Community Sports
Sports Beat | Tides knock off Bellarmine in return of heated rivarly
The Gig Harbor Tides (4-4, 4-3 Puget Sound League) boys basketball team won a thriller over cross-bridge rival Bellarmine Prep (5-3, 5-2) on Dec. 19 at home, 56-54. The back-and-forth game had the near-capacity crowd on the edge of their seats.
The Tides then got another league win on Dec. 21, beating Central Kitsap in Silverdale, 69-35.
Rivalry renewed
The Gig Harbor-Bellarmine rivalry renewed in the new Puget Sound League, bringing back memories of old Narrows League matchups between the two schools that were often packed with drama, suspense and narrow victories.
The two schools last met on the Tides’ court in 2022, when Gig Harbor forward Luke Browne hit a fadeaway 15-foot jump shot with one second on the clock to give the Tides a one-point win.
On Dec. 19, junior Jack Johnsen hit the key shot. His corner three with 28 seconds put the Tides ahead to stay.
The Tides received clutch performances from leading scorers Michael Masini, who had 20 points, and Cole Browne, who had 17 points. Both helped the Tides stay alive in the competitive PSL title chase.
The Tides duo of Cole Browne (4) and Michael Masini combined for 37 points and 17 rebounds in Gig Harbor’s win over Bellarmine Prep. Photo Christi Adams
GH snapped skid
Bellarmine came into the contest in second place in the Narrows Division of the Puget Sound League. A busload of fans, along with NBA veteran and Bellarmine alum Malachi Flynn, came across the bridge to cheer them on. The Lions are led by Bobby Moorehead, who replaced longtime coach Bernie Salazar.
The Tides were desperate for a win. The started PSL play 2-0 before dropping three consecutive conference games by a combined 12 points. The Tides could not afford another home loss and they played like it, coming through in a wild fourth quarter.
Masini helped get the Tides to the fourth, scoring 16 points in the first three quarters with an array of face-up moves and put-backs. He collected 11 rebounds on the night.
He also patrolled the middle using his long arms and jumping ability to reject three Lions shot attempts while discouraging many other drives.
“Masini is a good player. Extremely solid,” Gig Harbor coach Billy Landram said. “You know what you are getting every night from him.”
Browne scored nine points in the second quarter, including a high-arcing floater with a second left on the shot clock, to keep the Tides close.
High-intensity fourth
The intensity increased a couple of notches with 3:23 remaining in the fourth quarter and Bellarmine ahead, 45-43. With the momentum seemingly on the side of the Lions, a Bellarmine player fouled Browne. The Lions defender said something to the referees that resulted in a technical foul.
Browne calmly buried all four foul shots — two for the personal foul and two more for the technical — to give the Tides a 47-45 lead.
More drama ensued a minute later, with the game tied. Twice within two seconds, Bellarmine players reached across the out-of-bounds line while Gig Harbor attempted to pass the ball in.
The first time was a delay of game warning. The second, by rule, was a technical foul. Bellarmine coaches and fans didn’t like it, but Browne returned to the free throw line to give his team the lead.
The senior hit seven of eight pressure-packed free throws in the fourth quarter.
“Cole has been really clutch at the free-throw line this season for us. Not only on his free throws, but he helped calm us down several times when the game seem to be slipping from our grasp,” Landram said.
Critical three-pointer
The teams traded baskets and free throws before Gig Harbor began a possession with the score tied at 51 and 44 seconds remaining.
The Tides needed a bucket to take the lead and boy did they get a big one.
Browne penetrated the lane, drew a swarm of defenders and found junior forward Jack Johnsen alone in the corner. Johnsen hadn’t attempted a shot all game but didn’t shy away from the moment. His high-arching, corner three pointer made the net dance with 28 seconds on the game clock.
The clutch shot gave the Tides a 54-51 lead while sending the Tides fans leaping to their feet.
“JJ’s shot was huge. Unselfishly, he passed up a decent look earlier in the shot clock trying to set up a teammate, but when it came back again, he didn’t waste the opportunity,” Landram said.
The Tides’ pressure defense forced a Lion to step on the sideline on the next possession. Masini made two free throws without hitting the rim to seal the deal, pushing the lead to 56-51 with under 10 seconds to go.
A Bellarmine player drained a three pointer at the buzzer, but Gig Harbor got the rivalry win in a highly entertaining, well-played game by both teams.
League race
The win helped the Tides stay in the race for the division title.
“Every team in this league is beatable on any night in my opinion, but every team is good enough to beat us on a given night. The league is extremely even and consistency is of high importance,” Landram said.
Lincoln leads the league race at 7-0 as of Monday, Dec. 23. Bellarmine and Silas are both 5-2, with Gig Harbor a game back at 4-3. Mount Tahoma (2-5) and Central Kitsap (0-7) round out the division.
Masini, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds per outing, capped off another fine game.
“This feels great, I mean … they traveled well, their student section was going crazy, so to get that win and silence them a little bit was a good feeling,” Masini said.
Now the Tides trade in their winter coats for tank tops, traveling to Oahu, Hawaii, for four games.
Peninsula girls fall to River Ridge
The Peninsula (4-4, 4-3) girls basketball team lost to River Ridge, 51-43, at home on Dec. 19.
Peninsula and River Ridge came into the game tied for second place in the Nisqually Division at 4-2. It was clear from the start that the Hawks had a detailed defensive game plan for senior Peninsula star Grace Richardson, who had 30 points in a game earlier this season.
Seahawks led early
Richardson is playing at the top of the key on offense this season for new Seahawks coach Nelson Garbutt, who wants the ball in her hands as much as possible. River Ridge countered with a stifling 2-3 zone that bracketed Richardson’s drives.
River Ridge fouled Richardson five times while dribbling in the first quarter alone.
The defense required her try to split defenders to penetrate the top of the zone. If she did, a second line of defenders rushed to help on the drive, forcing Richardson to give the ball up.
Grace Richardson of Peninsula had 13 points and 11 rebounds against River Ridge. Photo by Dennis Browne
Senior Macy Miller took advantage of those open looks. She had 10 points in the game and hit a three-pointer and a driving layup to give the Seahawks a 9-8 first-quarter lead.
River Ridge resembled a track team as they attacked the basket in the second quarters. The five Hawks were all about the same height and all lightning-quick. They outscored the Seahawks 16-5 in a decisive second quarter to take a 24-14 lead into the halftime break.
The two senior Peninsula posts, Kenyon Ballard and Katelyn Lea, who are both 5-feet-10 and athletic, looked to have an advantage on the blocks. But they combined to attempt only seven shots in the game. Ballard corralled six rebounds and Lea blocked a few shots as both players were effective at hustling and playing physical defense.
Tough defense
Garbutt was an assistant coach for the last two Peninsula head coaches and specialized in coaching defense. His passionate influence has been carried over to this year’s team.
Time and time again, the Seahawks played the passing lanes and came up with steals and scrapped for loose balls to keep the game close.
Garbutt moved Richardson out on the wing to start the second half, which allowed her to attack either the middle or the baseline while facing less help-side defense. She weaved her way through traffic for a couple buckets and got free for a baseline drive that brought the third-quarter gap to six points.
Peninsula also turned to athletic freshman Paige Jones, who looks like she has definite potential. She drove for a bucket, found cutters for hoops, had two steals, and played smart basketball.
River Ridge enjoyed a 36-24 lead to start the fourth quarter. They kept their sights set on containing Richardson.
Again, she was fouled a lot in the fourth quarter and hit six free throws to bring her total for the game to 13 points, with 11 rebounds, and five assists.
But the Hawks kept the offensive pedal down and continued the fast break even when their coach was yelling to slow it down and use up the shot clock.
Up next
Their aggression paid off as they were never seriously threatened in the fourth. River Ridge’s Brandi Stanford, one of the leading scorers in the league, took a gaudy 28 shots and scored 26 points.
The Seahawks got back on the winning track though with an easy win at Timberline, 57-32, on Saturday, Dec. 21.
They return to action at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 27 against Bishop Blanchet at Auburn Riverside High School.