- video by Jim P.

WA Boys AA Blue take back loss to Chico Red, will be #1 seed in next week's playoffs

 

SILVERDALE, Wash. – Championship teams figure out how to win, especially when everything is on the line.

 

That is what the Warren Ave (WA) Boys AA Blue Knights (8 – 1) did Wednesday nights (Mar. 14) at Central Kitsap Middle School against Chico Boys AA Red (8-1).

 

With the 50-to-49 win, the Knights revenged the 59-to-46 loss Chico handed them on their home court, Mountain View Middle School, on Mar. 5^th. And, they regained the #1 spot in the Kitsap Co. Pee Wee Boys AA standings, a week prior to the start of the post-season tournament.

 

The single point win does not accurately tell the tale of the two opposing halves.

 

Warren Ave stepped onto the Chico hardwood Wednesday intent on displaying their full array of capabilities.

 

They opened with shooting guard Ruppe Wilson releasing a three-point shot from the far-left corner.

 

Wilson had shot well in the Knights’ last two games. Connecting on 4-of-6 (67%) trifectas in the 62-to-55 club win against WA Boys AA Gold on Mar. 7^th. And, he got Warren Ave back into the game in the 2^nd half, converting 6-of-14 (43%) long-range shots, in their 59-to-46 loss at home this very same Chico Red team on Mar. 5^th.

 

When Wilson’s game-opening shot rolled around the rim and fell out, versatile point guard Kimo Retome slice-in and snagged the offensive rebound, initiating three more scoring attempts by the Knights in the open possession.

 

Retome would end the contest with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Six of those boards came on the offensive end, an area that the Knights dominated throughout the game, retrieving 59% of their missed shots.

 

On their next trip down the floor, scoring guard D’Angelo Moore put Warren Ave’s first two points on the scoreboard, off a fast-break layup supported by Wilson. Moore would ring-up a team-high 23 points in the contest. His fourth 20+ point game this season.

 

Speed is this group of Knights greatest asset and they opened at a pace Chico Red could not handle. Chico’s head coach had to call a timeout, less than four minutes into the game, to make adjustments.

 

Following the timeout, kinks began to show in Warren Ave’s armor.

 

First, starting forward Kelo Logova, a whirlwind for the Knights in the paint, was on the bench with two personal fouls.

 

When Logova returned to the game ten minutes later, he contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds, his second double-double of the season, and was called for no more fouls.

 

Second, Wilson's shooting touch had not accompanied him to the game. He would manage to record only 2 points in the game, missing all six three-point and both free throw shot attempts.

 

Third, the Knights were committing an unprecedented number of turnovers. Thirty percent of the time they gave the ball back to Chico without attempting a shot. In the end, their forced and unforced errors would cost them 15 points, nine in the 2^nd half, which fueled Chico’s comeback.

 

Finally, the three Peninsula Basketball Association officials overseeing the contest were calling the game tight. Due to the large number of open courts fouls, the pace of the contest slowed dramatically, equalizing the game.

 

Due to the slower temp, Warren Ave manage only forty-six field goal attempts in the forty-four-minute contest. Over the duration of the season (9 games), they average 62.8 shots per game.

 

Despite their 1^st half flaws, the Knights took a 30-to-22 lead into the halftime break.

 

But, in the 2^nd half, they got outplayed by Chico.

 

Warren Ave’s defense gave up 27 points, nine of those off turnovers, and their offense put only 20 points on the board.

 

What helped the Knights retain their lead was free throw shooting.

 

On the night, Warren Ave attempted a season-high twenty-one shots from the charity strip and made fourteen (67%).

 

In the end, it would require an extra-ordinary feat of athleticism for the Knights to win.

 

At the free throw line, ahead by a single point (50-to-40), with 3 tickles left on the clock, Wilson stood at the free throw line, and missed the front end of a 1-and-1.

 

It appeared that the defender on the bottom right block would get the rebound and be able to call a time-out, enabling Chico one final shot attempt to win the game.

 

But, Retome, from the free throw box above, jumped around the backside of the Chico rebounder, knocked the ball loose, and it careened out-of-bounds. The baseline official awarded the basketball to Warren Ave. Game over.

 

To see Warren Ave Boys AA Blue’s opening playoff game, be in the Ridgetop Middle School gym bleacher by 6 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 22.  The Knights will take on the winner of Tuesday’s (Mar. 20) game between #4 and #5.

 

See you there.

 

- video by Jim P.