Olympic League standings
(as of Jan. 10)
Team Lg. Over.
Olympic 5-0 10-2
North Kitsap 3-1 8-3
Port Angeles 3-1 6-5
Sequim 3-3 5-5
Bremerton 2-2 5-5
Kingston 1-4 5-7
North Mason 0-5 2-8
After close losses to peninsula foes, Sequim got back on the winning track Friday at home against North Mason.
Adrienne Haggerty scored a game-high 21 points, Ella Christiansen had 10 and Hope Glasser added nine as Sequim routed the Bulldogs 55-40 on Jan. 6.
Sequim got a big first quarter (20-12) and didn’t let up to lock down their third league win, placing them a notch above Bremerton for fourth place in league.
Hailey Simonson led North Mason with 11 points.
Haggerty was the Wolves’ leading scorer as well on Jan. 4 in a 45-42, non-league loss at Neah Bay.
Neah Bay got 16 points from Gina McCaulley and 14 from Tristin Johnson.
Riders take rivalry game
Tough, fast and on this night able to shake free from a scrappy Sequim team.
Port Angeles’ Roughriders got a big game from senior post Nizhoni Wheeler and balanced scoring besides as they held off a persistent Wolves squad in Sequim on Jan. 3, 41-26.
Wheeler had 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists as Port Angeles earned some separation with a 12-4 fourth quarter spurt.
“(Early on) we got out-worked on the boards but I thought we stepped up,” Port Angeles coach Michael Poindexter said. “Sequim started moving the ball against our 1-3-1 zone but I thought our 2-3 zone worked well.”
The Riders also got solid contributions from Kiana Robideau, Natalie Steinman and Aeverie Politika, who scored six points apiece.
Wheeler fueled the Riders on the offensive end, working inside for tough layups and finding open teammates when Sequim doubled down in the post.
“(Nizhoni) in my mind is the best passer in the league,” Poindexter said.
Port Angeles also frustrated Sequim, playing without starting point guard Bobbi Sparks, into 21 turnovers.
“We were working our offense well (but) they are physical and fast,” Christiansen said. “We’re not used to how fast they play.”
Sequim coach Larry Brown said the Roughrider press was working well.
“That press was really good — it forced us to take some shots we don’t want to take,” he said. “It’s a different ballgame when you’re pressured like that.”
Jessica Dietzman led Sequim with nine points. Christiansen had eight points, Glasser added seven rebounds and Haggerty had six rebounds and four blocks.
“Christiansen and Haggerty are a nice post duo,” Poindexter said.
After falling behind 5-1 midway through the first quarter, Sequim went on an 11-3 run for its biggest lead (12-8) of the game. Wheeler, Politika and Devin Edwards responded with baskets to give Port Angeles a 21-16 lead at halftime.
The Roughriders went on an 8-0 run to take a 29-19 lead late in the third quarter. Sequim never got closer than seven points down the stretch.
“Defensively, holding a team like (Port Angeles) to 41 points is a pretty solid outing,” Brown said. “I’ll take 10 points a quarter.”
The Roughriders finished with 10 turnovers, but only five through three quarters.
“We tend to, for the most part, handle (press break) well,” Poindexter said. “Sequim made some nice adjustments and hurt us with some dribble penetration (but) we got tougher as the game went on.”
Looking ahead
Sequim was scheduled to play at Coupeville on Jan. 10 — results were not available at press time.
The Wolves are at Bremerton on Jan. 13 and, in a rescheduled game from earlier in the month, at Bainbridge on Jan. 14. Sequim plays its fourth and fifth road games in a row on Jan. 17 at Olympic and Jan. 20 at North Kitsap before hosting Friday Harbor on Jan. 21.
