Photo: The Port Angeles Roughrider girls, playing their best basketball at the right time, are close to clinching the Olympic League championship

By Oly Archibald

BAINBRIDGE — It took two of the smallest basketball players in the Olympic League to prove if you’re lightning quick and able to shoot, you can play for anybody. Izzy Felton and Kason Albaugh did just that, leading their Roughrider basketball teams to critical and hard-fought wins over the Bainbridge Spartans.

At Bainbridge, the Spartan players felt like they were chasing a “Green Comet” all night wearing #12. Senior point guard Izzy Felton is without question the most improved Roughrider from last season. Felton is impacting her Roughrider basketball team like Hannah Bates did for her Sequim team last year.

Last night, Felton led the Roughriders scoring 20 points with 12 points coming from the free throw line. Near the end of the game, the Spartans were so frustrated trying to keep the ball out of Felton’s hands and trying to keep her from getting to the paint, they started putting out some hits the Spartan football coach would have been proud of. Like she did against Sequim, every time the Roughriders needed a big play it was Felton getting the ball in the paint where she was found hitting soft floaters or found one of her green jerseyed friends wide open for easy shots.

On a night when the Roughriders could not throw it in the ocean from the outside, the Roughriders made up for it with their tenacious, in-your-grill defense. Senior Paige Mason, the Roughrider enforcer in the paint as always, hit the boards hard.  She jumped on the floor for loose balls and completely shut down the paint to the Spartan offense. Lexie Smith hit for 7 points. Paige Mason hit some clutch free throws down the stretch for 5 points. The 39-35 win over the 9-2; 11-4 Spartans has the Roughriders closing in on the Olympic League championship. The Roughriders at 9-1; 11-6 will host North Kitsap Tuesday night. No doubt the Vikings will have their telescope out in search of the “Green Comet.”

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Meanwhile in Port Angeles, the Roughrider boys were having a tough time with the Spartans trailing at the half 20-31. That’s when senior shooting guard Kason Albaugh took over, scoring all 13 of his points in the 2nd half in helping the Roughriders tie it up 42-42 at the end of the 3rd quarter. The Roughriders outscored the Spartans 24-11 in the 4th quarter for the 64-53 win.

Isaiah Shamp hit for 20 points and Parker Nickerson hit for 16.

The Roughriders host the North Kitsap Vikings Tuesday night. The Vikings were voted the #1 team in the state by yesterday’s AP poll.

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There is high school action tonight. The Sequim Wolves boys have a critical game at North Mason. The Wolves, at 3-7 in league play, are one game ahead of the Bulldogs for the 4th and final district playoff spot. Tipoff is at 7:00 and you can hear the live action here on KONP Newsradio.

The Sequim Wolves girls team will host North Mason at 7:00.

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There is NWAC basketball tomorrow as the Peninsula Pirates take on the Everett Trojans. The women tip off at 2:00 and the men at 4:00. You can hear both games live on KONP Newsradio. Oly Archibald and Bill Bates will have the play by play.