Don’t call this win pretty, and not just because of the uniforms.
Sequim went retro in their home match-up with Kingston Feb. 1 on Throwback Night and, like the Sequim 1980s alumni who previously wore the short-shorted uniforms, Sequim dominated the hard court by blasting Kingston 52-32.
The win broke a five-game losing streak and kept alive hopes of a district playoff berth for the Wolves (4-8 in Olympic League, 5-11 overall).
Nic Thacker led Sequim with 19 points and 13 rebounds while teammate Ary Webb added 14 points — including four three-pointers — as the Wolves led from start to finish against the first-year, winless club.
Dalton Thacker and Reed Omdal split time at point guard; Omdal contributed four points and five steals while the youngest Thacker had three points and four assists.
“It felt good to get a win coming of some tough losses,” Sequim point guard Dalton Thacker said. “If we win out, we’re still in it. We still want to make districts. We’ve got to play 32 minutes, hard-nosed, play tough … and want it more than anyone else.”
Sequim, using retro jerseys they sometimes use in practice and suggested to their coach, shot just 35-percent from the field but grabbed 23 offensive rebounds, six by Mike Silliman and five by Nic Thacker.
“Sometimes when you don’t make shots, you have to crash the boards,” Sequim coach Greg Glasser said. “We did a good job rebounding the ball offensively.”
The Wolves also saw quality minutes from Josh Fodge and Taylor Thorsen.
“Taylor is playing well,” Glasser said. “He’s starting to learn he can be very aggressive out there.”
No word on if the uniforms would stick around past Throwback Night, however. Said Dalton Thacker about the retro garb: “I thought they were pretty nice.”
P.A. takes rivalry game, not without suspense
If not for four disastrous minutes in the first quarter,
Sequim players and fans might be celebrating a win against Port Angeles.
The Wolves scrambled bad from a nightmare opening frame — Port Angeles led 15-2 at one point — to take a lead at halftime, only to see a senior-heavy Roughrider team pull ahead in the fourth quarter and hold on for a two-point lead.
Sequim’s Webb, who finished with 15 points, hit a baseline runner with eight seconds left to cut the lead to 53-52, but after P.A.’s Jake Madison hit one of two free throws, the Wolves were unable to get a clean shot off at the buzzer.
“There’s definitely a disappointment,” coach Glasser said following the contest. “We come out a little flat, to say the least … and then come battling back. I was happy with they way that we came back, knowing that we can’t afford to do that, though. It showed tonight that we … can’t afford to have those lapses.”
Nic Thacker led all scorers with 18 points and added nine rebounds. Dalton Thacker had 11 points and three assists.
Buddy Schumacher led Port Angeles with 15 points while point guard Eric Lane had 12.
It was Lane who seemed to control the pace when Port Angeles needed it, and for the first four minutes of the game, it looked as if the Roughriders wouldn’t need much else. Turnovers and harried shots turned a 2-0 Sequim lead to a 15-2 Port Angeles advantage in the blink of an eye, a lead Sequim chipped away at and closed to 17-10 thanks to a Dalton Thacker long-ball and pair of Webb free throws.
On the strength of five straight points from Webb, Sequim shortened P.A.’s lead to just 17-15 and, with 4:38 left in the half, Nic Thacker gave Sequim a lead once again with a three-point play. The teams juggled leads until Nic Thacker scored on another three-point play and Webb added free throws to give the Wolves a 25-22 lead at halftime.
Nic Thacker’s jumper early in the third period gave Sequim its biggest lead at 25-22, but Port Angeles took advantage of missed free throws and buckets to sneak ahead at the end of three quarters, 37-34.
“We had another little lapse in the fourth quarter when we couldn’t make a basket,” Glasser said.
The Roughriders pushed their lead to nine points (50-41) before a key Webb three-pointer spurred Sequim’s comeback. After Lane missed two free throws, Dalton Thacker sank a long two-pointer and a midrange jumper, cutting the lead to 50-48 with 1:17 to go.
After the teams traded free throws, Madison hit a pair from the line to give Port Angeles a 53-50 lead, setting up Webb’s baseline drive and final sequence.
The win gave the Wolves four consecutive losses of four points or less.
“I want so badly for these guys to experience a win, a win in a tight game like that,” Glasser said. “Because I think that’s the only thing we’re lacking.”
Olympic League standings (as of Feb. 4)
• 2A division
Team Lg. Over.
Port Townsend 11-1 15-1
Klahowya 7-5 9-7
North Mason 7-5 12-5
Sequim 4-8 5-11
Kingston 0-14 0-15
• 3A division
Team Lg. Over.
Port Angeles 8-4 9-7
Peninsula 8-5 8-9
Bremerton 6-6 6-10
Olympic 5-8 5-11
