The outcome remained the same in a loss to Bremerton on Friday night, but Sequim’s coaches say the Wolves’ effort remains strong.

The Knights (3-4 in the Olympic League, 5-9 overall) followed their 53-46 win over the Wolves on Dec. 7, at home with a 52-42 win on Jan. 13, in Sequim (0-7, 2-11). Forward Desmond Moore led Bremerton with 21 points while Sequim’s Payton Glasser scored 17 points followed by guard Nate Despain with 8 points.

“I love the way you compete,” said Sequim’s assistant coach Phil Langston after the game to the team. “(The team’s record) doesn’t stop you.”

Sequim has lost four in a row as of Monday, Jan. 16, with Olympic League leaders Olympic (5-2, 11-4) and North Kitsap (6-0, 12-2) on schedule for home games on Jan. 17 and Jan. 20. Earlier this season, they lost to Olympic 53-45 and North Kitsap 67-45.

“These are tough times, especially when you know deep down you could have beaten (Bremerton),” Langston said. “The measure of effort was excellent.”

The Wolves opened with a strong first quarter behind Payton Glasser with five points including a bucket to tie the game at nine points. Sequim’s Nate Despain scored back-to-back buckets to end the quarter and move the Wolves ahead 13-9.

Game play stayed close in the second quarter, too, as the Knights inched closer with strong play from Moore scoring seven in the quarter including a 3-pointer. Sequim’s Konner Parrish opened the quarter for the Wolves with a 3-pointer to give them their biggest lead of the night at seven (16-9). However, turnovers and fouls allowed the Knights to come back leading to Moore’s 3-pointer to tie the game at 19 with 1:17 to play before halftime. Kyler Rollness put the Wolves up 21-19 with a bucket before half.

Bremerton’s Diontae Madison opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to put the Knights ahead for good in the game. The Knights went up by as much as nine points (33-24) in the quarter after a 3-pointer by Richard Bios with 3:15 left.

Despain made two free throws and a leaning jump shot and Keeshawn Whitney made a shot to bring it to 33-30 with 1:10 left.

Glasser cut the Knights’ lead to two twice in the fourth quarter and the Wolves had other opportunities to swing momentum but couldn’t capitalize as the Knights stayed consistent with low-post buckets and free throws.

Bremerton made 12-19 free throws in the game while Sequim went 9-20 with Glasser going 6-15.

Parrish sunk a 3-pointer cutting the lead to four (44-40) with 2:06 to go but the Knights sank free throws in crunch time and the Wolves missed some timely shots. In the second half, the Knights outscored Sequim 15-10 in the third and 18-11 in the fourth.

Moore and Glasser each scored six in the fourth for their teams.

Assistant coach Jon Fodge seconded Langston’s comment on the team’s effort saying they recorded nine steals.

Langston also encouraged the team to consider their character and how they deal with the disappointment.

“Stick with it. You’re going to get better every day,” he said. “I think you’ll flush this and you’ll grow.”

The Wolves’ game earlier in the week was rescheduled to Jan. 30 in Coupeville.

Girls stage a comeback

The Lady Wolves (3-4, 5-7) came close to an upset after falling behind by 18 points through three quarters against Bremerton (4-3, 7-6). Despite 20 points in the fourth from Sequim, the Knights won 44-39 on Jan. 13.

Adrienne Haggerty led the Wolves with 11 points followed by Madison Green with nine and eight from Bobbi Sparks. Elysabeth Lamoureux led the Knights with 19.

Bremerton led 27-10 at halftime and 37-19 after three quarters.

The Lady Wolves lost another close one 36-35 the following day on Jan. 14, against Bainbridge in a non-league match-up. Haggerty led the team with 18 points and Sparks and Madison Green each had five.

Sequim has five league games remaining to earn a spot into the top four for a possible spot in the West Central District playoffs.

This week, Sequim travels to Olympic (5-2, 10-4) on Jan. 17 and North Kitsap (5-1, 11-3) on Jan. 20, before hosting Friday Harbor on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Sequim’s Riley Cowan scoops up a steal from Bremerton’s Japrea Pedesclaux on Jan. 13.

Sequim’s Keeshawn Whitney goes up for bucket on Jan. 13, against Bremerton. He finished with five of the Wolves’ 42 points in a loss. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim’s Keeshawn Whitney goes up for bucket on Jan. 13, against Bremerton. He finished with five of the Wolves’ 42 points in a loss. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash