Knights handle Spartans in Olympic League basketball showdown

By Luke Caputo • December 17, 2025 1:30 am
Luke Caputo/Kitsap News Group photos Knight Jalen Davis shoots from beyond the arc in a 71-42 Bremerton home win over the Bainbridge Spartans Dec. 16.
Luke Caputo/Kitsap News Group photos Knight Jalen Davis shoots from beyond the arc in a 71-42 Bremerton home win over the Bainbridge Spartans Dec. 16.

The Bremerton Knights (5-0, 4-0 in Olympic League) remain undefeated to start the season, beating the Bainbridge Spartans (3-2, 2-1 OL) 71-42 at home Dec. 16.

Both Bainbridge and Bremerton competed in the 2A state tournament in last season, with the Knights winning the state championship while the Spartans fell to the Franklin-Pierce Cardinals in the first round. The matchup marks the first time the two teams have faced each other since last season.

“It was a great test for us [facing Bainbridge],” Bremerton coach Miah Davis said. “It’s almost like playing a team like Oakland, but they’re more strategic on how they run their offense.”

Spartan wing Kaden Thielmann managed to produce consistent shots throughout the first quarter, tallying eight points. Spartan guard Haden Fink drove down the lane for a few contested layups of his own, keeping the game close by the end of the first at 14-9.

The Spartans managed to tie the game up at 26 apiece with 2:42 remaining in the second quarter off another Fink three-point conversion.

The Knights led 31-26 at halftime. Davis led the Knights in scoring with 12 and Thielmann led the Spartans with nine.

“They [Bremerton] started switching their defenses in the second half,” Bainbridge coach Scott Orness said. “I mean, we just had a hard time just recognizing and then getting into our sets.”

Junior Davis-McWhorter got Bremerton out to their largest lead of the game at six with a three-pointer, giving the Knights a 38-32 lead with 4:50 remaining in the third quarter.

Knight small forward Enoch Taylor and Davis managed to get Bremerton’s lead to double digits, warranting an Orness timeout down 43-32. Davis eventually pushed the Knights to a 20-point lead by the end of the third at 52-32.

Davis increased the Knights’ lead to 30 on a contested layup, all but cementing a win for Bremerton. Davis finished the night recording a double-double with 28 points and 20 rebounds.

“I think we’ll be a different team next time they see us,” Orness said. “We’re still just learning our movements.”