Make that a pair of wins from the visitors from northern Kitsap County.
Sequim’s Wolves dropped a pair of Olympic League games at home last week, getting upended by Kingston on Jan. 3 and by North Kitsap two days later.
Against Kingston Sequim’s strong first half dissipated in a torrent of turnovers and some hot Buccaneer shooting in a 49-44 loss.
In their first game back from winter break, the Wolves held a 21-14 lead with a minute left in the first half after forcing 16 Kingston turnovers and holding the Bucs to 9-of-28 (32 percent) shooting.
But back-to-back Buc buckets trimmed that lead to three heading into the break.
“Defensively that first half was excellent,” Sequim coach Larry Brown said. “We had a couple of breakdowns offensively and defensively. Their press, we planned for it, we prepared for it.”
That momentum seemed to lean into the third quarter. Sequim went cold — shooting 2-for-12 from the field with seven turnovers — while Kingston’s Sierra Denning scored seven points in the frame to give Kingston a slim 29-28 advantage heading into the fourth.
That’s when it fell apart for Sequim, as a relentless full-court Buc press began to take its toll on the Wolves.
Three-pointers from Kingston’s Denning and Lily Beaulieu pushed the lead to 41-32 mid-way through the final quarter. A Beaulieu steal and feed to Avy Hiner gave the Bucs their largest lead at 47-36 with 1:46 remaining.
“We just have those spurts, whether it’s them playing the right defense or us not getting the right bounce,” Brown said. “It’s kind of our thing right now.
“I attribute it to our youth. It’s (about) proper shot selection and trusting our team is going to be there.”
Sequim had a big last gasp, however, as Hope Glasser had a pair of baskets and Jayla Julmist and Kalli Wiker each added scores, but Kingston hit enough free throws and wore down the clock down the stretch for the victory.
Brown said exchange student Pilar Aliseda had her best game of the season (three steals) and praised all-around games from Julmist, Melissa Porter, and Abby Schroeder, each ninth-graders. Julmist had seven points, four rebounds and a team-high four assists, and Porter added eight points. Schroeder added seven points.
“That whole freshman group does a pretty good job,” Brown said.
Glasser had nine points, 11 rebounds and three steals to pace Sequim’s offense, while fellow sophomore Jessica Dietzman had four points and seven rebounds.
Hiner led Kingston with 16 points; Denning had 13 points, five rebounds and five steals.
The teams combined for 56 turnovers (Kingston 29, Sequim 27).
Two days later, Sequim fell to the league-leading North Kitsap Vikings, 67-45; details were not available.
Looking ahead
Sequim was scheduled to play at Bremerton on Jan. 9.
The Wolves join the SHS boys in hosting Port Angeles for a double-header on Friday, Jan. 12. Sequim is at Kingston on Jan. 16 and Olympic on Jan. 18.
Sequim forward Jayla Julmist (20) keeps an eye on Kingston guard Kylee Walker as Sequim’s Melissa Porter looks on. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim forward Hope Glasser snags one of her game-high 11 rebounds in the second half of a 49-42 home loss to Kingston on Jan. 3. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim’s Alisha Grasser, left, looks to drive past Kingston’s Sierra Denning in the first half of a Jan. 3 Olympic League match-up. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim’s Kalli WIker (foreground, right) guards Kingston’s Leetsah Deem while SHS teammate Jessica Dietzman looks on. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
