WENATCHEE — The Sequim boys basketball team lost three games at a tournament in Wenatchee featuring eastern Washington and Idaho teams, but coach Craig Brooks said the tournament was good for his team.
“It was a good trip. We got better even though we didn’t win any games,” Brooks said.
The Wolves lost 79-61 on Saturday to University, a 3A school out of Spokane. Brooks said the team had much better offense than on Friday, a 66-38 loss to Eastmont.
“That was a tough opponent and stayed even with them most of the game. We got up two in the second half at one point,” Brooks said. He said the team showed a lot of good offensive balance, led by Solomon Sheppard’s 26 points.
In Friday’s game, the Wolves struggled offensively. Sheppard led the team with 14.
Sequim next travels to Port Angeles at 7 p.m. Tuesday to play the Riders in an important Olympic League contest.
Concrete 68, Crescent 59
JOYCE — The Crescent boys basketball team kept it close against Concrete, getting within five points, but the Lions controlled the offensive boards to win 68-59 on Saturday.
Liam Sprague had his best game of the year with 35 points.
“Tremendous heart shown by these guys,” said coach Chris Ferrier. “Liam Sprague had a huge game. Really put us on his back. Logan Harris and Jessie Chartier really battled against their much bigger guys. Proud of these guys.”
The Loggers (1-8) play at Mary M. Knight today.
Concrete 68, Crescent 59
Con. 22 13 19 18 — 69
Cres. 16 15 13 14 — 58
Crescent (58) — L. Sprague 35, J. Sprague 15, Chartier 2, Holmes 2, Harris 4.
East Jefferson’s Luke O’Hara drives the ball against University Prep in Port Townsend on Friday. University Prep won 60-41. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
