Knights go 1 and 1 in

Summer League Opener

By MARK BUTCHER

Sports Writer

BREMERTON, Wash. – The beginning of the 2018-19 Bremerton Boys Varsity basketball team stepped onto the court for the first time Tuesday (Jun. 5) in the opening of the Sports Beyond Boys Summer League. In the Crosspoint Academy Gym the Knights lost to the Klahowya Eagles 37-to-44 in their 5 p.m. contest then rebounded to beat the North Mason Bulldogs 53-to-46 in the 7 p.m. game.

BHS Boys Coach Joe Wilson had only three returning varsity players - point guard Caleb Washington (soon to be sophomore), shooting guard Keith Jackmon (jr.), and forward Gavin King (jr.) – two former junior varsity players – shooting guard Xavier Tolosa (so.) and utility guard Alex Mendez (so.) – and a lone incoming freshman from Mountain View Middle School – point/shooting guard Ruppe Wilson. Andy McMartin (sr.), who missed the 2017-18 season due to a shoulder injury, arrived during the intermission and played only in the late game.

Notably absent from the line-up were returning forwards Yakir Irving (sr.), McCoy Retome, Kaipo Retome (jr.), and Kelo Logova (so.), as well as shooting guard Kimo Retome (so.). All five are football players, engaged in BHS spring football practice.

The Knights opened well against the Eagles, shooting 43% (3 for 7) from inside the arc, 36% (4 for 11) from long-range, and 86% (6 for 7) from the free throw line. But Klahowya also played well and the score stood tied at 24-all when the halftime buzzer sounded.

What the team missed during their intermission game discussions was the fact that more than half of their shots were being taken from beyond the three-point arc, that they had only pulled in two offensive rebounds, and thirty percent of their possessions were being turned to the opponent. All three of these game elements would burn Bremerton in the second half.

In the second twenty-minute running-clock period the Eagles played as they did in the first half and produced 20 points. The Knights on the other hand watched their shooting percentage drop 10-points, to 30% from field goal range (2 for 7) and three-point range (2 for 7), and their free throw shooting drop to 50% (3 for 6). The combination of all three falling off resulted in Bremerton putting a measly 13 points on the scoreboard, not enough to win. Additionally, the sextuple committed 16 turnovers in the period and guards Washington and Jackmon grabbed the team’s two lone offensive rebounds.

The positive aspect of the game where Jackmon's (13 points) and Washington’s (10 pts) double-digit scoring, Washington’s four assists, as well as Jackmon’s and King's eight, primarily defensive, rebounds each.

The addition of McMartin for the second game strengthened the Knights defense in the paint. It also increased Coach Wilson’s substitution options.

As they did in the first game, Bremerton established a solid foundation in the first half and subsequently led North Mason 28-to-24 at halftime. This was accomplished on 5 of 11 (45%) three-point shooting and 5 of 7 (71%) made free throws. The Knights also took better care of the basketball, committing just four turnovers, as well as grabbing an additional offensive rebound (3).

The majority of the BHS Boys long-range firepower came from Tolasa, who drained 4 of 5 three-point shots in the games opening 13 minutes. When Coach Wilson called his number for a rest break, Tolasa let coach know in passing that he was hot as he took a seat on the bench. Returning to the game five minutes later, he remarkable did not take another shot for the remainder of the first half or during the second half.

In the second half, Jackmon, who led the 2017-18 Knights in score, shouldered the offensive load and scored 11 of Bremerton’s 20 second half points. King, who finally found some offensive rhythm, added an additional four points.

At the final buzzer the scorebook revealed Jackmon to be the team’s leading scorer, with 16 points, and rebounder, with 8 boards. Tolosa followed with 12 points and Washington led the team with 6 assists.

The difference between the Klahowya loss and the North Mason win was the Knights’ defensive effort. Against the Bulldogs the Bremerton grabbed 11 steals, which significantly disrupted North Mason offensive scheme and fueled a string of Bremerton fast-breaks.

The two games, although only a prelude, did prove a glimpse of an answer to the question on the minds of the Bremerton Basketball Faithful – Are the incoming freshman from Mountain View Middle School ready to play high school basketball? These are the players that won the 2017 Kitsap Co. Boys Middle School Championship, that defended their Kitsap Co. Pee Wee Boys AA Championship, that have monthly been bringing home championship trophies from the greater-Seattle area Select Basketball Tournament circuit.

Ruppe Wilson, son of Coach Joe Wilson, represented the incoming freshman well. In 54 minutes of action (27 minutes per game), he was visibly comfortable on the court and shot 40% (2 for 5) from inside the arc, 29% (2 for 7) from long-range, and 50% (2 for 4) from the charity strip. By far the shortest player on the floor for both games, he scored 12 points (6.0 ppg), pulled down 8 rebounds (4.0 rpg), and had a team-low four turnovers (2.0 tpg). None of Wilson’s turnovers came on ball-handling or defensive intimidation errors, typical underclassmen mistakes. Instead, the turnovers came off high degree of difficulty passes his teammates weren’t expecting and slightly out-of-synch passes caused by the faster pace of a high school varsity game. Passes that he will complete next game.

Thursday (Jun. 7^th) will complete the first week of Summer League. The Knights will tip-off at 5 p.m. in the South Kitsap High Main Gym against the North Kitsap Vikings, who played Kingston Buccaneers and the Sequim Wolves at Sequim High Tuesday night. Then at 7 p.m. Bremerton Varsity will lace-them-up again to take-on the Buccaneers.

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