In three games this year, the Port Angeles and Sequim boys basketball teams have battled deep into the fourth quarter, with the final outcome of the game very much in doubt.

And in three straight games, Sequim has taken over down the stretch to hold off the Roughriders.

The third time around, a trip to the state tournament was at stake and it will be Sequim moving on to the next round, thanks to a 56-46 win over the Riders on Feb. 23 at Foss High School.

Port Angeles hung in with Sequim and was down just one possession at 47-44 with 2:30 left to play. The Wolves finished the game on a 9-2 run over the final 150 seconds to pull the game out.

The Wolves (18-4) got a huge game from Jericho Julmist, who scored 29. The Riders didn’t seem to have an answer for Julmist until the fourth quarter, when they held him to just two points as they mounted a furious comeback attempt. Solomon Sheppard responded in the fourth with seven of his 14 points to help fend off Port Angeles.

The game started off fast and furious with the two teams combining for six 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the game. Julmist scored 13 in that first quarter and Sheppard had seven as the Wolves took a 22-15 lead into the second.

The game settled down after that into a defensive struggle. Julmist got up to 19 points at the half as the Wolves went into the break up 33-24.

Port Angeles began pounding the ball inside to 6-foot-9 Brock Hope in the second half and he responded with six points in the third quarter, including an offensive rebound and putback to make the score 38-36 late in the third quarter.

Julmist responded with seven straight points to open Sequim’s lead up to 45-36. The Riders roared back again as they had all game, chipping away at the lead and outscoring the Wolves 8-2 to get within three points at the 3:30 mark of the fourth quarter.

From that point on, however, the Sequim defense clamped down, allowing the Riders just two points over the final 3:30 of the game.

Gus Halberg led the Riders with 16 points, while Blake Sohlberg had eight, Hope seven and Keatyn Hoch six. Mason Rapelje scored eight points for the Wolves.

Port Angeles’ season is done with an 11-14 record, but the Riders had two postseason wins, 60-47 over Fife and 59-57 over Clover Park on a buzzer-beater by Hunter Flores. The Wolves won two out of three at district, beating Foss 76-50 on Feb. 19 in Sequim. The Wolves lost Feb. 21 to Franklin Pierce 51-38.

The Olympic League dominated the District 3 tournament with league champion Bremerton winning the district championship, 66-34 over Franklin Pierce. Bainbridge will join Bremerton and Sequim at regionals.

Sequim will play Lindbergh at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 at the University of Puget Sound.

Foss win

Julmist poured in 37 points to help Sequim win 76-50 over the Foss Falcons at home on Feb. 19. Julmist scored early and often, putting up 15 of his points in the opening frame, including getting to the free-throw line five times.

“Jericho played great,” Wolves coach Craig Brooks said. “He attacks the basket and doesn’t stop moving.”

The Wolves clamped down defensively in the second quarter, taking command of the contest by keeping Foss out of the paint and off the offensive glass, limiting the Falcons to just five points on the way to building up a 41-21 halftime lead.

“The second quarter defense was about us taking care of the ball so they don’t have easy baskets and protecting the paint,” Brooks said. “We had a lot if guys play great defense on and off the ball.”

Senior Ethan Melnick added 14 points and Sheppard added 12 for Sequim.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Solomon Sheppard looks for a shot over a Foss player on Feb. 19.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Zeke Schmadeke looks to pass to Mason Rapelje and Jericho Julmist in a home playoff game against Foss.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Zeke Schmadeke goes up for a layup against Foss on Feb. 19.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Solomon Sheppard looks to drive on Feb. 19 in a playoff win over Foss.