POULSBO — The North Kitsap boys’ basketball team has a goal this season to make league playoffs. That goal was fading fast last week, with the Vikings only winning one league game at that point.
Now, the Vikes have a fighting chance.
An 80-61 win over Gig Harbor Friday night puts NK (2-6 in league, 4-10 overall) in second to last place in the Narrows League. The team will need to win a majority of its games in the second half of the season. But Vikes’ coach Aaron Nations said he believes in his squad’s ability to make it happen.
“We have to play good basketball — we can’t play an average game and win,” Nations said. “But if we can take at least four of the (next) six games, we can make it.”
The win over the Tides also puts the Vikings at 3-2 at home — which meets another of the team’s goals — for now.
“One of our goals was to be above .500 at home,” Nations said.
Against Gig Harbor, North held an early lead after the first at 20-17 but the Tides rushed in during the second, with guard Ryan Christiensen scoring 10 points and Gig’s go-to-guy, Bill Forelli, taking advantage of the Vikes inside.
But in the third, North received a break: Forelli quickly picked up three fouls and on the fourth, which knocked North’s Garrett McKinstry to the ground, the All-League forward didn’t like the call. A technical foul only three minutes into the third would put him on the bench for good.
The Vikes took advantage of the situation, going inside to post Ryan Young, who scored 24 points and added 10 rebounds. Young and guards Jacob Gonzales and McKinstry again provided as North’s scoring tri-factor, with Gonzales putting up 15 and McKinstry adding 14. The three players combined for 53 of the Vikes’ 80 total points.
But Young will be the first to acknowledge this Vikings squad, under new coach Nations, has embraced the idea of “team” in a whole new way.
“It’s a lot different style this year,” Young said. “Last year was a lot more one-on-one and this year it’s about team — not caring who scores the ball.”
A new press defense, another aspect of the Nations’ repitoire, is starting to reap rewards. Led by team senior and one of its leaders, Alex Campagna, who scored 7 points to go with six rebounds and seven steals — the Vikes’ defense has turned downright swarmy.
North Kitsap will face Bremerton tonight and Shelton on Friday, both games on the road. JV starts at 5:30 p.m. and varsity tips off at 7 p.m.
