PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College women’s basketball team, riding a bunch of clutch plays from Sequim’s Hope Glasser, came roaring back from a huge fourth-quarter deficit to shock Olympic 67-64 on Saturday, remaining solidly in second place in the North Region.
The men, meanwhile, kept their game close midway through the second half. The Pirates were down just 53-52 to first-place Olympic, but allowed 41 points over the final 10 minutes in a 94-68 loss.
In the women’s game, the Pirates trailed most of the game and found themselves in a deep hole at 62-51 with only 4 minutes, 43 seconds left in the contest. Peninsula clamped down on defense, allowing just one bucket down the stretch and going on a 16-2 run to end the game.
Glasser led the team with 22 points and 11 rebounds. She started the rally with a three-point play, then Ariyanna Camacho-Villafuerte hit a 3-pointer to quickly cut the deficit down to 62-57 with 3:30 left.
Glasser added two more baskets and Port Angeles’ Millie Long had two steals and a basket during the run. Long finished the game with 13 points and eight steals.
In the final seven seconds with Peninsula clinging to a 65-64 lead, Glasser grabbed an offensive rebound and got the ball to Kelli-Jade Smith, who was fouled. Smith hit a pair of free throws with two seconds left for the final score. She ended up with 10 points.
The victory keeps the women’s record at 8-1 in the North and 17-3 overall. The Pirates next play a huge game at first-place Whatcom (9-0, 18-1) on the road Wednesday.
In the men’s game, Olympic shot lights out in the second half against the Pirates’ men. The Rangers shot 54.8 percent (17-for-31) from the field and 13-for-17 from the free-throw line in the second half. They also made six 3-pointers.
The Pirates were led by Jaylin Reed with 22 points. Isaiah Sampson had 14, and Michael Medlock 14. The loss dropped the men to fifth in the North Region.
The Peninsula men (5-4, 13-8) next play at Whatcom (0-9, 8-15) on Wednesday.