As the first of Sequim’s hoops teams to take to the hardcourt, second-year head coach Craig Brooks said he liked what he saw from his team’s cohesiveness in a seven-point win at Klahowya. The Wolves had assists on more than half their baskets.

“We play with passion and we play together,” Brooks said at an early season practice.

After losing a number of key pieces from last season, the Wolves are looking for that cohesiveness to stay competitive in a tough Olympic League.

Gone are all-Olympic League first-teamer Isaiah Moore, all-league honorable mention Zach Thompson, post Cole Smithson and Vince Carrizosa, now a redshirt freshman at Peninsula College.

The Wolves, however, bring back plenty of firepower and versatility. Leading the team on the court are a trio of seniors, including Keenan Green, Lars Wiker and Garrett Little — who is nursing a wrist injury but is expected back in a couple of weeks.

Green, a sharpshooting guard, is expanding his game to be more of a threat going to the basket, Brooks said.

“Hopefully our shooting [is a strength], our ability to score inside and out,” Brooks said. “And we’ve got some guys who can defend the ball.”

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Craig Brooks talks with team members in an early-season Sequim High boys basketball practice. The Wolves were 8-6 in league play and 11-11 overall last season.

Indicative of that is lanky sophomore guard Solomon Sheppard, who knocked down four 3-pointers and had nine rebounds.

“We don’t know how high his ceiling is yet,” Brooks said of Sheppard, who missed much of 2022-23 with an injury.

Brooks said he is also seeing good things early on from freshman guard Mason Rapelje.

“He leads by example,” the Sequim coach said of Rapelje.

Junior Charlie Grider will also be a leader for this year’s team, Brooks said.

“He’s a good vocal leader for us,” he said.

Sequim was 8-6 in league play — including a home win against rival Port Angeles — and 11-11 overall, going 1-1 at the district tournament.

The Wolves have a tough league schedule with two games apiece against North Kitsap (ranked No. 14 in the state’s RPI index at the end of this past season) and Port Angeles (No. 22), along with a one-off non-leaguer against Vashon (No. 12 among 1A schools).

Brooks said Sequim’s defensive toughness and togetherness should help them equalize a lot of teams with individual stars.

“It’s not our goal to come in the middle of the pack,” Brooks said.

Wolves start with a win

Solomon Sheppard had 21 points and Keenan Green added 20 as the Wolves got a 62-55 non-league win to open the season at Klahowya on Nov. 29.

Sheppard nearly had a double-double with nine rebounds. He and Green — who led the team with six assists — both sank four 3-pointers.

Sequim High sophomore Solomon Sheppard led the Wolves with 21 points and nine rebounds in a season-opening win at Klahowya in late November.

Charlie Grider added six points, eight rebounds and three steals while Lars Wiker chipped in six points and six rebounds in the victory.

The Wolves overall shot 22 of 56 (39%) from the field, and 9-of-32 (28%) from the 3-point line. Sequim struggled from the line, sinking just 9 of 23 free throw attempts (39%).

Sequim added a 55-33 win at Fife’s John McCrossin Memorial Basketball Classic on Dec. 2. Green erupted for 23 points while Sheppard added nine points and a team-high six rebounds in the win. Green and Zeke Schmadeke each had three of Sequim’s 14 steals.

Coming up

The Wolves are at 3A Bainbridge on Dec. 8 and host Vashon on Dec. 9.

Sequim plays host to Bremerton on Dec. 12 and North Kitsap on Dec. 13.

Winter sports preview: SHS boys basketball

Head coach: Craig Brooks (2nd season)

2022-2023 results: 8-6 in Olympic League, 1-1 at districts; 11-11 overall

Key returning players: Keenan Green (sr.), Charlie Grider (jr.), Lars Wiker (sr.), Solomon Sheppard (so.), Garrett Little (sr.), Lars Wiker (sr.)

Newcomers: Mason Rapelje (fr.), Zeke Schmadeke (so.), Jamison Grey (jr.), Ethan Melnick (jr.)

Box2:

Sequim High boys basketball 2023-2024 schedule

Date Opponent Varsity JV

Nov. 29 at Klahowya 7 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 2 at Fife 7 p.m.

Dec. 8 at Bainbridge 8 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Dec. 9 Vashon 7 p.m.

Dec. 12 Bremerton 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Dec. 13 North Kitsap 5:15 p.m. TBA

Dec. 29 at Meridian 6 p.m.

Dec. 30 at Bellingham 3 p.m.

Jan. 2 North Mason 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 5 at Kingston 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 9 Olympic 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 11 Port Angeles 5:15 p.m. TBA

Jan. 16 Bainbridge 5:15 p.m. 5

Jan. 19 at Bremerton 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 23 at North Kitsap 8 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 26 at North Mason 6:45 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 30 Kingston 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Feb. 1 at Olympic 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.

Feb. 6 at Port Angeles 5:15 p.m. TBA