The Coupeville boys basketball team split its two games this weekend at home, defeating Chimacum 65-45 Friday and losing to Meridian 50-40 Saturday.
The Wolves are now 3-1 in nonleague play and start Cascade Conference action at home next Friday, Dec. 18, against South Whidbey at 5:15 p.m.
In the win over Chimacum, once again it was too much of Hunter Hammer for a Coupeville opponent. The Wolves’ junior post recorded is third straight double-double, collecting 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Coupeville jumped to a 16-9 first-quarter lead. After close second quarter, the Wolves outscored the Cowboys 20-8 in the third period to take a comfortable 50-30 lead into the final eight minutes.
Tim Walstad’s 14 points and Ian Smith’s 12 were season highs for both as they helped out Hammer with the Coupeville scoring. Chad Brookhouse added nine, Jason Bagby six, Ben Hayes four and JD Wilcox three.
Chimacum fell to 0-5 for the year.
Although Coupeville lost to Meridian, it was a highly competitive battle between two good and undefeated teams. His team lost, but coach Randy King was pleased with his team’s effort. “They are a good team and we didn’t back down.”
Bagby, who led the Wolves with 15 points, and King both made the same comment: “I’d like to play them again.”
The Trojans returned most of their players from a team that qualified for the state tournament last year. King noted that the two teams may, indeed, meet up later this winter when the Wolves go against the 1A schools from the Northwest Conference (which includes Meridian) at the district tournament.
Several factors led Meridian to its win over the Wolves.
One, they made Hammer a nonfactor. The 6-5 center was neutralized by Meridian’s 6-8, 6-6, 6-5 front line and was limited to four points and five rebounds.
Two, the Wolves had trouble containing the Trojans’ slick guard, 6-5 Josiah Sebens, who scored 24 points.
Three, all of statistics were nearly identical except for three throws. Meridian went 11-15 from the line; Coupeville 3-7. Sebens hit eight of those free throws after drawing fouls from the Wolves trying to stop his penetration.
And finally, Sebens got help from 6-8 Mike Hayes who scored 13 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and bothered Hammer in the post with his quickness.
Coupeville led 11-10 at the quarter and was down 25-22 at the break.
After Tyler King’s 3-pointer about two minutes into the second half, Coupeville’s offense went silent for almost six minutes and Meridian went up 37-25.
Bagby added nine rebounds and three assists to his 15-point night. Brookhouse scored seven points, Walstad four, Tyler King three (four assists), Wilcox three (three assists) and Erik King two.
