By Oly Archibald
PORT ANGELES — Hard work does pay off, and Kasey Ulin’s Port Angeles Roughriders basketball team had to work hard to come back from a 14-point deficit and somehow win in the final seconds 68-67 over a state tournament-savvy Sammamish Red Hawk team Wednesday night.
The Roughriders trailed at halftime 37-24 but then outscored the Red Hawks 17-11 and trailed by just 7 points 48-41 after three quarters. The Red Hawks led by as many as 14 points, but Ulin changed his defense from man to man to a 1-3-1 trapping zone and the Roughriders started turning Red Hawk turnovers into lay ups. The Roughriders did not take the lead until 2 and half minutes left in the game. Both teams traded buckets but in the end the Roughriders pulled off the 68-67 win.
6’5″ senior Isaiah Shamp led the way with 29 points. 6’2″ senior Parker Nickerson, even though he had a tough shooting night, still hit for a hard earned 17 points and was a force defensively all over the court. 5’11” junior point guard Gus Halberg was solid with 11 points and looked good breaking the full court press compared to the Roughriders’ tendency to turn the ball over last year. Donovan Heins, a 6’1″ sophomore, had some great minutes in the last quarter as well as 6’2″ senior William Ruddell.
The Red Hawks looked like a state-tournament team in the opening minutes of the game. The Roughriders had no answer for the Red Hawks point guard, 6’0″ sophomore Rankin Showki. Showki was faster and quicker than anyone wearing the green and white jerseys. He hit for 23 points, but fouled out late in the game.
There is no doubt these are the type of games that the Roughriders lost last season. The Roughriders were far from perfect, and the Riders’ head coach admitted he would have lots of great film from which to teach.
The Roughriders are off until Dec. 8th when they travel to Bremerton for a tough Olympic League match up with the Knights.
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The Sequim Wolves boys basketball team won their opener last night at Klahowya 62-55.
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In bowling action today 5-1 Port Angeles is at Bremerton for a 2:45 start and Sequim will host North Mason at 3 pm.