Bremerton takes control of

Olympic League standings

with convincing home win

over Baibridge

Davis records rare twenty-twenty game

with 28 points and 20 rebounds

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

With University of Washington coach Danny Sprinkle in attendance, Jalen Davis and the Bremerton Knights broke open a close game against the Bainbridge Spartans en route to a big Olympic League win.

Jalen Davis scored a rare 20/20 double with 28 points and 20 rebounds, as the Knights shut down the Spartans in the second half in a 71-42 win to keep them undefeated at 5-0 on the young season.

Bremerton was up 31-26 at halftime, as the Spartans hit a couple of threes to keep close. But in the third quarter, the Knights broke open the game by holding them defensively to just three field goals, while shooting 8 of 17 from the floor themselves to take a 52-32 lead after three. They were never threatened after that.

“Just staying disciplined to the game plan,” said coach Miah Davis. “A lot was not letting them get their three early, amd how we switched on them. We made some minor adjustments at halftime that helped us, a lot of stuff we figured out as coaches to help slow down or speed up, for us to gain an advantage.”

The Knights also had to deal with the Spartans’ height and length – they had four starters that went 6-5, 6-6, 6-6, and 6-8, while only one Knight, center Jay Beahan, was their only tall man at 6-8. Beahan had six points and five rebounds, along with a pair of monstrous blocks.

“They were long and disciplined,” coach Davis said. “They don’t turn the ball over a lot. It was like a boxing match; you don’t knock them out in the first quarter or the second quarter, sometimes it’s the third quarter. I told them, now it was the time to put that Knight action into play,”

Enoch Taylor had seven of his ten points in that third quarter to help the Knights break through.

Junior Davis-McWhorter added 18 points for Bremerton, hitting eight of 13 from the floor, with a pair of three-pointers.

It was also the first win for Davis over coach Scott Orness, who is now back with the Bainbridge Spartans, after many years at North Kitsap. The Knights and the Vikings had many battles between them when Orness was coach, especially en route to the 2020 2A state title, and a third place trophy game in 2024 at the 2A state tournament.

“He made me a better coach, not just in trying to beat him, but also how to prepare a team,” Davis said. “I took those things, remembered them, and used them to build a suit of armor with out kinks.”

The Knights will play Orness’ former team, North Kitsap, on Friday night.

Bainbridge - 9 17 6 10 - 42

Bremerton - 14 17 21 19 - 71

J. Davis - 28 pts 20 reb 4 ast 6 stl
J. McWhorter - 15 pts 1 reb 2 ast
E. Taylor - 10 pts 6 reb 2 ast
J. Beahan - 6 pts 5 reb 2 ast 2 blk 1 to
A. Matthews - 4 pts 6 reb 5 ast 2 stl 1 to
D. McKay - 3 pts 2 stl
T.. Medina - 2 pts 3 reb

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

edgar7892@yahoo.com