An aggressive King’s defense caused a flood of turnovers as the Knights defeated the host Coupeville High School girls basketball team 54-28 Friday, Jan. 21.

King’s employed a trapping, full-court press and extended its defense to challenge the Coupeville guards in the half-court game. The continuous pressure reaped positive results for the Knights who used six Coupeville turnovers in the first quarter to go on a 14-0 run and lead at the end of the period 19-7.

Although the Wolves committed nine turnovers in the second period, its own scrappy defense caused the Knights into numerous miscues and the gap remained 12 points, 25-13, at the break.

King’s put the game away in the third period, forcing 15 turnovers and running to a 40-19 lead heading into the final period.

Coupeville suited just seven players for the game because of three injuries. One of the missing players was starting point-guard Cassidi Rosenkrance. Coach Jackie Bykonen said the Wolves could have used Rosenkrance’s ball-handling skills to combat the Knights’ pressure. Instead, players not used to quarterbacking the offense were forced to take over and had trouble with the visitors’ in-your-face defense.

Although King’s harassed Coupeville all night, the Wolves didn’t back down. Bykonen was particularly pleased with efforts of Amanda Manker and Jai’Lysa Hoskins.

Bykonen added, “They (the Wolves) are coming together. They played with a lot of energy, they just used a lot of it in the wrong areas.”

Although her team lost, she said, “It was an improvement over the first time we played them.” King’s defeated Coupeville 51-8 Dec. 17.

Hoskins scored eight points for Coupeville, Kendra O’Keefe five, Manker five, Courtney Arnold four, Taya Boonstra two, Katie Smith two and Bessie Walstad two.

The Wolves (1-8, 2-12) have a good shot of picking up another win when they travel to South Whidbey (1-8, 1-12) Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m.