- video by Jim P.

#1 WA Boys AA Blue fall to #2 Chico Red

 

BREMERTON, Wash. – ‘On any given night, any team can beat any other team,’ the famous axiom states. Usually, that occurs because the championship team fails to fire on all cylinders.

 

Monday (Mar. 5) night was undefeated WA Boys AA Blue Knights night to lose. Primarily, because only one aspect of their game was on, their long-range shooting.

 

At Mountain View Middle School on Monday, Chico Boys AA Red defeated the Knights 53-to-34, to join Mountain View at the top of the Pee Wee Boys AA standing with two games remaining in the regular season. It was the first time both teams have faced-off against each other this season.

 

As the first half unfolded it became evident this was not going to be your typical WA Boys AA Blue game.

 

Knights point guard Ruppe Wilson, who averages 4.4 steals per game, was not regularly picking Chico’s ball handler. He ended up not pilfering a single ball in the contest. Warren Ave speedster D’Angelo Moore, who averages 13.0 points per game (ppg), was challenged every time he jetted down the court on a fast break or drove. Bremerton High freshman and varsity boys basketball starter Kimo Retome lost his long-range accuracy after making his first three-point basket. Inside force Donavin Barrick, who averages 10.5 rebounds per game (rpg), was struggling in the paint. And, high school utility man Kelo Logova (13.0 ppg, 12.3 rpg) was sitting on the bench with three personal fouls.

 

When the halftime buzzer sounded, Chico led 23-to-21.

 

Starting the second half the Warren Ave faithful parents and fans waited for the Knights to get rolling. Because, this is the defending Kitsap Co. Pee Wee Boys AA champions, Because, these players were the core of the 2017 West Sound Boys Middle School championship team. Because, these athletes regularly bring home Select Basketball Tournament trophies.

 

The Knights never did get it all together.

 

Instead, Chico caught the Knights not paying attention to the defensive wings when they drove the paint and Chico rang up ten quick outlet-fast break points on Warren Ave.

 

Trailing 31-to-44, with 11 minutes remaining in the second half, WA coach Zach Triggs called a timeout.

 

When the Knights returned to the floor they had a new offensive look. Retome was now running point. Wilson and Moore setup as three-point shooters.

 

The adjustment worked, at least from long-range. Wilson and Moore drained 4 of 6 shots from the behind the arc, bringing Warren Ave back to within 4 points of Chico, 44-to-48, with six minutes remaining in the game.

 

In the contest, the Knights would convert 9 of 24 from three-point range, on a season-high 36% shooting.

 

The action in the paint was another story. Time and again Warren Ave had easy layups, chip shots, and offensive putbacks that failed to score.

 

In both halves, they shot a miserable 17% (7 for 41) in the paint.

 

Down the stretch the key element for both team was free throw shooting. Under pressure, Chico converted their charity strip attempt to maintain the lead. On the other end of the floor, the Knights made only 3 of 12 (25%) of their second half free throw attempts.

 

When you put successful three point shooting up against the inability to score in the paint, poor free throw shooting, and a season-high 18 turnovers, that Chico converted into 13 points, you can see why the WA Boys AA Blue team lost Monday night.

 

The Knights (7-1) won’t have long to muddle over their loss. They return to the floor Wednesday (Mar. 7) night for the highly anticipated game between club rival WA Boys AA Gold (5-3). Tip-off at Mountain View Middle School is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.