PREP HOOPS: Neah Bay boys getting back on track

PORT TOWNSEND — The defending 1B state champion Neah Bay basketball boys got off to a sluggish start this season, but they heated up in a hurry at the Crush in the Slush Tournament in Port Townsend this weekend.

The Red Devils won both of their games at the tourney to even their record at 3-3. They beat Nooksack Valley 67-48, then beat host Port Townsend 73-47 Friday night as five different Red Devils scored in double figures. Neah Bay was led by Cameron Moore with 19 points, while Anthony Bitegeko scored 15, Rweha Munyagi 14, Kenrick Doherty 13 and Sean Bitegeko 10.

Coach Ben Maxson said the team got off to a slow 1-3 start partly because of the long football season, which lasted into December as the Red Devils won the 1B state championship.

“Our guys are starting to play basketball tempo and basketball speed,” Maxson said. “It takes some time to get back into basketball shape.”

Maxson said Sean Bitegeko, starting in place of injured Cole Svec, had a fantastic game, playing heavy minutes and chipping in 10 points.

“I was impressed with the way Sean stepped in,” Maxson said.

Detrius Kelsall led the Redhawks with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Berkley Hill had 11 points.

Port Townsend coach Tom Webster said it was good for the Redhawks to play a team like Neah Bay.

“It’s really good to play a team like Neah Bay. They’ll line it up against anyone. As painful as it can be at times, it will help us down the road,” Webster said.

Webster said the Red Devils were “relentless” on the boards with 22 offensive rebounds.

Port Townsend won its earlier game at the tournament, winning Thursday 49-39 against Friday Harbor.

Hill led the Redhawks with 14 points, while Kelsall had 12 points to go with 11 rebounds and four steals. Webster said Robert Hammett also had a good game off the bench with seven points.

Port Townsend (5-3, 2-0) next plays at Coupeville at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Neah Bay (3-3) next plays Sequim at home at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Neah Bay 73, Port Townsend 47

Neah Bay 19 13 21 20— 73

PT 12 7 11 17— 47

Neah Bay (73) — Moore 19, Munyagi 14, A. Bitegeko 15, Doherty 13, S. Bitegeko 10, Dulik 2.

Port Townsend (47) — Kelsall 13, Hall 11, Montoya 10, Parcher 7, Hammett 2, Boucher 2, Watkins 2.

Port Townsend 49, Friday Harbor 39

FH 14 10 14 11— 39

PT 12 7 11 9— 49

Friday Harbor (49) — Hill 14, Kelsall 12, Barcher 8, Hammett 7.

Port Townsend (39) — Gustafson 12, Mapstead 9, Cooper-West 8, Stromberg 2, Stewart 2, Vincent 2.

Girls Basketball

Bellingham 55, Neah Bay 41

PORT TOWNSEND — The Neah Bay girls played 2A Bellingham dead-even except for a rough 5-minute stretch in the third quarter in which the Red Raiders went on a 16-0 run.

Bellingham won the Crush in the Slush game Friday 55-41. The Red Devils outscored Bellingham outside that 5-minute run 41-39.

Coach Tony McCaulley said the Red Devils played with more energy than in a 58-28 loss Thursday against Nooksack Valley, but that they simply missed too many open shots.

“We missed a whole lot of easy shots,” he said. “We just couldn’t hit a bucket.”

McCaulley said the team came out flat in the third quarter, but he was glad the girls battled back into it. He also made no excuses for losing to a team from a much bigger classification, saying it was a team the Red Devils could have beat.

The Red Devils were behind the entire game, but twice rallied to make it interesting. Down 19-10 early in the second quarter, the Red Devils came charging back thanks to two 3-pointers by Jessica Greene and a trey by Cheyanna Svec to make it 25-21 at the half.

But, Neah Bay was hurt by a disastrous start to the second half, as Bellingham went on a 16-0 run to build up a 41-21 lead. Still, the girls didn’t quit and clawed back, managing to make Bellingham a little nervous by cutting the lead to 46-36 with about four minutes left. That was as close as the Red Devils were able to get, however.

Neah Bay was led by Greene with 10 points and Cei’J Gagnon with nine.

In the Nooksack Valley game, Neah Bay was led by Gina McCaulley with 12 points.

The Red Devils (4-2) will look to regroup with a home game at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday against Sequim.

Bellingham 55, Neah Bay 41

Bellingham 13 12 21 9— 55

Neah Bay 6 15 6 14— 41

Bellingham (55) — Jacobsen 16, Bennett 14, Estrada 12, Daniels 9, Cook 4.

Neah Bay (41) — Greene 10, Gagnon 9, Svec 8, Aguirre 8, Johnson 3, McCaulley 2, Haltunnen 1.

Nooksack Valley 58, Neah Bay 28

Neah Bay 3 11 6 8— 28

NV 10 16 19 13— 58

Neah Bay (28) — McCaulley 12, Johnson 8, McCarty 2, Aguirre 2, Gagnon 2, Balderson 2.

Nooksack Valley (58) — Sande 16, Gimmaka 11, Tenkley 8, Stremler 7, DeBeeld 6, Zarate 3, VanderHeiden 3, Myhre 2, Larson 2.

Sehome 41, Port Townsend 24

PORT TOWNSEND — Playing much of the game without injured starter Jazmine Apker-Montoya, the Port Townsend girls fell to a hard-pressing 2A Sehome squad 41-24.

Sehome built up a lead of 23-8 early in the third quarter, but the Redhawks went on a 7-0 run to get back in the game. A bucket by Apker-Montoya made it 23-15, but she went down for the second time in the game with a back injury and was forced to leave the game. That was as close as the Redhawks were able to get.

Redhawks coach Scott Wilson said he thought his team played well and handled Sehome’s constant press well.

“That was a good 2A team. I watched them play yesterday and they demolished Friday Harbor [41-15]. We did better than other teams against their press,” he said.

“I was really happy with them. I think our defense surprised them,” Wilson said.

Apker-Montoya led the Redhawks with 10 points. Wilson said the team doesn’t know how serious her injury is yet. She went down twice with a scary back injury and had to be helped off the court. She was able to return to the bench.

The Redhawks (5-3, 2-0) will play at home at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Coupeville.

Sehome 41, Port Townsend 24

Sehome 6 14 14 7— 41

PT 3 5 13 3— 24

Sehome (41) — MacPhee 7, Ulrich 7, Payne 6, McDowell 6, Eisess 4, Zender 3, T. Clark 2, E. Clark 2, Hooker 2.

Port Townsend (24) — Apker-Montoya 10, Meek 7, Carson 3, Lake 2, Hammett 2.

Crush in the Slush results

Thursday

Boys

Neah Bay 67, Nooksack Valley 48

Bellingham 40, La Conner 29

Port Townsend 49, Friday Harbor 39