PENINSULA DAILY NEWS for Sunday, March 24, 2013 SECTION
SCOREBOARD In this section
B The Streak
Wolves tame PT, 4-1 Sequim still tied for 1st in league PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LeBron James said the Miami Heat could play better despite a 25-game winning streak.
Miami wants to turn up Heat BY TIM REYNOLDS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — The Miami Heat have won 25 straight games, turned what was a super-close Eastern Conference race into a runaway and seem to be finding different ways to prevail on a nightly basis. And no, they are not particularly thrilled with themselves right now. From the Heat perspective, it’s almost like they are simultaneously slumping and streaking after facing double-digit deficits in three consecutive games, yet finding ways to win them all, much like each of the 22 games that preceded this week. “I’m taking the world view, that we have room to improve,” forward Shane Battier said. “By no stretch of the imagination are we playing our best basketball right now. We’re winning ball games, but we have a lot of room for improvement. “We have not started well the last couple games and our defensive focus has not been there. It’s been there in the second half and when we need it, but we need to do it more consistently.” Even as they move closer to the NBA-record winning streak of 33 straight established by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971-72, the bigger concern in the Heat locker room is that they are nowhere near a playoff gear with just 14 games remaining before the postseason arrives. They’ve trailed after five of their past six opening quarters, been losing at halftime in three straight outings and have been outshot in three of their last six contests. The next opportunity to fix some of those issues comes today at home against Charlotte (16-52) — a team that has won two straight, yet is a mere 38 games behind the Heat (5414) in the East standings. “It’s on the radar, no question about it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We need to put together complete games. That’s three games in a row where we haven’t gotten off to that energetic start that we’re looking for. “We’ll have an opportunity to get back to it [today]. No excuses. We’re not making excuses for ourselves, the schedule or anything. Just more consistency.” The latest close call wasn’t exactly all that close. Miami trailed Detroit by 11 points on Friday night, before clamping down in the second half and pulling away for a 103-89 win, with LeBron James finishing with 29 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. “We never expect anything to be easy,” James said. TURN
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STREAK/B3
SEQUIM — The Sequim boys soccer team won its fourth straight game Thursday night, beating Port Townsend 4-1. With the win, the Wolves (4-1) remain tied at the top of the Olympic League with Olympic (4-0). Both teams have earned 12 points. Sequim’s only setback of the season was a 3-2 overtime loss to Kingston in the season opener. “It was a nice, physical match,” Sequim coach Dave Brasher said of Thursday’s contest. “The kids played hard.” Mason Barrett scored his sixth goal of the season in the 24th minute off an assist by Omar Flores, and the Wolves led 1-0 at halftime. The Redskins tied the score in the 44th minute on a header by Brady Arthur that was set up by Mitiku Little. Sequim scored two quick goals in the 62nd and 64th minutes to go up 3-1. Both scores came off corner kicks by junior Nicholas Baird. First, Baird’s hard-driven corner kick deflected off a Port Townsend player and into the net. Two minutes later, Diego Cisneros scored on what Brasher called “a superb volley,” after a corner by Baird. Flores picked up his second assist of the game in the 80th minute, setting up defender Hector Baylon, who came from the back to score his first goal of the season. The Wolves outshot the Redskins 14-9, and Brasher was pleased the defense kept Port Townsend’s leading scorer Daniel Charlton without a goal. Center defender Lijah Sanford was named player of the match for Sequim. “He played excellent in the back,” Brasher said. “Freshman goalie Austin Wagner had five nice saves, a couple late in the game.” Sequim next plays at North Mason on Tuesday. Port Townsend fell to 2-3 on the season.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Port Townsend’s Daniel Charlton, left, slips ahead of Sequim’s Nicholas Baird during the first half in Olympic League action at Sequim High School.
Preps North Kitsap 5, Port Angeles 1 POULSBO — The Roughriders struggled Thursday in their first game on turf this season. The Vikings’ passing put them ahead 3-0 by halftime, with Reese Newman scoring two of those first-half goals. Abinet Hayden’s long-range shot went over the outstretched
arms of North Kitsap’s goalkeeper and into the goal, ending Port Angeles’ three-game scoring drought, in the 73rd minute. Hayden was the Riders’ offensive player of the match, Jeremy Choe was the transition player of the match and Tristen Isett and goalkeeper Jack Doryland shared the defensive honors. “Jack Doryland had a busy night and made a lot of big saves,” Port Angeles coach Chris Saari said. The Riders are now 0-5 on the
season. In the JV game, the Vikings beat Port Angeles 5-0.
Track and Field PA boys, girls win, PT girls second PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles boys and girls both won Thursday’s Olympic League trimeet with Port Townsend and Bremerton. TURN
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PREPS/B3
Carter to play at Whitworth Sequim’s all-time assists, boards leader picks college BY LEE HORTON PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
SEQUIM — Gabe Carter hoped Sequim’s 2A state playoff games wouldn’t be the last time he would represent his school on a basketball court. “Playing in college has been a dream for a long time,” Carter said after the Wolves’ openinground loss to Renton at the Yakima SunDome. “So, to get the opportunity to even come off the bench or sit on the bench or be a practice player or a starter, whatever it may be, I’d just be happy to be there.” That dream will be realized next year when Carter suits up for Whitworth, an NCAA Division III school in Spokane. “It still really hasn’t hit me yet,” Carter said Saturday. “Being in the midst of my senior project and portfolio and getting ready for graduation and everything, I don’t think that it will really hit me for a while. “But when I think about where I will be in a few months and what I will be doing, it fills me with excitement and motivation to work hard to get opportunities at Whitworth next year.” The Whitworth Pirates are coming off an appearance in the Division III Sweet 16 and have claimed four consecutive Northwest Conference titles.
They have a 106-13 win-loss record over the past four seasons. Carter, Sequim’s all-time career leader in rebounds and assists, is familiar with Whitworth and its basketball program.
Older sister at Whitworth His sister currently attends Whitworth, and he has been to several basketball camps there. Carter said that Jon Eekhoff, a teacher at Sequim who played basketball at Whitworth, got the ball rolling on his recruitment. Eekhoof contacted his old coach about Carter, and word was passed on to the current staff. Prior to this past basketball season, Whitworth head coach Matt Logie and assistant coach Damion Jablonski asked Carter to fly to Spokane for the Pirates’ combine. “I did, spur of the moment, and ended up really playing well there, and really liking both of the coaches and their personal coaching styles,” Carter said. “Once my season ended, I really sat down with my friends and family and thought about the best fit for me athletically and academically, and in the end, Whitworth was that choice.”
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Sequim basketball star Gabe Carter will play college TURN TO HOOPS/B3 ball at Whitworth College in Spokane.