Whew! The Coupeville High School boys basketball team averted disaster and pulled out a heart-thumping 74-71 win over visiting Orcas Island Wednesday, Dec. 9.

The Wolves allowed a 19-point lead to evaporate but not the game. The Vikings, who never led, knotted the game at 67 with 1:37 left, and then Coupeville, undeterred by the Orcas rally, made clutch plays during crunch time to secure the win.

Orcas hit one of two free throws after a technical foul to even the score at 67. A turnover on the ensuing possession gave the ball back to the Wolves.

That’s when Jordan Ford put the finishing touches on an outstanding game. The senior out-wrestled a mass of players for an offensive rebound and scored to give the Wolves the lead once again.

Another Viking turnover led to two free throws by Wiley Hesselgrave, and Coupeville pushed the lead to 71-67.

Orcas scored, Risen Johnson countered for Coupeville and Orcas converted once again, making it 73-71 with 33 seconds remaining.

After the Wolves missed a pair of free throws, Orcas had the chance to take the lead but missed and Ford came out of the scrum with the ball and was fouled with 0.8 remaining on the clock.

He hit the first shot to finish the scoring, ending the the game with a season-high 22 points.

The way the game started, few would have predicted a tense finish.

Ford scored the game’s first points after an offensive rebound; later Wiley Hesselgrave netted seven straight points and the Wolves led 11-2.

By the end of the first quarter, Coupeville was in control, 27-11.

Two minutes into the second period, Johnson scored and the Wolves had their biggest lead, 32-13.

Pasha Bullock then hit consecutive three-pointers for Orcas, and the Vikings began climbing back into the game.

Coupeville led 42-29 at halftime.

Orcas scored 25 points in the third quarter, 13 from Miles Harlow, who knocked down a trio of shots from beyond the arc, and the Vikings were within two, 56-54, heading into the final eight minutes.

Coupeville pushed the lead back to five several times before Orcas’ final surge.

Hesselgrave ended the game with 20 points, Johnson 16, Ryan Griggs 12, Deandre Mitchell two and Gabe Wynn two.

“In the third quarter we got complacent,” coach Anthony Smith said.

The game turned into a “battle of wills,” Smith said, adding, “We weren’t going to lose. We played for each other; we trusted ourselves and each other.”

Coupeville (2-3) heads to Klahowya (0-5) for the Olympic League opener at 5:15 p.m Friday, Dec. 11.

(Gabe Wynn goes to the basket for the Wolves Wednesday. Photo by John Fisken.)