Community Sports

Sports Beat | Masini scores 38 points as Gig Harbor defeats Silas

The winter sports season is upon us and local basketball teams have been taking it to the hoop over the last couple of weeks. The boys and girls teams from both local schools won key recent matchups.

The Gig Harbor boys basketball team (4-3, 3-2) hung tough in the fourth quarter to win at Silas (3-2, 2-2), 72-69, on Dec. 18.

Senior 6-foot-8 center Michael Masini scored in a variety of ways early, including splashing a wing 3-pointer, as Gig Harbor jumped out to a 22-9 lead. Masini scored 14 of the Tides’ first 22 points. Two of the Rams who guarded him accrued three fouls each in the first quarter.

Silas closed to within 36-30 with a thunderous steal and slam dunk to end the first half.

Guard play

Three senior guards provided consistent play for Gig Harbor.

Quentin Bockhorn scored 12 points, including two deep 3-pointers in the second quarter.

Point guard Ty Buchanan scored all seven of his points from the free-throw line, played physical defense and handled the pressure of an attacking Ram defense.

And Troy Arnold, who is quick as a cat with his low dribble and snappy crossovers, returned from an injury suffered during football season to score five points.

Junior guard Max Schwab helped Gig Harbor maintain the lead through the third quarter, tallying a deep 3-pointer and two and-one lay-ups en route to 10 points in the game.

Quentin Bockhorn of Gig Harbor in a game last season. Photo courtesy of Gig Harbor basketball

Masini dominates

But Masini, who ended up with 38 points and 14 rebounds, was the big dog in this game. His quick-twitch jumping ability led to several put-backs, while his aggressive drives resulted in up-fake, duck-under-to-scoop finishes.

Masini came up big at the end of the game. He swatted away a Ram shot on defense, then was fouled after securing an offensive rebound with Gig Harbor up 65-63. He swished both free throws, then iced the game with a 16-foot baseline jumper with less than a minute to go.

Masini eclipsed the 1,000 point career mark earlier this season.

Michael Masini of Gig Harbor. Photo by Colton Bare

Season so far

Gig Harbor seems to be still searching for consistency from the small forward position. Coach Billy Landram has used a combination of 6-foot-3 senior Jack Johnson, 6-foot-3 junior William Cody and 6-foot-2 senior sharpshooter Jack Brown.

Improved defense is the coach’s goal going forward.

“To beat the top teams we need to do a much better job dictating what teams can do,” Landram said.

The Tides own victories over North Kitsap, North Thurston and Capital and dropped games to Seattle Prep, Lincoln and Lakes. They probably played their best game of the year against the Rams.

Gig Harbor climbed into third place in the Puget Sound League Narrows Division and face division-leading Bellarmine (4-2, 4-0) at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.

Bellarmine won the Narrows Division last year, but Gig Harbor defeated the Lions on their court in the playoffs on Feb. 14.

Freshman takes starring role for Peninsula girls

The young Peninsula girls basketball team (4-2, 3-1 PSL) has played well early for second-year coach Nelson Garbutt, who is as energetic and informative on the sidelines as any coach in the league.

The Seahawks graduated do-it-all guard Grace Richardson but have welcomed 5-foot-11 freshman guard-forward Emi HansonSmith, a physical and athletic player who has turned heads.

She leads the team in scoring (11.8), rebounding (12.0), assists (2.2), and blocked shots (3.4). Garbutt said she is good at exploiting her individual matchups.

“If players are bigger she’s usually faster and if players are quicker she’s usually stronger,” Garbutt said. “So it’s about getting her to understand those opportunities.”

Win over Lincoln

HansonSmith went toe-to-toe with 6-foot-4 Lincoln standout Olivia Edwards, the state’s No. 1-ranked player, on Dec. 5. Peninsula walked off the Abes’ floor with a huge 48-44 win.

Garbutt has been coaching at Peninsula for 14 years, twelve as assistant. It was the first time he’d beaten the Abes on their floor.

“That was a big program win for us. They have eliminated us several times in the playoffs so to get a win in that building was huge,” Garbutt said. “I was trying to challenge the girls early and they were up to the challenge with their effort, energy and intensity.”

The lone senior on the team is 6-foot Gig Harbor transfer Beverly Dover, who averages 11.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Dover can hit from long range or pull up from 15 feet, giving the Seahawks a perimeter threat.

Beverly Dover, now of Peninsula, while playing for Gig Harbor last season.

Young core

Sophomore combo guard Paige Jones is a 5-foot-11 Swiss Army knife who leads the team with 3.5 steals per game and is third in scoring at 5.8 points per game.

Garbutt is also excited about 5-foot-9 junior forward Ellie Adams, who has chipped in 5.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Sophomore guard Gracie Robinson handles ball pressure well and adds 3.8 points per game. Sophomore guard Izzy Michaels gives the Seahawks energy off the bench and also returns after impressing as a hustling freshman last year.

The Seahawks ran into a buzzsaw against Silas in Tacoma last week but have wins over Stadium (52-30), Lincoln and a 61-12 clubbing of Mount Tahoma on Dec. 11.

Peninsula is second in the Nisqually Division after winning at Capital, 55-44, on Dec. 17 The division’s top contenders this year are River Ridge and North Thurston.

But the future of the Nisqually Division may go through the Peninsula gym in coming years.

The Seahawks host River Ridge at 7 p.m. Dec. 19.

Gig Harbor girls tied for division lead

The Gig Harbor girls basketball team (4-2, 4-2 PSL) is tied with Bellarmine for the Narrows Division lead. But the Tides own a 57-45 victory over the Lions on Dec. 3.

The Tides have been impressive early for new coach Michelle Hackett, a longtime assistant coach at Charles Wright of Tacoma.

Gig Harbor squandered a 19-5 early lead on Dec. 1 in what turned into a 69-66 loss to North Thurston. They gave Hackett her first win a couple days later, 57-45 over Bellarmine, on Dec. 3.

On Dec. 17, the Tides demolished Silas, 78-47, in Tacoma.

Senior guard Kaliyah Miller poured in 24 points against the Rams and opened the game with two downtown 3-pointers. Power forward Willow Bonicci added 11 points and eight rebounds. Both are returning all-conference players.

Junior guard Ashlyn Peirce had an outstanding game as well with 12 points and seven assists.

Ashlyn Peirce of Gig Harbor during a game last season. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Dominant second half

Gig Harbor trailed 31-30 at halftime, but Miller and Peirce dominated the second half.

Other standouts for the Tides against Silas included freshman Jalaay Miller, Kaliyah’s sister; promising 5-foot-11 sophomore forward Anika Jones; freshman Sarah Cody; and sophomore Lili Maxion.

The Tides play at Kentlake at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20.

Seahawks battle tough early schedule

The Peninsula boys basketball team (2-4, 1-3 PSL) has had a tough start to their season while facing some of the Narrows Division’s best teams.

The Seahawks got their first league win on Dec. 17 in an overtime thriller against Capital (2-5, 0-4). The Seahawks came out of the overtime huddle and suddenly looked like the Golden State Warriors, splashing four deep 3-pointers in a row to earn the victory.

Key players

Key players for coach Sean Muilenburg include junior point guard Tariq Taylor; 6-foot-7 Jack Raslavsky; and Mulienburg’s son Aiden, an aggressive 6-foot-6 rebounder.

Taylor introduced himself to the Peninsula crowd in the season’s first game against Orting. He drained a cold-blooded, 22-footer at the final buzzer to defeat the visitors, 61-58, on Dec. 3.

AJ Alexeev, a 6-foot-4 senior power forward, might be Peninsula’s best overall player. He was all-league a year ago.

Talen McDonnell, a 6-foot-4 combo guard, and 6-foot-1 senior Isaac Smith round out the starting five.

AJ Alexeev of Peninsula during a game last season. Photo by Bryce Carithers

Capital game

The Seahawks led this week’s game against Capital, 56-46, with just over two minutes to go.

But Capital went on a 12-2 run, capped by two free throws with two seconds remaining, to tie the game at 58.

With all the momentum on the Cougar side the Seahawks came out of the huddle determined to win and absolutely shot the lights out in overtime.

McDonnell and Taylor hit deep threes in succession. Then Smith buried a three from even further out and another from the opposite wing. Peninsula exploded with 16 points in the final four overtime minutes, with Smith supplying seven of them.

The Seahawks host River Ridge (2-2, 2-1) at 7 p.m. Dec. 19.

Tariq Taylor of Peninsula