Quarter-by-quarter Bremerton

eliminated visiting Spartans

from league title race

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

Back in December, the Bainbridge Spartans dealt the Bremerton Knights their first loss of the season, 63-61, with a last second basket by the Spartans.

In the rematch on Tuesday night, the game did not come down to a last second shot. It was decided in the second quarter.

By going small and fast against a taller Spartans lineup, the Knights held Bainbridge defensively to only two field goals in the second quarter, and they won going away, 75-42 in front of a nearly packed Eathorne Gym.

The game was expected to be a nail biter and it was, in the first quarter. Both teams went toe to toe, as Bremerton edged out to a 19-17 lead after one.

“We’re growing,” said coach Miah Davis. “One of our first conversations was were not settling. We haven’t hit our potential yet in my eyes. Going into the post season, this is the basketball we have to continue to play. We jumped out on the shooters and we took away their three-point shooters. We took away what their good at.”

In the second quarter, Davis went with a small lineup – Jalen Davis, Frank Allen, Enoch Taylor, Jaydon Turner, and Aaron Matthews – to counter Bainbridge’s height advantage. The Spartans starting five was Ryan Rohrbacher at 6-4, Charlie Hill at 6-3, Kaden Thielman at 6-4, Luke Johnson at 6-2 and Luca Scheltens at 6-5.

“That’s what you have to do it. You got to watch film, and all of a sudden in clicks in your head, and we’re rolling with that/” Davis said of the defense. “This is the first time we’ve bought into the game plan. That’s a good sign going into the tail end of the season.”

As a result, the Spartans were able to make only two field goals in the quarter out of 12 shots. They only made five three-point shots out of 18 attempts in the game.

The Knights had no such problem in the quarter, as they outscored them 20-5 in the period. They continued the onslaught in the second half, not wanting to leave it to a last second shot like the last time.

Davis pulled his starters from the game with just three minutes left in the game.

Jalen Davis led the Knights (10-1 Olympic League, 12-3 overall) with 27 points and eight rebounds. Allen added 12 points, and Turner had 11.

Bainbridge (8-3, 13-4) made only 19 of 45 field goals and were just 3 of 12 from the foul line. The Spartans were led by Johnson with 11 points, and Rohrbacher and Hill each with 10. Thielman, who hit the game winner in December, was held scoreless.

Bremerton steps out of league play to take on Class 1A No. 1 Annie Wright of Tacoma, the defending 1A state champion on Thursday.

Bainbridge Spartans - 17 5 13 7 - 42
Bremerton Knights - 19 20 18 18 - 75
 

J. Davis - 27 pts 8 reb 3 ast 4 stl 1 blk 1 to

F. Allen - 12 pts 5 reb 2 ast 1 blk

J. Turner - 11 pts 6 reb 2 ast 1 stl

E. Taylor - 9 pts 3 reb 1 stl 1 ast

A. Matthews - 6 pts 4 reb 3 ast 3 stl

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

M. Lomuda - 2 pts 1 stl

J. McWhorter - 1 pt 3 reb 1 ast 1 blk

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

edgar7892@yahoo.com