Boys basketball: Roughriders able to fend off Wolves

By Pierre LaBossiere • February 13, 2024 3:35 pm

It was a rugged, physical battle, but the Port Angeles boys basketball team never allowed Sequim to go on a big run and held on for a 75-61 victory on Feb. 6.

Sequim finished its regular season at 5-9 in Olympic League play and 10-10 overall.

The Wolves were seeded No. 11 in the bi-district tournament as the No. 4 team out of the Olympic League, and opened the tourney against Evergreen (Seattle) in a winner-advances loser-out contest in Sequim on Feb. 13; results were not available at press time.

Port Angeles coach Kasey Ulin wasn’t happy with how his team played, though he said the team’s defense was solid. He said the team didn’t take care of the ball on offense and had too many turnovers.

“We couldn’t get a lot of rhythm. It was a choppy game, there were a lot of fouls,” Ulin said.

Port Angeles held a lead almost the entire game, but never could quite put Sequim away as the Wolves kept lurking 10 to 15 points behind the Riders. Port Angeles was finally able to open up the lead to 20 points midway through the fourth quarter at 61-41.

The teams combined for 52 points in the fourth quarter, with the Wolves getting nearly half their points, 28, in the quarter.

While Shamp had a big quarter, Sequim’s Solomon Sheppard had an even bigger fourth, erupting for 17 of his 20 points in the final eight minutes.

Sequim coach Craig Brooks thought the Wolves gave up too many transition baskets to the Riders, who have thrived on steals and fast breaks all season.

“We missed a lot of shots. We were getting good shots,” Brooks said.

For Sequim, Mason Rapelje scored 10 points, which included a pair of 3-pointers. Keenan Green had eight and Charlie Grider seven.

For Port Angeles, Parker Nickerson had 13 points and Sohlberg had nine points. Kason Albaugh finished with eight.

The Olympic League produced a number of top teams in the 2A classification: North Kitsap is ranked No. 4 in the state in Ratings Percentage Index, while Bremerton is No. 7 and Port Angeles is No. 12.

Photo by Keith Thorpe/Olympic Peninsula News Group Sequim’s Solomon Shepard, center, takes his shot surrounded by Port Angeles’ William Ruddell, left, and Blake Sohlberg at Port Angeles High School on Feb. 6.

Photo by Keith Thorpe/Olympic Peninsula News Group Sequim’s Charlie Grider, center, fights for a rebound with Port Angeles’ Isaiah Shamp, left, as Port Angeles’ Dallas Dunning looks on during the teams’ Olympic League finale in Port Angeles on Feb. 6.