Boys’ basketball team wins one, loses one, looks to play first league game against Charles Wright

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, December 27, 2016

The Sultan High School Turks traveled to Vashon for an interleague game Tuesday night, Dec. 20, and came away with a 48-39 victory.

The Turks hail from the Cascade conference in District 1, which includes South Whidbey, Cedar Park Christian and reigning state champion, King’s High School.

Vashon’s Ethan Danielsen sent the opening tip to senior Rhys Jennings, who quickly buried a 3-point shot for the early lead. Sultan raced down the court to set up a pass inside to their 6-foot, 4-inch junior forward Phoenix McGuire. The pass went high and out of bounds for the first of 23 turnovers for the visitors.

During the next possession, Vashon missed an easy shot from 3 feet under the hoop, and this pattern repeated itself throughout the night: Sultan making errant passes to McGuire, and Vashon unable to take advantage on the following possession.

Vashon utilized a full-court press that was troublesome for the Turks and created many of those turnovers, but when they did get set up in their offense, the visitors were largely successful. Sultan shot 54 percent from the field, with McGuire getting 15 points from in the paint and senior Riley Wiita contributing 12 points mostly from 15-foot jump shots. The VHS defense was active and spirited, but something more was needed Tuesday night to contain the shooters from up north.

Despite the hot shooting of Sultan, Vashon was in this game from beginning to end. Sultan had a 2-point lead after the first quarter and maintained that lead the whole game. With six minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Vashon closed the gap to 33-30, after Noah Edmonds made his sixth of eight free throws.

During the next four possessions, the home team had shots inside or near the paint but could only manage one basket. Sultan scored each of those trips down the court and then pulled away even further when Vashon fouled purposely to extend the game.

The Vashon attack was led by Edmonds, Jennings, Casper Forest, Langston Dziko and Danielsen. High scorer was Edmonds with 12 points, followed by Forest with 9 points. Sixth man Jahmiah Hoogen had 7 rebounds and 6 points.

Two days later, Edmonds started the scoring for Vashon at a non-league game at the home of the Port Townsend Redhawks. The speedy guard slashed from the baseline and banked in a short, twisting lay-in that started Vashon back to its winning ways, with a 46-36 victory. Both Edmonds and Tommy Delargy capitalized on their quickness with drives to the hoop, scoring 4 points each early in the game. After a short jumper by Danielsen, Port Townsend needed a time-out with the score 10-0. When play resumed, Hoogen made a free throw and Colin Pottinger hit a lay-in to end the quarter ahead 13-0.

Port Townsend did not score until the 5:45 mark in the second quarter with VHS leading 15-2. The home team did not have enough movement away from the ball, and their shots generally were well contested by Vashon. When Port Townsend did have an open look at the hoop, it didn’t fall. The Pirates were employing a vigilant defense, moving quickly with their feet to stay in front of the man with the ball, and when a shot was taken, they got a hand on the ball and secured the rebound.

Before the half ended, the Redhawks put together some inside scoring from junior Kaiden Parcher, and the second period ended with the visiting Pirates up 22-8.

In the third quarter, the previously lethargic Port Townsend Redhawks decided they were ready to play. Unfortunately for them, only three players could score. Detrius Kelsall, a junior guard, was adept, both at finishing at the hoop when he penetrated and spotting up for long 3s. He was high scorer with 15 points, Parcher added 12 points, and Berkley Hill, the only senior for the home team, scored 9 points. The Pirate’s shooting cooled slightly, and a bevy of unforced errors allowed the beaten Redhawks back into the game. Forest kept the Pirates in front with 6 of his 15 points during this quarter, and it ended with VHS holding a 9-point lead at 37-28.

Port Townsend opened the final quarter with a quick 3-point basket, and the lead was 37-31. Baskets were getting hard to make for both teams, but the Redhawks had some momentum, and the home town crowd was beginning to sense an opportunity to steal this game back. Dziko pounded a nail into the heart of that hope, as he buried a 3-point shot with less than five minutes left in the game, and Vashon was back on top by 9 points.

Forest was the leading scorer with 15, followed by both Edmonds and Delargy with 8.

Vashon is playing this week in Victoria, British Columbia, and will play at home against Chimacum at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, followed by games against Charles Wright and Seattle Academy on Jan. 6 and 7.

— Daniel Briggs is the father of a high school basketball player.