FORKS — The Forks boys basketball team seems to know only one way to win games these days: By the skin of its teeth.
The Spartans ran their win streak to four this weekend after inching past Montesano and Elma for two SWL-Evergreen Division wins.
Forks dropped Montesano 47-43 before a packed house Friday in Forks, then survived a scare in Elma for a 44-43 win Saturday night.
Paired with two one-point wins in two games prior to this weekend, the Spartans have won their last four by a total of seven points.
“I’m very happy with that,” Forks coach Scott Justus said. “I told the kids tonight, ‘Maybe this is building good character for you.'”
“The negative thing is we’re losing double-digit leads. But the positive thing is we’re holding on and winning ball games.”
Indeed, Forks nearly saw double-digit leads slip away in both of its wins this weekend.
On Friday night, it was a 17-point halftime edge that the Montesano Bulldogs whittled down to four entering the fourth quarter.
The next night, Forks was ahead 16 points in the third quarter before the Elma Eagles began chopping away.
The Eagles actually had two chances to take the lead in the final minute of the game, only to be turned away both times with a turnover and missed shot in the paint.
Saturday’s win clinched a district berth for the Spartans (7-5 in league, 10-8 overall), who had missed the postseason three times in the past four years.
“We’re not giving up a lot of points, that’s great,” Justus said.
“All we’re doing is we’re mixing our [defense between zone and man during possessions].”
Braden Decker went for double digits in both games, scoring 17 points on Friday night against Monte and 10 on Saturday against Elma.
Tyler Penn had a big night against Montesano, scoring nine and dishing out four assists, while his brother Jonah Penn had six assists.
Tyler Penn also added 12 points and four assists in Saturday’s win over Elma, while Frank Noles had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
“We got some guys stepping up. We just need to step up a little bit more,” Justus said. “The two Penn kids are stepping up, doing some good things.
“And Bryce Johnson is coming off the bench . . . he’s been scoring six and eight the last couple of games and he’s more than doubling his average.”
Forks next hosts first-place Onalaska (11-0, 14-2) on Tuesday.
FORKS 44, ELMA 43
Forks 11 15 6 12 — 44
Elma 8 6 13 16 — 43
Individual Scoring
Forks (44)
Jonah Penn 5, Tyler Penn 12, Decker 10, Bryce Johnson 6, Noles 11.
Elma (43)
Shelton 12, Collins 9, Emerson 6, Farrar 6, Cooper 6, Wyatt 4.
FORKS 47, MONTESANO 43
Montesano 7 7 18 11 — 43
Forks 13 18 5 11 — 47
Individual Scoring
Montesano (43)
McNeally 10, Ohashi 2, Baker 3, Truax 8, D. Benedict 12, J. Benedict 8.
Forks (47)
Jonah Penn 2, Tyler Penn 9, Castellano 4, Decker 17, Johnson 7, Noles 3, Leons 5.
PORT TOWNSEND 63, OLYMPIC 58 (OT)
PORT TOWNSEND — The Redskins’ postseason hopes received a shot in the arm after they won Friday night’s Olympic League thriller.
Seiji Thielk scored a game-high 27 points, sinking 6 of 7 free throws and one 3-pointer in overtime, to help vault Port Townsend to the win.
“Seiji had a monster game,” Redskins coach Tom Webster said.
“We got a lot of good contributions from Kyle [Kelly], and Robert [Ristick] and Matt [Juran] both rebounded the ball real well. It was a good team effort.”
Kelly knocked down three 3s in the first quarter to help Port Townsend survive an early Olympic run that had it ahead 20-10.
The Redskins eventually went up by seven in the fourth before Olympic (7-6, 8-8) rallied to tie the game and send it to overtime.
Thanks to Thielk’s nine-point showing in the extra frame, however, Port Townsend (4-10, 6-12) was able to get the win and move ahead of Klahowya in the league standings.
The Redskins’ current seventh-place position would be good enough to get them a playoff appearance.
“I just want to get in, I don’t care who we play once we get there,” Webster said.
“That was a really good win for us. I was really proud of the kids.”
PORT TOWNSEND 63, OLYMPIC 58 (OT)
Olympic 20 8 11 15 4 — 58
Port Townsend 16 15 11 12 9 — 63
Individual Scoring
Olympic (58)
Campbell 9, Encomienda 8 Gallagher 16, Otis 8, Phillips 15, Fullilove 2.
Port Townsend (63)
Rubio 5, Thielk 27, DeBerry 13, Juran 2, Solvik 7, Kelly 9.
PORT ANGELES 51, KLAHOWYA 46
SILVERDALE — The Roughriders (9-4, 11-6) kept pace in the Olympic League race with a narrow win over the Eagles on Friday night.
Colin Wheeler scored a team-high 13 points, while Hayden McCartney had 10 points and six assists and Ian Ward 10 points to lead a group of nine Rider scorers.
McCartney hit 8 of 8 free throws down the stretch in the fourth to help Port Angeles hold on to a nine-point lead it had built after three quarters.
“Our defense is carrying us right now,” Port Angeles coach Wes Armstrong said. “Offensively, we are really struggling. Execution is there, but we just are not hitting our shots.”
Indeed, Port Angeles shot just 31 percent from the field on Friday, but was able to survive due in part to a defensive effort that netted 31 turnovers.
The Riders next host last-place North Kitsap on Tuesday night.
PORT ANGELES 51, KLAHOWYA 46
Port Angeles 12 9 17 13 — 51
Klahowya 12 9 8 17 — 46
Individual Scoring
Port Angeles (51)
Wheeler 13, Ward 10, McCartney 10, Smith 4, Walker 4, Braithwaite 4, Phair 4, Morgan 1, Porter 1.
Klahowya (46)
Davis 13, Rose 13, Flowers 10, Smith 7, Hartford 2, Harstad 1.
NEAH BAY 77, CRESCENT 49
NEAH BAY — Drexler Doherty dropped in 26 points as the Red Devils moved within one win of a perfect North Olympic League campaign Friday.
The Red Devils (5-0, 13-2) had five players score nine points or more as they assured themselves of a second straight outright league title.
Joel Williams led the Loggers (0-5, 5-14) with 17 points, while Kai Story added 12.
“The boys played with a lot of heat and never gave up,” Crescent coach Darren Heaward said.
NEAH BAY 77, CRESCENT 49
Crescent 11 16 12 10 — 49
Neah Bay 26 12 25 14 — 77
Individual Scoring
Crescent (49)
Waldrip 2, Finley 7, Weingard 8, Williams 17, Story 15.
Neah Bay (77)
Smith 9, Manuel 9, Greene 10, Dulik 12, Doherty 26, Pascua 6, Monette 2, Kallappa 3.
SEQUIM 72, NORTH KITSAP 55
POULSBO — The Wolves maintained their grip on the No. 2 Class 2A spot in the Olympic League with a gritty defensive showing Friday night.
Sequim held the Viking to just four points in the first quarter and 18 in the first half as it took a 36-18 lead that would never be challenged.
“Our defense was just incredible that first half,” Wolves coach Greg Glasser said.
Gabe Carter submitted a terrific all-around game with 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Corbin Webb added 22 points as the game’s high scorer.
Sequim (10-4, 14-5) gets a bye on Tuesday before heading to Kingston next Friday to face the first-place Buccaneers (12-1, 13-4).
SEQUIM 72, NORTH KITSAP 55
Sequim 15 21 23 13 — 72
North Kitsap 4 14 18 19 — 55
Individual Scoring
Sequim (72)
Hill 3, Meier 6, Carter 17, Webb 22, Brocklesby 12, Guan 6, Camporini 6.
North Kitsap (55)
McCorkle 7, Ford 7, Mitchell 4, Gill 19, DeGuzman 4, Waller 4, Reigan 10.
SEATTLE CHRISTIAN 61, CHIMACUM 39
CHIMACUM — At the end of the first quarter the Warriors were faced with a close game until they pulled away from the Cowboys to take a 32-19 lead at halftime.
Rafael Pagasian scored 11 points to lead Chimacum while Quinn Eldridge scored 10.
Richard Jensen dropped 14 for Seattle Christian as the game’s leading scorer.
Chimacum next travels to face Olympic on Saturday starting at 7 p.m.
Seattle Christian 61, Chimacum 39
Seattle Chr. 16 16 14 15 — 61
Chimacum 15 4 6 14 — 39
Individual Scoring
Seattle Christian (61)
Jensen 14, Simpson 12, Sutherland 10, Ventoza 10, Peieriotti 5, Miller 3, Webber 3, Stein 2, DeVries 2.
Chimacum (39)
Pagasian 11, Eldridge 10, Ajax 7, Riggle 6, Brown-Bishop 5.
OLYMPIC 77, CHIMACUM 60
BREMERTON — The Trojans exploded with 27 points in the third quarter to pull away from the Cowboys in Saturday night’s nonleague game.
“They pressed us pretty good and we didn’t handle that very well,” Chimacum coach Jim Eldridge said. “That’s what killed us mostly.”
Raphael Pagasian led the Cowboys with 17 points with Lucas Duke adding 11 and Mason Moug 10.
Trent Gallager scored 24 points for the Trojans as the game’s leading scorer.
Chimacum will next travel to face Life Christian on Friday with game time starting at 7 p.m.
OLYMPIC 77, CHIMACUM 60
Chimacum 9 17 15 19 — 60
Olympic 18 14 27 16 — 77
Individual Scoring
Chimacum (60)
Pagasian 17, Dukek 11, Moug 10, Ajax 9, Brown-Bishop 7.
Olympic (77)
Gallager 24, Phillips 16, Campbell 10, Calanda 7, Towne 6.
SHOREWOOD CHRISTIAN 57, CLALLAM BAY 46
SEATTLE — The Lions couldn’t be tamed as they took the lead and never looked back in a nonleague win over the Bruins (2-2, 12-6) on Saturday afternoon.
“We need to settle down a little bit because the turnovers killed us again,” Clallam Bay coach Cal Ritter said. “We just need to go back to the chalkboard and start over.”
Shorewood Christian was able to hold off a last quarter comeback attempt, allowing Clallam Bay to score 22 points while only scoring six themselves.
Kevin Hess scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Bruins. Teammate Emmett James added 14 as well.
Clallam Bay will next host Crescent on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
SHOREWOOD CHRISTIAN 57, CLALLAM BAY 46
Clallam Bay 6 6 12 22 — 46
Shorewood Chr. 14 14 23 6 — 57
Individual Scoring
Clallam Bay (46)
Hess 14, James 14, A. Ritter 4, Teachout 4, Welever 4, C. Ritter 2, Foulkes 2, Willis 2.
Shorewood Christian (57)
M. Lorenv 15, K. Lorenv 14, Howell 10, King 8, Hampton 6, Cross 2, Brotherton 2.