Coupeville nearing third consecutive undefeated conference season / Girls basketball

Published 1:30 am Monday, January 30, 2017

Two more down, one to go.

The Coupeville High School girls basketball team corralled two conference wins over the weekend, and the Wolves are now one game away from completing their third consecutive unbeaten Olympic League season.

In a pair of home games, Coupeville defeated Chimacum 44-33 Friday, Jan. 27, and Klahowya 37-19 Saturday to up its league winning streak to 26 games.

Coupeville (8-0, 13-3) steps away from league play to face 2A Sequim (6-11) twice this week. The other Wolves come to Coupeville at 5:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, in the second game of a double header. The varsity boys square off at 3:30.

Coupeville travels to Sequim Thursday, Feb. 2. The girls play at 3:30 and the boys at 5:15 p.m.

Coupeville completes conference play when Port Townsend (4-3, 8-7) visits at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4.

Coupeville 44, Chimacum 33

The Wolves built two nice leads and were unfazed when both evaporated.

Coupeville coach David King said his team’s ability to handle such situations is one of its strengths.

“It’s amazing how we have been able to response when we blow leads or have to comeback in games,” he said.

The Wolves raced to 10-0 lead in the first quarter with the help of a three-pointer and two free throws from Kailey Kellner, a put-back by Tiffany Briscoe and a three-point play after a steal by Mikayla Elfrank.

Elfrank ignited the run with four steals in three minutes.

Chimacum (2-5, 9-9) hit its first basket at the first-quarter buzzer, then sliced the lead to 12-11 early in the second quarter.

Undeterred, the Wolves, fueled by two hoops from Lindsey Roberts and four straight free throws from Briscoe, finished the half on a 11-5 run to go up 23-16.

Once again the Cowboys came back, and once again Coupeville countered.

Chimacum scored the first 6 points of the second half, making it 23-22. The Wolves, sparked by the high-energy effort of Kalia Littlejohn, went on a 14-0 run and led 37-24 at the end of the third quarter.

Five different Wolves scored and Roberts, Kellner and Mia Littlejohn all contributed with slick assists during the surge.

Five points by Kellner helped Coupeville hold off the Cowboys in the fourth period and help the Wolves overcome at dismall quarter at the foul line.

The Wolves missed all 10 of their free throws in the final period after going 7-for-7 from the stripe in the first half and hitting one of two in the third quarter.

Kellner topped all scorers with 15 points. Elfrank and Roberts scored 9 each, Briscoe 7, Kalia Littlejohn 2 and Lauren Grove 2.

Coupeville hauled in 38 rebounds (15 on offense), led by Roberts with 12, six on the offensive end. Kellner grabbed eight (three on offense) and Briscoe 7 (four on offense).

The Wolves also had 17 steals, paced by Elfrank’s four. Five different plays nabbed two: Grove, Kalia Littlejohn, Mia Littlejohn, Roberts and Briscoe.

Kellner added two blocks.

“Mikayla played one her best games of the season,” King said. “She played under control and worked within her limits.”

Mechelle Nisbet scored 14 points for the Cowboys.

Coupeville 37, Klahowya 19

After playing the night before, the Wolves were leg weary, which affected their shooting, King said. It didn’t, however, stop Coupeville’s gutty defense from holding Klahowya to 19 points — the sixth time this season the Wolves limited an opponent to less than 30 points.

The game was close, 9-7, after one period. Roberts and Elfrank hit put-backs and the Littlejohn sisters, Kalia (with a three-ball) and Mia, scored to give Coupeville the early lead.

From that point the Wolves steadily pulled away.

Kellner and Kalia Littlejohn started the second quarter with three-pointers and Elfrank converted on an assist from Mia Littlejohn to make it 17-7. The Wolves led 21-13 at the half.

Coupeville began attacking the rim in the second half and put the game away by scoring 9 straight points after the break. The Wolves were fouled six times while in the act of shooting and made six free throws to help push the lead to 35-15 going into the final period.

The Wolves held the Eagles (0-6, 3-13) to 6 second-half points.

Elfrank scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked two shots.

Kalia Littlejohn had 8 points and three assists.

Roberts finished with 7 points and 10 rebounds.

Mia Littlejohn, Briscoe and Kellner all scored three points. Mia Littlejohn added three assists, while Kellner collected three steals and Briscoe two.

Sarah Wright recorded two points, and Grove had three steals.

Amber Bumbalough scored 8 points to lead the Eagles.