PORT ANGELES — On a night when the men’s soccer program unveiled its NWAACC championship banner, the Peninsula College men’s basketball team took another step toward adding one of its own.
The Pirates rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation, then outscored Shoreline 10-2 in first four minutes of overtime to earn an 87-83 victory Wednesday night.
Peninsula’s fifth straight win ensured it of at least a share of first place in the NWAACC North Division once the regular season hits the halfway point Saturday.
“We feel like every time we step on the floor we’re the team to beat,” first-year Pirates coach Lance Von Vogt said.
“That’s the way we came in tonight and we know the accumulation of that is a 7-1 [North Division] record at the halfway point.
“We want to be in control of what we do, and right now we’re probably the only team in the NWAACC North that has control of their own destiny.”
Sam Waller scored a team-high 22 points and dished out seven assists to help lead Peninsula (7-1 in North, 11-5 overall) to the comeback victory.
After missing a chance at a game-winning 3-pointer at the end of regulation, the freshman guard sank a the go-ahead basket on a spinning left-handed layup in transition that brought had the Pirates home crown in delirious.
“That was all instincts,” said Waller, who shot 7 of 15 from the field.
“I set him up, hit [the defender] with the in and out, spun right back the other way [for a] left hand finish. All instincts.”
Three possessions later, Waller drove and dished to sophomore Mitrell Clark for a jumper that gave the Pirates a 79-75 lead with 1:50 to go.
The basket was part of a 21-point night for Clark, who nailed 4 of 10 3-pointers and had three assists.
After yet another Peninsula defensive stop — Shoreline scored just one basket in the first four minutes of overtime — Thad Vinson tipped in a Clark miss to give Peninsula an 81-75 edge.
Vinson would sink 6 of 6 free throws down the stretch to help ice the game while finishing with 19 points and five assists.
“Thad is a clutch player and he’s our best free throw shooter,” Von Vogt said. “It was a huge tip, he’s a tough kid and he wants to win.”
In a game that featured 15 lead changes and 14 ties, the Pirates struggled to get a grip on things in regulation.
Shoreline took the largest lead of the night after going up 68-60 with 5:18 left in regulation when Peninsula turned up the defensive pressure and made its move.
Making an adjustment during a timeout, Von Vogt instructed his team to face guard Shoreline’s Zachery Kelsh (24 points) and Sean Jones (19). The Pirates also began switching between man and zone defenses more frequently.
All the rhythm the Dolphins had built up during a 13-5 run quickly vanished as the Pirates clawed their way back in with a 13-5 run of their own.
That was capped by a 16-foot jump shot from froward DeShaun Freeman (14 points, 9 rebounds) that tied the game at 73 with 53.3 second left in the second half.
“We had to pick our defense up and our intensity and our energy, and that gave us that edge to come back,” Waller said.
“As soon as we started playing defense, our offense clicked like a light switch.”
Jones had a chance to put the Dolphins back on top at the free-throw line, but the former O’Dea standout missed the front end of a 1-and-1.
Waller missed a long pull-up 3-pointer on the other end after a timeout, and the game went to overtime.
Of course, the Pirate defense didn’t let up then either as the Dolphins hit just 1 of their first 5 shots.
“[Shoreline] tested everything we had,” Von Vogt said. “Fortunately for our guys, we showed a lot of heart.
“At the end of the game, our guys were able to sit down and play the type of defense we’ve been accustomed to over the course of the season so far.”
The Pirates will get a bye Saturday night before beginning the second half of their North Division schedule at home against Olympic on Feb. 2.
PENINSULA 87, SHORELINE 83
Shoreline 40 33 10 — 83
Peninsula 39 34 14 — 87
Individual Scoring
Shoreline (83)
Clanton 10, Holifield 7, Jones 19, Davis 4, Miller-Soukasen 15, Kelsh 24, Bodman 4.
Peninsula (87)
Freeman 14, Musgrow 4, Vinson 19, Jacobson 2, Clark 21, Williams 4, Waller 22, Jerry Johnson 1.
WOMEN
PENINSULA 65, SHORELINE 45
PORT ANGELES — The Pirates had three players in double figures as they put an end to a six-game losing streak Wednesday night.
Danika Goodwin scored a game-high 18 points, Megan Smith added 17 points and seven rebounds and Callie Monfrey had 12 points and 12 rebounds as Peninsula closed out the first half of its North Division schedule with a much-needed win.
“I just think that we played together,” Pirates coach Alison Crumb said.
“When we play as a team and everyone touches the ball, there’s good fluid movement in our offense.
“It takes less pressure off the individual to make something happen and our shooting percentage is so much better.”
Indeed, the Pirates recorded assists on 18 of their 22 baskets Wednesday while shooting 40.7 percent from the field in a game they led most of the way.
Smith (6 of 12) and Monfrey (5 of 10) each sank 50 percent of their field goal attempts to lead a group of eight Pirates scorers.
Meanwhile, the defense limited Shoreline (1-6, 5-10) to just 23.7 percent shooting (14 of 59) on the game in one of its strongest showings of the season.
“The girls have worked their butt off the past couple of days in practice to try and change the tone and do some things differently,” Crumb said.
“I think if we can keep up the pace . . . and just start setting the tone in practice for this new style of basketball we’re trying to play, I don’t think we’ll be in too bad of shape.”
The Pirates (2-6 in North, 5-12) moved up to sixth place with the victory. They will not play again until they host Olympic (0-6, 3-11) on Feb. 2.
PENINSULA 65, SHORELINE 45
Shoreline 20 25 — 45
Peninsula 32 33 — 65
Individual Scoring
Shoreline (45)
Lanier 2, Williams 9, Hooyman 10, Taylor 4, Voss 15, Cathey 3, Schneider 2.
Peninsula (65)
Goodwin 18, Thein 9, Carter 2, Jackson 2, Reid 3, Smith 17, Monfrey 12, Erhardt 2.