YAKIMA — A rematch with Clarkston, last season’s regional round foe, looms for Port Angeles in today’s 9 a.m. Class 2A State Tournament loser-out contest at the Yakima SunDome.
The 9 a.m. tipoff time, or the Egg McMuffin matchup as the state tournament opener also is known, is not ideal, and neither is the matchup against an underrated Bantams’ team.
With much the same roster composition, the Roughriders fell 61-35 to Clarkston in a 3 vs. 6 matchup in the state regional round in 2019.
Port Angeles couldn’t shoot, hitting just 25 percent from the floor, and also struggled to keep the basketball (22 turnovers) in that contest.
The Riders (19-5) are a more mature, experienced and grittier team than they were last season, but the Bantams will still cause some headaches.
“Clarkston is tough,” Port Angeles coach Michael Poindexter said. “They present us with a fair amount of size. They have some post players that are skilled. They have guards that are zippy and quick — not as many as Tumwater — and they have some pretty good shooters.
“They also have one superb player [junior guard Ashlyn Wallace]. She can dribble drive, shoot from outside, drive and dish and she’s a rebounder at 5-foot-5. It will be a challenge.”
If the Riders can get past the Bantams, a familiar foe awaits in another 9 a.m. contest Thursday: No. 5 Burlington-Edison (20-4). The Tigers bested Port Angeles 66-61 at Burlington-Edison way back on Dec. 7.
“Burlington-Edison plays an up-and-down game and has some good size,” Poindexter said.
“I think its an OK game for us to go out and play. But every game at the state level is dependent on matchups and how your team shakes out against the other team.”
Port Angeles is familiar with many of the other teams remaining in the eight-team bracket.
The Riders also played No. 1 Lynden (a 46-42 loss) and No. 7 W.F. West (a 47-44 win) during the regular season and have met up with White River numerous times in district and state tournament play.
Poindexter and assistant coach Jenn Rogers also have made trips to scout Ellensburg, East Valley (Yakima) and Black Hills.
The only team that Poindexter said he didn’t have much information about is No. 15 Liberty of Renton, a team that competes in a mostly Class 3A league in the Seattle suburbs.
“Liberty is a bit of an unknown for me,” Poindexter said. “I know they play in that 3A league and we have played them in the recent past, but I’m not sure about them.”
The two squads could meet up in a Friday semifinal.
Class 1B No. 8 Wellpinit vs. No. 9 Clallam Bay
SPOKANE — The Bruins’ (18-6) eight-nine seed matchup tips off at 9 p.m. and caps a full day of games at the Class 1B Girls Basketball State Tournament at Spokane Arena.
There’s a Wellpinit connection to the North Olympic Peninsula — former Redskins standout Sam Flett starred for the Peninsula Pirates from 2007-2009.
Flett coached Wellpinit as recently as 2017.
Clallam Bay’s contest is a loser-out, the winner will advance to face No. 2 Inchelium at 9 p.m. Thursday.
No. 4 Neah Bay (18-5) has a bye Wednesday and will await the winner of No. 3 Oakesdale and No. 11 Lummi in a Thursday matchup at 3:45 p.m.