BY OLY ARCHIBALD
SEQUIM — There was great anticipation among Olympic Peninsula basketball aficionados for last night’s matchup between the 4th-ranked Sequim Wolves and the 5th-ranked Bremerton Knights at Rick Kaps Gym.
Neither the Wolves nor the Knights disappointed, as Sequim, trailing by four points late in the game, scored the final nine points to secure a thrilling 66-61 victory in front of an energetic, full-house crowd. The win improves the Wolves to 12-2 in league play and 17-2 overall, earning them a share of the Olympic League Championship with Bremerton (12-2, 14-5).
The Wolves trailed 33-29 at halftime, which Sequim fans considered a win in itself after the officiating crew called three quick fouls on Jericho Julmist. Limited to just four points in the first half due to foul trouble, Julmist exploded for 22 points in the second half, finishing with 26.
The teams traded leads throughout the final 12 minutes, with Sequim going up by as many as five points and Bremerton leading by six at one point. The Knights held a 50-48 advantage after three quarters. However, down by four late in the game, Sequim closed on a 9-0 run to seal the victory.
Solomon Sheppard delivered a game-changing steal and slam dunk, sending Wolves Nation into a frenzy. Time and again, Sheppard and his backcourt partner Julmist hit clutch shots with defenders in their faces.
Wolves Jr Solomon Sheppard had a big smile on his face on the KONP Newsradio post game show after hitting for 15 points and and a thundering slam dunk near the end of the game as the Wolves are Olympic league Co – Champs.
With six seconds remaining and Sequim leading 64-61, Mason Rapelje calmly sank both free throws to ice the game.
At the final buzzer, the scene was reminiscent of the Southeastern Conference, as the Sequim student body stormed the floor. Sequim Athletic Director Ian Henley showed his speed, sprinting onto the court alongside Sequim police officers to escort the game officials safely into the locker room.
All of the Wolves contributed to the victory. Rapelje scored eight points and played strong on both ends of the floor. Ethan Melnick added five points and was key in keeping Bremerton’s athletic 6’6″ senior, Frank Allen, off the boards. Charlie Grider scored five points, Jamison Gray added four, and Zeke Schmadeke—along with others—worked hard to limit Bremerton’s Jalen Davis. Davis, ranked as the 35th-best sophomore in the nation by two recruiting services, showcased his All-American talent, leading all scorers with 27 points.
Wolves Sr Jamison Gray who has had a great last part of the season talked about winning a league championship on the KONP Newsradio post game show after his 4th ranked Wolves beat 5th ranked Bremerton 66-61.
The Wolves and Knights are likely to be seeded No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the upcoming district tournament. Since both teams will receive a first-round bye and won’t play until February 19, they could meet again at a neutral site to determine the Olympic League’s No. 1 and No. 2 district seeds.
Girls Action
In other action, the Port Angeles Roughriders earned a solid road win at Kingston, 53-31. Lindsay Smith led the way with 17 points, Teanna Clark scored 14, and Lexie Smith contributed 13. The Roughriders are expected to secure the No. 3 seed in the district tournament and would host a game on February 18.
The Sequim Wolves girls’ team also had an impressive showing, knocking off Bremerton 57-33.
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Peninsula Pirate mens coach Bryce Jacobson on the KONP Newsradio post game show after the Pirates up set win over #8 ranked Edmonds 101-99. The Pirates host Bellevue tomorrow night at 5:00