Boys basketball: Wolves fall at home to Vikings, Knights

The league-leading North Kitsap boys basketball team got off to a hot start, then finished the game with a flourish in an 81-49 win over Sequim on Dec. 15.

The Wolves played the Vikings pretty tough in the second and third quarters, but the Vikings built up a double-digit lead with a 23-6 first quarter, then went on a 19-0 run in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Sequim (0-3 in Olympic League, 3-3 overall) got within six points in the second quarter and stayed within 15-18 points for much of the game against the No. 2-ranked Vikings.

After North Kitsap’s big first quarter, the Wolves cut into the lead with a Keenan Green 3-pointer, a Lars Wiker 3-pointer and a second Green trey to make the score 27-21 for North Kitsap.

The Vikings responded with a 13-0 run and the Wolves were never able to get the lead below double digits afterward.

Green led the Wolves with 11, while Charlie Grider had eight, Jamison Gray seven, and Mason Rapelje and Ethan Melnick six each.

Knights edge Wolves

The visiting Bremerton Knights won a back-and-forth match-up that went down to the wire, edging Sequim 69-66 at Rick Kaps Gymnasium on Dec. 12.

Jalen Davis had 23 points and Enoch Taylor added 18 — 11 in the second quarter alone — as Bremerton remained unbeaten after five games.

Green sank five 3-pointers and led the team with 17 points, and teammates Solomon Sheppard had 15 and Rapelje added 14 in the loss.

Sequim held a 7-6 after one quarter, and SHS’s Zeke Schmadeke scored just before the buzzer to pull the Wolves within one (30-29) at halftime.

Bremerton, who came into the contest 4-0 including a 12-point win over Port Angeles, looked to pull away after earning a 49-45 lead after three quarters, but the Wolves went on an 8-0 run capped by Sheppard’s three-point play.

The Knights chipped away, however, as Davis score nine points in the final frame.

With 21.9 seconds remaining, Sequim’s Grider was knocked down with no whistle, and Bremerton scored on the next play to go ahead for good, 66-65.

Ahead 67-66, Bremerton’s Davis was intentionally fouled and sealed the game with two free throws, with Solomon missing a game-tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

Looking ahead

The Wolves are off for much of Winter Break but get a couple of non-league games up north when they take on Whatcom County schools in late December. Sequim plays at Meridian on Dec. 29 and at Bellingham on Dec. 30.

The Wolves are home to take on north Mason on Jan. 2 and play at Kingston on Jan. 5.

Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash Sequim’s Solomon Sheppard shoots and makes a 3-pointer to the excitement of fellow classmates against Bremerton on Dec. 12.