Bainbridge falls to the state’s top-ranked 4A school, Franklin.

EDIT: Note the schedule change for the teams’ games against Cleveland.

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON – It may not have been as big as the frenzy stirred up when NBA star LeBron James left practice from a side gym where the Cleveland Cavaliers were practicing.

But the non-league matchup between the Franklin Quakers and the Bainbridge Spartans was big enough for the teams and their fans.

Venoy Overton and Peyton Siva each scored 22 points as Franklin beat Bainbridge 73-64 at the King Holiday Hoopfest at the Bank of America Arena on the University of Washington campus Monday.

It was the Spartans’ first loss this season.

The two teams were ranked 1-2 in the state by www.washingtonrivals.com and sit in the top 20 in the West Region by www.rivals.com.

Bainbridge was up by seven at the half, but the Quakers’ backcourt duo took it to the Spartans in the second half, driving to the basket and beating Bainbridge down the court, getting to the free throw line time and time again.

“I know we could have beaten them,” Spartan head coach Scott Orness said. “But they took 20 more shots and only beat us by nine points. (If) we take care of the boards like we did in the first half, then we win that game.”

Franklin controlled the glass by a 45-44 advantage, grabbing 19 offensive rebounds to Bainbridge’s 14.

The only slow period was when Steven Gray split a pair of technical foul shots after a Franklin player dunked in pre-game warmups.

Gray scored again on a pass from Nick Fling, but Sterling Carter came back to quickly sink a jump shot.

The teams frenetically traded leads until Overton and Chris Holmes hit jumpers to take the lead through the first period.

Bainbridge came back with a three from Gray, a three-point play by Nick Fling and a pair of foul shots to take the lead with 4:54 left in the second quarter.

The Spartans increased their lead to nine on a tough baby skyhook from Austin Wood and seemed to keep Franklin in the blocks, as the Quakers shot just 25 percent from the field.

But Overton took over in the second half, scoring the first six points of the half to put the Quakers down by one.

Wood scored four points inside and Gray scored on a layup and was fouled, but missed the free throw to extend their lead back to seven.

Siva didn’t miss, getting to the line for four points and hit a three to pull Franklin within one.

After Gray missed a pair of free throws – the Spartans were an uncharacteristic 59 percent from the line – Siva quickly got to the hole again, was fouled, and hit the free throws to put the Quakers back up again.

“The third quarter we were a little shaky,” Gibler said. “We made a few too many mental mistakes.”

Gibler responded by getting to the line for a pair. Overton scored another bucket, but Gray scored on a tough one-hander in the paint.

Wood then took a charge as the third ended to keep their one-point lead.

The fourth quarter was played on fast forward. Both teams traded the lead several times before Gibler hit on another pair of free throws and Rudy Sharar scored on a layin after the pass to him was deflected by a Franklin defender to put Bainbridge up by three.

It didn’t last long, as Holmes and Siva got back to the line for more free throws.

The Quakers made them count down the stretch, as Siva was a perfect 11 of 11. Franklin shot 80 percent overall.

After Holmes connected on a pair of free throws to push the lead to five with 3:15, Gray took it coast-to-coast to cut the lead to three.

But Siva hit a nice fallaway jumper to stretch the lead back out. Gray split a pair of free throws – he was 4 of 9 from the line – which ended up being the last point the Spartans could muster.

Franklin scored five more points and made a couple of key steals to end the hopes of the Spartans.

Despite the loss, Gray felt they have what it takes.

“I think it’s (playing against Franklin is) going to help later in the year when we’re playing tough defenses,” he said.

Saturday, the Spartans stumbled out of the gate, but pulled it together to defeat the South Kitsap Wolves 57-49 at the King Classic at the Key Arena in Seattle.

The Wolves got out to a 7-2 start thanks to buckets from L.P. Neloms, Tippy Burk and a three from Kris Carlson.

Orness said they don’t do anything fancy – just play hard, solid basketball and grind their opponent down.

“They have two great players in Tippy Burk and L.P. Neloms, but Steven did a great job shutting down LP,” he said. “I think that’s the best defense I’ve seen him play.”

Gray and Gibler kept it close by converting on three-point plays. The senior guard scored four points inside the paint late in the first to put Bainbridge ahead, but Neloms was fouled and converted both free throws to keep it tied at 14.

In the second, the Spartans took the lead on a Sharar layup off a nice pass from Gibler.

They didn’t relent, as Gray worked the give and go with Wood for two, while Gibler scored four points in the lane.

Neloms hit a pair of free throws near the end, but Gray stripped his Total Package teammate – the two are on the select team with Gibler, Wood, Fling and Burk – and went the distance for the score.

“It was a lot of fun,” Gray said of going back and forth with him. “We get to challenge each other, which I haven’t done in a while.”

The Spartans pushed the lead to 10 on a Gray dunk, but South Kitsap went on a 7-2 run to end the period and keep them down by just five.

After Pisa scored, the Spartans were able to run some time off the clock and push their lead back to six with a key three ball from Fling.

“That shot by Nick was huge,” Orness said. “I think it was the play of the game. I’ve been begging Nick to shoot the ball more and tonight he was very aggressive.”

Fling said he’s not too worried about taking a bigger part in the scoring load.

“We’ve got a lot of scorers, so I don’t need to shoot but if it helps open them up and makes their life a little bit easier,” all the better, he said.

South got to the line to help keep it close, aided by a technical foul on Sharar after he had already fouled Burk, but they couldn’t get a bucket when they needed it.

The Spartans did the rest as Gray dribbled around the Wolves’ press and didn’t turn the ball over.

“We knew they (Tippy and L.P.) were their top scorers so our mindset was to shut them down the whole time,” Davis said.

The win won’t count in the standings but it was a big one for pride.

“We know those guys pretty well,” Fling said. “It was a fun time out there. It’ll be a lot more fun now that we have bragging rights.”

Bainbridge (6-0, 9-1) was to play at Cleveland, but the game was postponed due to the Eagles not getting to practice since last week because of all the snow.

The game is rescheduled for Jan. 29.

Roosevelt tops Spartan girls

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON – It was obvious how much of a height advantage Roosevelt’s star player Mackenzie Argens had over Bainbridge when she stood at center court before the game for the captains’ meeting with the refs.

She towered over everyone – her teammates, Spartan captains Lindsay Bratonia and Caitlyn Salo, even the referees.

And while she didn’t run roughshod over them, the 6-3 senior post did enough while her guards hit some crucial threes, putting Roosevelt over on Bainbridge 49-42 Monday at the King Holiday Hoopfest at the Bank Of America Arena on the University of Washington campus.

The future UW player scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Roosevelt controlled the glass with a 29-28 advantage, including a 18-5 differential in offensive rebounds.

Roosevelt, ranked second in the state by WashingtonRivals.com, took a 7-2 lead in the first quarter, but Brittany Gray kept Bainbridge in it with seven points in the period to tie things up at nine.

Rachel Harris knocked down a three near the end of the first to put them ahead and it was all Roughriders in the second, as they increased their lead to 13 at halftime.

Gray had four points, two coming off a nice pass from Salo but Julia Koerner and Argens each hit three pointers while Frannie Hemmelgarn converted on a three point play.

“They’re a very good team,” head coach Penny Gienger said. “But I thought we played a much better second half.”

Salo got it started with a end -to-end drive for the layin, then Gray scored six points on her usual stellar work near the basket.

Harris hit another three, but Jessie Vincent scored on a tough shot when she drove to the baseline, stopped and hit over two Roosevelt defenders.

Emily Farrar hit a pair of free throws and Julia Weese scored in the paint, but Hemmelgarn knocked down another three to keep Roosevelt up by seven.

“We really can’t play man against them because they’ll just post up Argens,” Gienger said. “We tried for a while but they just threw it down to her.”

Salo scored on another nice drive to the basket to open the fourth, but they couldn’t get ahead, trading baskets for the next few possessions.

Farrar knocked down a three as the shot clock expired with 4:02 left, but Hemmelgarn scored and was fouled, sending her to the line to score one more.

Megan Burris converted on a three point play of her own, then made a nice block to force a jump ball, but the Spartans couldn’t get a bucket on their possession. Hemmelgarn scored, then Argens stole the ball on the Spartans’ next possession.

Hemmelgarn then grabbed a offensive rebound and got it to Allison Rehman to hit the three pointer and end Bainbridge’s chances.

Gienger said she’s concerned with the team’s intensity.

“We’re really hesitant and not very aggressive,” she said.

Gray agreed.

“We don’t have enough intensity,” she said. “We just come out with the same pace every game.”

Bainbridge (3-2, 5-4) were to play at Cleveland, but the game was postponed because the Eagles haven’t been able to practice because of the snow and ice.

They will play tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.