Boys basketball: Wolves bounce Bucs, fall to Vikings

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, January 10, 2018

The shots weren’t falling, but Sequim used some muscle and elbow grease to make sure they didn’t let a chance to win a league game slip away.

Nate Despain scored a season-high 23 points and added nine rebounds and six steals as the Wolves overcame a slow start to knock of Kingston the road on Jan. 3.

With leading scorer Payton Glasser struggling from the field (4-for-19), Despain and Riley Cowan (12 points, 10 rebounds) paced the Sequim offense. Cowan was 3 of 6 from 3-point range. Glasser had eight rebounds and Kyler Rollness chipped in three assists.

Sequim, who overcame an 8-6 first quarter deficit by out-scoring the Buccaneers 21-15 in the second quarter, 12-6 in the third and 14-9 in the fourth, won the game predominantly on the boards. The Wolves out-rebounded Kingston 42-28, with Cowan snagging five of Sequim’s 14 offensive boards.

Kobe Hunt paced Kingston with 16 points, but the Bucs shot just 14 of 51 (27.5 percent) from the field.

Sequim couldn’t keep the road momentum going in a match-up with league powerhouse North Kitsap two days later, dropping a 57-41 decision to the host Vikings on Jan. 5.

North Kitsap held a 25-16 lead at halftime and 43-33 lead after three quarters.

Glasser had 27 points to lead Sequim, 21 in the second half. He shot 11-of-19 from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range.

Overall, however, the Wolves hit just 17 of 53 shots (32 percent).

Despain had seven points and three steals. Cowan had four points and Keeshawn Whitney added three, while Cole Williams had a team-high six rebounds.

Kai Warren led the Vikings with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Looking ahead

Sequim was scheduled to host Bremerton on Jan. 9.

The Wolves host a varsity doubleheader against Port Angeles on Jan. 12, with the girls’ match-up at 5:45 p.m. and the boys’ game set for 7:15 p.m.

Sequim gets a rematch with Kingston at home on Jan. 16 and plays Bremerton on the road Jan. 19.