“Every game is a playoff game for us,” Coupeville High School boys basketball coach said after the Wolves’ 53-49 win over visiting Port Townsend Friday, Jan. 23.
Once Coupeville dropped its first three league games, Smith said, the Wolves had to adopt an attitude that every game was like a loser-out playoff game if they wanted to reach the post season.
Coupeville is now tied with Port Townsend for third in the Olympic League 1A division standings. The top three teams move on to the district tournament.
Five games remain, starting with a trip to Chimacum at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27. Chimacum (3-1, 4-9) and Klahowya (3-1, 4-10) are tied for first; the Wolves (1-3, 5-9) and Port Townsend (1-3, 1-13) follow.
Port Townsend, who defeated Coupeville 60-51 Jan. 6, zipped to a 5-0 lead Friday. Getting three points each from Aaron Curtin, C.J. Smith and Joel Walstad, the Wolves cut the lead to one, 10-9, at the end of the quarter.
Smith sank the first two baskets of the second period to give Coupeville its first lead, 14-13.
Six points from Walstad helped Coupeville take a 25-21 lead into halftime.
Walstad scored off an assist from Risen Johnson to begin the second half, giving the Wolves the biggest lead of the game, 27-21.
The Cowboys then rallied, going on 18-5 run for a 39-32 lead.
Coupeville responded. Walstad hit a pair of free throws, and Aaron Trumbull scored off a turnover. Wiley Hesselgrave finished the run with a fast-break basket and a three-pointer (which was set up by a Walstad pass).
That cut PT’s lead to one, 42-41, going into the fourth period.
After giving up 22 point in the third quarter, the Coupeville defense stiffened and limited the Red Hawks to only seven points in the final eight minutes.
A basket by Trumbull after a Hesselgrave assist made it 44-43, Port Townsend, with 5:39 left.
After the Wolves missed three consecutive free throws, Walstad and Hesselgrave scored to put Coupeville on top, 47-44.
Five straight Red Hawks points gave PT the lead, 49-47, with 40 seconds left.
It appeared Coupeville tied the score 10 seconds later, but the hoop was erased by a basket interference call.
The Wolves’ press forced a 10-count; the turnover allowed Smith to score with 10 second left to tie the game. He was fouled on the play but missed the free throw.
Walstad grabbed the rebound and was fouled.
The senior calmly sank both foul shots to put Coupeville up 51-49 with eight seconds remaining.
A Coupeville foul put Port Townsend on the line with a chance to tie with 2.9 seconds remaining. The Red Hawk, however, missed both shots and Hesselgrave rebounded, was fouled and hit both free throws, completing the scoring.
“Our kids battled,” Anthony Smith said. “People were counting us out, but we believed in ourselves. As long was we believe each other and trust each other, we will be all right.”
Smith praised the play of his bench, which “kept us in it because of fouls.”
Hesselgrave, Coupeville’s leading scorer, recorded two quick fouls and played only two minutes in the first half. C.J. Smith stepped in and tallied 11 points. Hesselgrave finished with 10.
Walstad pumped in a season-best 17 points; Trumbull had four; and Ryan Griggs, Matt Shank and Risen Johnson added two each.
