Community Sports

Gig Harbor goes big in nonleague win over Lake Stevens

Three local high school basketball teams played on Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, which has turned into a hoop holiday across the Northwest.

The Gig Harbor boys (14-1, 7-1 South Sound Conference) ran their winning streak to nine on Saturday, Jan. 14, with a 71-56 nonconference win over Class 4A Lake Stevens (8-4).

Lake Stevens has a well-rounded team with quality athletes, many of whom played on their state championship football team from the fall. But the Tides, ranked fourth in the state’s Class 3A RPI poll, had answers every time the Vikings made a run.

Hot shooting in second half

The Tides came into the game shorthanded, as 6-foot-4 starting center Brit Born was out with a sprained ankle. He was replaced in the lineup by 6-foot-8 Luke Allison, who contributed 13 points and eight rebounds.

Gig Harbor junior Luke Allison scored 13 points with eight rebounds in win over Lake Stevens. Jerry Chunn

The Tides led 37-32 at halftime before both teams heated up. Luke Browne, who averages 20.3 points per game, answered three successive 3-pointers by the Vikings with three 3’s of his own. The last swished from 25 feet out and put the Tides ahead 48-40. Browne scored 15 points in the third quarter and 25 points in the game.

Will Landram, who averages 16.4 points per game, was also scorching the Vikings. He poured in 22 points with three 3-pointers and collected back-t0-back steals in the fourth quarter. He finished the first against three Lake Stevens defenders and the second with a vicious two-handed jam as the home crowd roared.

KeVaughn Harvey had five steals and is on pace to break the Gig Harbor season steal record of 101, set by Kevin Brown in 1984. Christian Parrish dished out six assists and played pesky defense.

KeVaughn Harvey had five steals against Lake Stevens and is one pace to break Gig Harbor’s single-season steals record. Jerry Chunn

Allison adds size to front line

Allison may be playing himself into a more prominent role. He scored two decisive buckets and earned fouls on successive offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter against Lake Stevens. He cashed in on all four pressure free throws under the three minute mark before Browne hit an elbow jumper to put the Vikings away for good.

The Tides, who already have two 6-foot-6 forwards on the front line, looked formidable with the 6-foot-8 Allison in the middle. He protects the rim and rebounds, allowing the Tides’ scorers to get out and fill the lanes on fast breaks.

“Luke has been working hard in practices,” coach Landram said of Allison. “He really made his presence felt on Saturday versus Lake Stevens. Both offensively and defensively, he had a huge impact on the game down the stretch.”

The Tides play road games this week against River Ridge on Wednesday, Jan. 18, and Central Kitsap on Friday, Jan. 20. Gig Harbor hosts a huge home game against Timberline on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Peninsula girls fall in overtime

The Peninsula girls dropped an overtime decision to Rogers at the Puget Sound Holiday Classic on Monday, Jan. 16.

They rode the hot shooting of guard Kaylia Heidelberg for most of the game, as she poured in a game high 28 points.

But after the two teams played to a 55-all tie in regulation, the Seahawks were forced to play overtime without Heidelberg and dynamo Grace Richardson, who both fouled out. The Seahawks were whistled for twice as many as the Rams, 24-12.

The Seahawks weren’t able to score in overtime and Rogers walked away with a hard-fought 65-55 victory.

Peninsula coach Hannah Lekson wasn’t taking the foul disparity as an excuse.

Kaylia Heidelberg of Peninsula scored 28 points in a loss to Rogers. Bryce Carithers

“Rogers played extremely hard and made hustle plays,” she said. “Our girls had spurts of great moments but we gave up way too many offensive rebounds and Rogers converted on almost all of them. This was a big learning opportunity for us, we’re only going to grow from here.”

Richardson scored nine points and Brook Zimmerman and Sophie Casello contributed eight apiece.

Peninsula (11-3, 7-1 SSC) is back in league action this week at Capital at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, and at Yelm at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20.

Seahawk boys go cold in second half

The Peninsula boys (6-6, 4-4) earned a much-needed league win over Central Kitsap, 61-59, on Friday, Jan. 13. Isaiah Brown scored 25 points and Gabe Sarno had 15 points.

They followed that with a 50-35 loss to Class 4A Graham-Kapowsin in the MLK the Dream Showcase in Renton on Monday, Jan. 16. The Seahawks led 16-7 in the first quarter and 22-21 at halftime before going freezing-cold in the second half.

Peninsula managed just a single bucket in the third quarter and 13 points in the second half of the loss.

Coach Sean Muilenburg felt like his offense was working and the team had plenty of open looks in the second half, but couldn’t get them to fall. “We missed lay-ins and easy shots any way you could,” he said.

Brown led the Seahawks with 10 points. Landon Bottcher added seven points and eight rebounds while Cole Bashaw and Luke Benoit had seven points each.

The Seahawks have a pivotal week ahead as they face two teams that are right behind them in SSC play. Peninsula hosts Capital at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The Cougars can get red-hot from distance, as they demonstrated by shooting 62 percent from 3-point range in a 66-65 loss to Gig Harbor on Jan. 4.

The Seahawks return home to face the Yelm Tornados at 7 p.m. on Friday.