Without two starters, Bremerton

outran Black Hills in the 2nd half

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

Old friends got together at Eathorne Gym late Tuesday afternoon, as Bremerton alum Jeff Gallagher brought the Black Hills Wolves to play his old alma mater, the top ranked Bremerton Knights.

For a while, the visiting Wolves were going head to head with the Knights, being able to match up with their transition game and stay close to them in the first half.

But in the second half, the Knights took control of the game and took off, breaking open a close game on their way to a 97-61 win over the Wolves.

After the game, the Gallaghers met with old friends and socialized with Knights past and present who were at the game.

Bremerton (8-0) and Black Hills (5-3) have played each other every year since Gallagher became coach at the school in Tumwater. Gallagher has been assisted during his tenure by his father, Larry Gallagher, who coached the Knights in the 90’s, when current Bremerton coach Miah Davis was one of his players. The two have used what they played at Bremerton, and have made Black Hills a consistent winner in the Evergreen Conference.

“I love it here, and I tell him, I root for him 363 days a year,” coach Gallagher said. “I love what he’s done with the community. It’s so awesome to see. It’s so fun coming back, I just wish the outcomes were different.”

The Knights, ranked No. 1 in among Class 2A teams, led 41-32 at halftime, but the Wolves actually had one and two point leads over them in the first half. They seemed to be a mirror image of the Knights, as they used their transition game to get up and down the court.

That all changed in the second half.

Jalen Davis scored 20 of his game high 46 points in the quarter, as Bremerton scored 30 points to blow the game open. Their defense held the Wolves to just six of 17 shooting in the quarter, and Bremerton led 71-45 after the quarter ended.

“It like any sport,” said coach Miah Davis. “At halftime, you make adjustments. They were beating us at our own game, so we had to shut off the well, which was their fastbreak, in the second half. It led to them to settling in the half court. They scored but it wasn’t their pace.”

Gallagher pointed out the same thing happened against Bainbridge in their previous game.

“It’s been an issue for the past two games,” Gallagher said, “where we had a stretch of four minutes where we let it get away from us. Bainbridge and Bremerton are the two of the best teams in the state and we were right there with them.”

As for the current Knights team, Gallagher said, “I know how much Miah has worked with this group since the third grade. Everything they are doing for the community, the excitement they are building around basketball, it’s really neat to see.”  

He also added, “Jalen is going to do phenomenal things.

“I told him before the game,” Gallagher said, “me and your dad argue about who the better point guard was coming out of high school. I think you kind of passed both of us.”

Jalen wasn’t the only Knights who was doing great things on the court. Enoch Taylor added 20 points 12 rebounds and eight assists, two short of getting a triple double. Tony Medina added 12 points as well for Bremerton.

Medina and Kaliam Hunter started against the Wolves, as two of the regulars sat due to disciplinary reasons. Even so, the Knights’ depth was too much for the Wolves to overcome, but Gallagher will always be welcome at Bremerton High School.

“It’s a great opportunity when he comes back,” coach Davis said of Gallagher, “and sees all his old friends and players he coached. He’s a celebrity when he comes in the building.”

Black Hills - 19 13 13 16 - 61

Bremerton - 21 20 30 26 - 97

J. Davis - 46 pts, 12 reb 8 ast 1 to

E. Taylor - 20 pts 12 reb 8 ast 2 to

T. Medina - 12 pts, 3 reb

K. Hunter - 8 pts 2 ast 2 to

M. Lomuda - 4 pts 3 reb 1 to

D. McKay - 3 pts 2 reb

J. Beahan - 2 pts 6 reb 2 ast 2 stl 1 blk 2 to

J. Hamilton - 2 pts 1 reb

George Edgar

(Sports Writer)

edgar7892@yahoo.com