Continuing its hot run through the second half of the Cascade Conference schedule, the Coupeville High School boys basketball team won its fifth straight game by whipping visiting Lakewood 65-51 Wednesday, Feb. 2.

The improving Wolves (6-7, 8-11) will get to measure their growth in the regular season finale when they host first-place Archbishop Thomas Murphy (11-2, 13-5) Friday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. The two teams opened conference play Dec. 10 with a 60-35 Wildcat win.

Coach Randy King, summing up the Lakewood game, said, “They (Lakewood) would never go away.” Each time Coupeville appeared to be in control of the game, the Cougars (3-10, 6-13) would rally to get back within striking distance.

Coupeville cruised to a 15-4 lead early in the second quarter, then Lakewood twice trimmed the gap to three. With Coupeville on top 20-17 with 2:55 left in the half, Tyler King wrapped a pair of three pointers around another by Dalton Engle to help the Wolves go up 31-22 at half.

Sparked by another pair of three pointers by King, the Wolves led 39-26 with 4:54 left in the third quarter. The Cougars cut the gap in half, and Coupeville pushed it to 14, 53-39, when Ben Hayes and Engle started the fourth quarter with Coupeville hoops.

Led by Tre Haslom, who scored all 12 of Lakewood’s fourth-quarter points, the Cougars narrowed the lead to six, 57-51, with 1:54 remaining. Haslom, who played in Oak Harbor his freshman year, finished with 19 points.

The Wolves closed out the game on an 8-0 run to hold on and pick up the win.

Coach King was pleased with his team’s balanced scoring: Hayes 16, Hunter Hammer 16, Tyler King 15, Ian Smith 12 and Engle six.

Hammer also hauled in 15 rebounds, and Smith handed out eight assists.

Coach King said, “The kids are playing really well right now.”

The Wolves begin the playoffs Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. at either Lynden Christian or Meridian. The winner of the loser-out game qualifies for tri-district.