Men win OT thriller at Peninsula, improve to 2-0

PORT ANGELES -- Edmonds men’s basketball is off to a 2-0 start in the NWAC North after hanging on to defeat Peninsula College on Saturday night.

The Tritons held a 37-31 advantage at halftime, and opened the second half on a 17-6 run to extend out to their largest lead of the game at 54-37. In the final 13 minutes the Pirates clawed back on their home hardwood and ended up forcing overtime after Everett Torres-Kahapea’s layup tied the game at 79 apiece just before the end of regulation.

In overtime Curtis Walker dominated, scoring 10 points to lift Edmonds to a 96-88 victory. He finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Tre’Var Holland notched 26 points and dished out 10 assists to pace the Tritons. Holland was also a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. The sophomore is near the top of the NWAC leaderboard in steals (2.4) and assists per game (6.5); he is shooting 87% from the charity stripe this season.

Amanuel Gebreziabher

Winning in Port Angeles against the Pirates (1-1 North, 11-3 overall) is never an easy task. Edmonds snapped Peninsula’s six-game win streak. “It was a gritty win for us. We battled through a lot of adversity at the end when Peninsula hit some tough shots and found ways to get to the free throw line,” said head coach Kyle Gray. "I'm really proud of how we stuck together and found a way to get a road win in a tough place. We focused on what we could control."

Wednesday’s home win over Shoreline saw freshman Amanuel Gebreziabher pour in a season-high 20 points. The freshman guard has worked his way into the starting lineup the past four games and has reached double-digits in four of the past five games. Edmonds led wire-to-wire to top Shoreline 82-75. The Tritons’ bench played a part in the victory, netting 33 points to the Dolphins 16 bench points. Skyler Hammer chipped in 10 points and 7 rebounds. Hammer, Naji Ibraham (who scored 14 points and had 4 steals at Peninsula), and Simran Parmar have all played key roles, and Parker Landdeck is now back from an injury.

Edmonds (2-0 North, 10-6 overall) has now won four in-a-row, and will hit the road again on Wednesday when they cross the Puget Sound to face Olympic College (1-1 North, 4-12 overall) in Bremerton. Stay up-to-date with any schedule changes or cancellations by following the Triton Athletics Twitter. Western Washington is supposed to receive snow this week along with subfreezing temperatures for several days.

Edmonds downs Peninsula, moves to 2-0 in region play

PORT ANGELES -- The Edmonds Community College women’s basketball program has started regional play with two wins after Saturday’s triumph in Port Angeles over Peninsula College.

The Tritons shot 48% from the field and held the Pirates to 32% shooting. Just over one minute into the game they took a lead they would not relinquish. At the break, they led 35-27 and hung on to claim the important 74-67 road victory. Jerzie Pluid recorded her second double-double in the past three games with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and was one of four players to reach double figures (Kalei Cates scored 19, Rachael Balagso had 16 and Gieani Balino added 11). Edmonds withstood Leilani Padilla’s 27-point effort by the Pirates (1-1 North, 8-5 overall). When it mattered in the fourth quarter, Padilla was limited to just three points, all coming from the charity stripe.

Sophomore Gieani Balino

In Wednesday’s NWAC North Region opener at home versus Shoreline, the Tritons fought off a pesky Dolphins team 96-83 behind Gieani Balino’s offensive explosion. The sophomore guard scored a career-high 28 points and also swiped 10 steals. She is now averaging just over 18 ppg, which is 7^th best in the NWAC. It was a back-and-forth battle through three quarters before the Tritons pulled away in the final stanza. Edmonds outscored Shoreline 34-24 in the fourth quarter. The Tritons shot a blistering 53% from the floor and forced 35 Dolphin turnovers, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter.

Edmonds (2-0 North, 5-10 overall) is scheduled to play in Bremerton at Olympic College (0-2 North, 3-8 overall) on Wednesday, January 15. Follow the Triton Athletics Twitter for the

most up-to-date information on any game changes or cancellations. Western Washington is supposed to receive snow this week along with subfreezing temperatures for several days.