Olympic overpowered by South Kitsap’s inside duo

PORT ORCHARD — It was about as businesslike as it could get, but that’s OK with everyone involved. A win, after all, is still a win.

“I think we came out with some intensity in the first half, but I don’t think we played with a whole lot of intensity throughout, obviously,” said South Kitsap boys basketball coach John Callaghan of his team’s 57-43 win over Olympic Wednesday night.

“But I don’t think (Olympic) played with a whole lot of intensity, either. And I don’t know why, because they’re playing for their playoff lives. I kind of suspected they’d play all-out. But for whatever reason, it was just one of those nights.”

Olympic (9-10, 6-7 league) fell into a tie for third in league with Bremerton and Shelton.

We came out ready to go, and then we got up early and just got complacent, I think,” Callaghan said. “It wasn’t one of our most intense games, that’s for sure.

“Defensively, we played all right. The intensity just wasn’t where we wanted it tonight, but I’m sure it will be (Friday).”

SK jumped out to an 18-2 first-quarter lead and coasted from there.

“That was the whole game plan,” senior guard Derrick Webb said. “Coach said to get after them right from the start.”

Senior post Adam Bennett carried the load on this night with a workmanlike 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. Jake Beitinger chipped in with 12 points and 16 rebounds.

“We needed to get this one,” Bennett said. “Olympic isn’t too big a rival so ... I don’t know, every game is a big game for us. We needed to get it and we did.”

After jumping out to the big lead, Olympic never really had a chance to get back into the game, although it did cut the lead down to nine points with five minutes remaining.

“They started to make a comeback but we just held our own,” said Webb, who scored eight points. “We’re playing really well. The defense is playing hard and the offense is scoring.”

Bennett, who scored eight points in the fourth quarter, made sure Olympic never got any closer.

“It started to get a little close,” he said. “They cut it to 10 there, but we never let them get closer than that. I think that’s really has been key for us, to get up early and stay there. In the past, it’s been a little tough for us to do that. We’d get a big lead and they’d jump back on us but tonight we did a really nice job.”

Sequim 73, at Klahowya 27 — Sequim took a 20-2 lead into the second quarter and never relinquished that momentum against the Eagles in a Nisqually League Olympic Division game Thursday.

Brady Marunde scored a game-high 14 points for Sequim (15-4, 10-2 league), while Klahowya (5-14, 4-8) lost its third consecutive game.

The loss followed Tuesday’s 71-69 overtime loss at home against Eatonville. Ryan McElwee paced Klahowya with 22 points against Eatonville.

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