Boys basketball: Wolves handed two tough losses in Cloud 9 Classic

Wolves tossed around by two “big, physical teams”

By Conor Dowley • January 1, 2020 1:30 am
Erik Christiansen, 34, pictured playing against the Bremerton Knights on Dec. 17, lead the Wolves in scoring at the Cloud 9 Classic in Lynden with 38 points, including scoring 27 against the Sehome Mariners on Dec. 28. Sequim Gazette file photo by Conor Dowley
Erik Christiansen, 34, pictured playing against the Bremerton Knights on Dec. 17, lead the Wolves in scoring at the Cloud 9 Classic in Lynden with 38 points, including scoring 27 against the Sehome Mariners on Dec. 28. Sequim Gazette file photo by Conor Dowley

Sequim’s boys basketball team stepped up to the challenge of the annual Cloud 9 Classic in Lynden and got roughly bounced back, dropping games against Washougal and Sehome on Dec. 27 and 28.

Against Washougal’s Panthers, the Wolves struggled to get a strong footing in the 70-50 loss, with only Dallin Despain and Erik Christiansen getting into double-digit scoring. The pair scored 11 points each, doing much of their scoring from the free throw line.

The Wolves struggled to rebound or play their typical strong defense; no Wolves player had more than five rebounds, though Despain turned in strong defensive play with four steals. Worse, the Wolves couldn’t hold onto the ball effectively, committing 23 turnovers.

The Wolves (6-4) held a lead early in the game, using their speed to run out to a 15-11 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Panthers asserted their superior size to keep Sequim’s smaller team down, however, outscoring the Wolves 24-6 in the second quarter to claim a lead they would not relinquish.

Against the Sehome Mariners the next day Christiansen fared better, scoring 27 points to lead the Wolves, but Sehome ran away with a 59-44 win.

“We ran into some big, physical teams up there,” Sequim head coach Greg Glasser said. “We had too many turnovers.”

Glasser, speaking after the Wolves returned to practice on Dec. 30, indicated that his team is focusing on how to deal with team more physical with themselves and on how to more effectively beat double teams — something that has plagued them in each of their four losses.

Looking ahead

The Wolves return to action with a home game against the 3A Central Kitsap Cougars (2-2 league record, 5-3 overall) at 4 p.m. on Jan. 3. Their Olympic League schedule resumes with a visit to the North Kitsap Vikings (2-1, 7-2) on Jan. 7.

Sequim then play a pair of home games, first at 7:30 p.m. against the Olympic Trojans (1-2, 2-7) on Jan. 10, then in the second half of a girls-boys double header against the Port Angeles Roughriders (3-0, 6-2) at 7:30 p.m. before heading back out on the road on Jan. 17 to face the Kingston Buccaneers (0-4, 0-8).

Olympic League standings

(as of Dec. 30)

Team Lg. Over.

Port Angeles 3-0 6-2

Bremerton 3-1 7-3

North Kitsap 2-1 7-2

Sequim 2-1 6-3

Olympic 1-2 2-7

North Mason 1-3 2-8

Kingston 0-4 0-8