Overcoming a shaky start, the Coupeville boys basketball team edged host Lakewood 60-58 Tuesday.

The Wolves (5-2, 10-3) now enter the second round of league play; they go to Cedarcrest (5-1, 8-4) Friday, Jan. 22. In their last meeting Jan. 5, the Red Wolves defeated Coupeville 53-49.

In order to win this time around, Coupeville coach Randy King said, “We will have to control their shooters.” The Red Wolves’ primary weapon is Daniel Campbell, who scored 22 in the first meeting and put up 41 points on Granite Falls last Friday.

Against Lakewood (1-4, 3-8), the Wolves dropped behind 18-10 in the first quarter. King said poor shot selection; turnovers; not getting the ball into post Hunter Hammer, Coupeville’s leading scorer; and failing to control the Cougars’ Tre Haslom contributed to the slow start.

King said Jason Bagby “did a nice job” reining in Haslom from the middle of the second quarter on, and the Coupeville offense started to correct its problems.

The Wolves were down 34-30 at intermission, but they met their early-game goal of overtaking the Cougars by the middle of the third quarter. From that point Coupeville never trailed, but it also never pulled away.

A 17-7 scoring advantage in the third quarter put the Wolves up 47-41 heading into the final eight minutes. Lakewood trimmed the lead to one, 59-58, and fouled Ian Smith with eight seconds left.

Smith hit the first of two free throws, then stole a Cougar pass to seal the win.

Coupeville made things uncomfortable for itself by hitting just two of eight fourth-quarter free throws. The Wolves were 13-26 for the game.

Coupeville’s offense was balanced with four players in double figures. Hammer added another double-double to his collection with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Bagby scored 13 points; Smith 11; JD Wilcox 11; Chad Brookhouse four; and Erik King, Tyler King and Tim Walstad two each.