BREMERTON, Wash. – Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) game against the visiting Silverdale Spartans 2 at Mountain View Middle School was big for the Warren Ave (WA) Boys AA Gold Knights. After losing to Silverdale 1 at Ridgetop Middle School on Wednesday, Feb. 12th, the Knights had fallen to fifth-place in the Kitsap Co. Pee Wee Boys AA Standings. Silverdale 2 (4-2) held the fourth spot, a game ahead of WA Boys Gold (3-2), and the Knights needed a victory to grab the Spartans spot and improve their post-season options.

They managed to achieve their objective with a 39-to-37 come-for-behind win but it was not easy.

For the entire first half Warren Ave did not have the services of starting point guard Miles Gurske, who leads the team in scoring (16.2 points per game), rebounding (7.8 rpg), assists (5.0 apg), and steals (3.8 spg).

Starting wing Kanye Taylor picked up the point guard and offensive slack, scoring twelve of Warren Ave’s 17 points in the opening period. Starting forward Hunter Tipler got control of the boards and pulled down 6 rebounds in the first half. Collectively the Knights tallied 7 of 12 steals in the first 22 minutes, missed all five of their three-point attempts, and only managed a single assists.

At the mid-game break Warren Ave trailed by only 3 points, 17-to-20.

“Defense, putting pressure on the ball, keeping the big guys out of the key, and rebounding were our key to victory tonight,” said Head Coach Jeremy Sump.

Even with the return of their leader to start the second half, Warren Ave continued to struggle offensively. Gurske didn’t find his offensive rhythm until mid-way through the half and the Knights only points came from a lone field goal by reserve forward Danovien Colquitt and two free throws from Tipler.

Although no one in the gym knew it at the time, the turning point of the game occurred with 6 minutes remaining on the clock, as both teams offensively stalled and the score hung at Silverdale 34, Warren Ave 27.

It was Colquitt that broke the deadlock, hitting the front-end of two shots from the charity strip after being fouled under the basket with 3:41 left to play.

“Down the stretch our press killed their offense,” coach Sump added.

A steal at half-court followed by an uncontested layup by Taylor got the Knights within striking distance, 34-to-35. Then Gurske gave Warren Ave the lead for the first time, 37-to-35, at the two-minute mark, on a gutsy fastbreak three-point basket off a second steal by Taylor in the open court.

In the closing minute it was successful free throw shooting that sealed the win for Warren Ave. Down the stretch they converted 6 of 10 (60%) attempts from the charity line.

Taylor put the Knights' victory into perspective when he said, “we’ve been working hard, going to practice every day, just bringing it all to the table.”

Having put the Silverdale 2 hurdle behind them, WA Boys AA Blue’s next obstacle in their quest for the 2018 championship is #2 Chico Boys AA Red. That contest, scheduled for Thursday, Mar. 1, will be played at Central Kitsap Middle School and will get underway at 7:00 p.m.