POULSBO — The North Kitsap boys basketball team defeated Mountlake Terrace 34-30 in the 2A State Basketball Tournament opener.
The loser-out game posed challenging for Vikings in the first half, but they quickly found their groove in the second half.
The Vikings continue their title bid at 9 a.m. March 2, when they meet Selah in the quarterfinals at the Yakima Valley SunDome. A Viking win would put the team one game away from the state championship game; a loss would send the team vying for a fourth or sixth place.
In other state playoff action: The Olympic Trojans girls team defeated Renton 45-36 at regionals Feb. 24. They face Lynden at 7:15 March 1 in the first round of the 2A Girls State Basketball Tournament.
The Olympic Trojans boys team defeated Lynden 56-47 at regionals Feb. 25. They face Prosser or Wapato at 10:30 a.m. March 2 in the SunDome.
The Chief Kitsap Academy boys team struggled to stop Sunnyside Christian’s offense, losing their Feb. 25 game 80-31. They play against Odessa-Harrington at 5:30 p.m. March 1 in Spokane in the 1B State Basketball Tournament consolation semifinals. The game is loser-out.
Season’s over For the North Kitsap girls and Kingston boys, the road to state has ended.
The Vikings lost their loser-out game Feb. 24 against East Valley High (Yakima) 52-41. The Bucs, although just beating Lindbergh days before, were unable to clinch another win in the loser-out game. They lost 58-43 Feb. 25 to end their season.
— Sophie Bonomi is a reporter with the Kitsap Daily News. Contact her at sbonomi@soundpublishing.com.
Viking sophomore Cooper Lindsey goes for a shot in the Vikings’ game against Lindbergh Feb. 15. (Harry McConnell / Contributed)
