BHS Boys Varsity advance to Semi-Finals
with 33-to-27 win over Klahowya

By MARK BUTCHER

Sports Writer

One would think that a team who has spent hundreds of hours practicing in their own gym would be able to shoot free throws. That was not the case for the Bremerton Boys Varsity team Tuesday (Jun. 19^th) in the opening round of the single-elimination Sports Beyond Summer League Championship Tournament.

Heading into the second half against the Klahowya Eagle with a 17-to-7 lead, the Knights dinged 12 of 17 (70%) of their free throws off the rim. But the lone free throw made by sophomore points guard Caleb Washington, incoming freshman guard Ruppe Wilson, and junior forward Cedric Curtis, as well as duel shots by junior wing Keith Jackmon that found their way through the twine, were enough to hold off the charging Eagles for a 33-to-27 win and a berth in the semi-final game.

Bremerton full-court defensive speed proved too much for the Eagles, who scored their first points with 4:58 remaining in the opening period. Junior forward Gavin King led the Knights basketball reclamation project with a team-high seven steals. Washington, Jackmon, and senior Kaleb Peterson added an additional four thefts each to Bremerton’s impressive 20 takeaway total. Thirty-two percent of the Knights possessions throughout the contest were generated from steals.

But the BHS Boys Varsity team were equally unimpressive handling the ball, fumbling or throwing away 28% of their possessions to the visitors

With just a single reserve player to substitute in (Cedric Curtis, who showed up at halftime), Coach Joe Wilson only option was to coax what he could out of the sextet - Washington, Wilson, Jackmon, Curtis, King, and Peterson - hoping it would be enough to get the team to the next level. Fortunately, it was this time, even with the team converting only 2 of 11 (18%) three-point shots and grabbing just six offensive rebounds (27%).

At the final buzzer, Jackmon had accumulated a team-high 12 points, followed by Washington with nine. Peterson was the leading rebounder with eight boards and Jackmon pulled in an additional seven rebounds.