Bremerton used its quickness

to disrupt visiting Wolves

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

On Martin Luther King Day, the Bremerton Knights hosted the South Kitsap Wolves in a non-league game that could have resembled a football game.

The Wolves boasted some size in the middle that came from a defensive line but could also shoot from outside. The game could’ve devolved into a low scoring slugfest but the Knights’ quickness on the ball proved otherwise.

Bremerton used its quickness on defense to disrupt the Wolves and pulled away in the second half in a 78-65 non-league win in Eathorne Gym.

The Wolves’ posts of 6-5 Josiah Asuega and 6-4 Anthony Flashey – both football players in the fall – proved difficult for a while to get through in the paint as they clogged the middle, making driving to the basket a hard proposition, and had an advantage in rebounding.

“They had size and you can play with size,” said Bremerton coach Miah Davis. “Josiah is a great player; he’s tough, a brute down there. We’ve been dealing with him a long time. That’s adjustments we got to make; our guys have to dig down, do our work early when we face opponents like that, and make the game a little more cohesive. There were times in the game we had a fourteen point lead when it should’ve been a 22-point lead.”

Bremerton led 41-32 at halftime, but had trouble putting away the Wolves. They had uncharacteristic turnovers which led to some South Kitsap baskets that kept the game close.

“A lot of that was momentum, a game of runs,” said Davis. “The turnovers we had today, we usually don’t give up.

The Knights (9-3) pulled away from the Wolves in the second half, as their defense buckled down. Jalen Davis led the Knights with 27 points and 8 rebounds, while Jr. Davis-McWhorter scored 13 point, and Aaron Matthews added 12 points. Enoch Taylor added eight points and six assists.

Michael Hulet led South (7-10 overall) with 15 points, while Asuega had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Flashey added 11.

“We just to control what we can. We canr; buy into playing too fast. The opportunity is there, we can do that, but in the half court set, we got make things work. We got to make them tired on defense. We have to find ways for defense to shift side to side and have them make the decisions so we can succeed.”

Bremerton returns to Olympic League play this week against Kingston and North Mason.

The game was part of a day/night doubleheader at the Eathorne Gym, as the girls played South in the afternoon, with the Wolves winning 50-23, with junior varsity games played in between. During intermissions in play, Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech set to music was played over the loudspeaker, reminding players and fans alike of Dr. King’s contributions to promoting peace and equality during his time.

There is hope that in the future, that Bremerton could host an all-day varsity event similar to those at Federal Way and Renton high schools, ShoWare Center in Kent, and the University of Puget Sound, to showcase area basketball talent, and honor the memory of Martin Luther King.

“We got some things working over the next couple of years,” Davis said. “To play on this day is really meaningful for the boys. I told them that these opportunities, other people paved the way for you to be able to play this game with each other, with different ethnicities and backgrounds. This is the best day to play a basketball game.”

South Kitsap Wolves - 10 22 14 19 - 65
Bremerton Knights - 19 22 22 15 - 78
 

J. Davis - 27 pts 8 reb 2 ast 6 stl 1 blk 1 to 1 chg

J. McWhorter - 13 pts 2 reb 2 ast 2 stl 1 blk

A. Matthews - 12 pts 3 reb 4 ast 2 stl 3 to

J. Turner - 9 pts 3 ast 2 stl 1 to

E. Taylor - 8 pts 5 reb 6 ast 2 stl 1 blk 1 to

D. Anderson - 5 pts 2 reb 2 stl 2 to 1 chg

J. Beahan - 4 pts 2 reb 1 blk 2 to

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

edgar7892@yahoo.com