EVERETT — The Peninsula College basketball teams are closing in on the postseason.
The women’s team officially clinched a spot in the Northwest Athletic Conference tournament by defeating Everett 67-43.
The Pirates are tied with Bellevue for first in the North Region, and are one game up on Skagit Valley.
The Peninsula men, which beat Everett 69-65 on the road Sunday, haven’t locked down a postseason berth yet, but are actually in a cozier position than the women — at least currently.
The men are close to not only clinching a berth but also a first-round home game.
The top-two teams in each region host first-round games. The Pirates (8-2, 13-9) are in first place in the North and hold a two-game lead over Edmonds (6-4, 17-6), which dropped its third consecutive game Saturday.
Peninsula also has a three-game lead over Whatcom (5-5, 18-8), Everett (5-5, 14-11) and Olympic (5-5, 7-14) with four games remaining in the regular season.
The Pirates swept the season series with the Orcas and the Trojans, and therefore hold the tiebreaker over both teams. They play their second game against the Rangers on Wednesday.
A win by the Pirates will secure a postseason berth as well as a first-round game at Peninsula College.
After facing Olympic, the Peninsula teams play their final home games of the season Saturday against Bellevue.
Women’s Game
Peninsula 67, Everett 43
The Pirates turned an eight-point lead into a 24-point blowout in the final 10 minutes of Sunday’s game.
Peninsula led 46-38 going into the final quarter, but outscored the Trojans 21-5 in the fourth to sweep the season series and keep pace with Bellevue, which defeated Skagit Valley 75-68 on Saturday.
Sophomore point guard Imani Smith racked up 19 points, nine rebounds, six steals, three assists and three blocks for the Pirates, who won their fifth consecutive game.
“Imani had a great game,” Peninsula coach Alison Crumb said.
“She played really well, she was all over the place. And she’s kind of sick, so it was nice to see her kind of push through and play well for us.”
Freshman post Jenise McKnight came off the bench to score 13 points.
Sophomore Cherish Moss also had 13 points, highlighted by three 3-pointers, and dished out a team-high four assists.
Zhara Laster had five steals, which moved her closer to the school’s season record. Laster has 76 swipes this season, which is four short of Trista White’s 80 in 2003-04.
Laster has 123 career steals, which is 22 away from the Peninsula’s career mark of 145 set by Karli Brakes (2011-13).
Neah Bay graduate Kaela Tyler scored seven points for Everett in the loss. Breezy Shore, the 10th-best scorer in the conference, was held to eight points and 2 of 12 shooting.
The Pirates are excelling defensively as a team lately, having held four straight opponents to 45 points or less. They are allowing 57.7 points per game, which ranks first in the NWAC.
“We’re going to keep harping on defense,” Crumb said. “In my opinion, we still need to get a lot better.”
The Pirates game against Olympic tips off Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Peninsula College.
Freshman guard Jewel Johnson, a 2014 Port Townsend High School graduate, averages 3.1 points and 3.1 assists for the Rangers.
Peninsula has a lot to play for over the final four games of the regular season.
“You know honestly, getting to the playoffs is a big deal, the kids are excited,” Crumb said.
“But we really want to host a game, preferably as the No. 1 seed.
“I’m pretty sure in order to do that, we’re going to have to win out.”
This is the fifth consecutive season the Pirates have made the postseason.
Men’s Game
Peninsula 69, Everett 65
The Pirates are the NWAC’s hottest team with six consecutive wins.
The win over the Trojans Sunday was their first at Everett in three years, and the first under head coach Mitch Freeman.
“Road wins are hard to come by in any league you play in,” Freeman said.
“And it’s a place where we haven’t had a lot of success, at least since I’ve been her, so it was really good.”
Unlike Peninsula’s 99-90 victory over the Trojans last month, in which the Pirates built a huge lead and then held off a rally that was furious multiplied by two, Sunday’s game was low-scoring and close throughout.
Peninsula trailed by one late in the game when Deonte Dixon hit a 3-pointer for a two-point lead.
The Pirates then made a defense stop and Malik Mayuex sealed the win at the free-throw line.
Mayuex and Dimitri Amos each notched double-doubles. Mayuex had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Amos had 14 points and 10 boards. Amos had six offensive boards and Mayeux pulled down six.
“Our rebounding was exceptional,” Freeman said.
“That and free throws down the stretch were some of the reasons we were able to win the game.
“Malik and Dimitri were so good on the glass.”
Dixon finished with 11 points, including three 3-pointers.
Ryley Callaghan and Darrion Daniels led Peninsula with 15 points apiece. Daniels had three treys as well as three steals and four assists. Callaghan had five assists and two steals.
Derek Brown Jr. scored 27 points and had 11 rebounds for Everett, but Freeman said he was pleased overall with how the Pirates defended the NWAC’s leading scorer (24.8 points per game).
Peninsula faces the conferences No. 2 scorer, Brian Neal (24.6 ppg) on Wednesday.
“We definitely have got to prepare for Olympic,” Freeman said. “Brian Neal is a handful.”
The Rangers also have 6-foot-8 Sequim High School graduate Josh McConnaughey, who comes off the bench.
The Pirates and Olympic tip off at 7 p.m.
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Compiled using team reports.