Gray, Sharar are big in Sparts’ first victory over Prep in four years.
If the Bainbridge boys basketball team are to make a run to the state tournament, they’ll need some unsung players to step up and contribute.
Rudy Sharar did just that, coming off the bench to score 14 points as the Spartans defeated defending 3A state champion Seattle Prep Panthers 61-41 in front of a large and loud crowd Friday night at Paski Gymnasium.
It’s the first victory over Prep since Henry Guterson, now the Bainbridge C-team coach, hit a buzzer-beater on Senior Night in February 2003 to upset the then-second-ranked Panthers 66-65.
The win is Bainbridge’s seventh in a row, and keeps them tied with O’Dea in first place in the Metro League Mountain Division.
Head coach Scott Orness was happy with how the team battled Prep and their physical play.
“It feels good to beat them for a lot of reasons,” Orness said. “The nice thing about this team is that we have great players that compete and they raise their level of intensity to whatever team they play.
Bainbridge did run into some trouble at first, as Steven Gray mishandled a dunk off the opening tip.
He came back to make a defensive play with a block on a Prep layup, while Nick Fling later took a charge that led to a Gray layup with the foul, but he couldn’t hit the free-throw.
The miss was a microcosm of the Spartans’ inability to get into an offensive rhythm throughout the quarter as they were off the mark with their shots, including several near the basket.
Meanwhile, Prep built up a 9-5 lead despite struggling on their foul shots.
Sharar kept things close when he knocked down a three-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer to close the Panther’s lead to one.
In the second quarter, Sharar kept hustling on both sides of the ball.
The senior guard chased down a rebound off a free throw a split-second before Prep guard Gerald Grissette could get to it, then a few minutes later, made a steal that led to a offensive rebound and another trey that put Bainbridge up by four.
It was a lead that went down to one before halftime, but Sharar’s bucket was a critical one.
“That’s the way I see my role on this team,” Sharar said. “I come off the bench to be a defensive stopper, but when I get my chances on offense, I try to do the best I can with them.”
Orness said that’s what makes him special.
“Rudy just makes things happen all the time,” he said. “Offensively and defensively, he plays like a senior. He has a ton of confidence out there and he’s a huge addition to our team.”
The Spartans didn’t miss their chance to finish the Panthers in the second half, as they went on a huge run to close things out.
Gray opened the quarter with a drive to the hoop, then Caleb Davis hit a three-ball.
After Jack Hanley scored, Austin Wood scored off a bucket near the hoop, then Davis forced a turnover and was fouled.
Gray then reeled off six straight points followed by a bucket by Gibler inside and a tough layup in traffic by Sharar.
Gray wrapped up the 19-4 run with an easy score underneath the basket.
In the fourth quarter, Bainbridge pushed the lead to 48-32 with Fling completing a three-point play and Gray knocking down a trey with 5:32 left in the game.
The Panthers made a quick run and used a full court press to try to get back in it, but Bainbridge broke the press and scored some easy baskets, including five points from Sharar on layups.
Two of those points came on an amazing layin in which he lost his balance while trying to avoid a Prep defender in his drive to the hoop, but managed to throw it up and hit nothing but net.
“That was just a little freak athletic accident,” he said of the play. “I guess that’s the best way I can call it.”
Gray is glad that Sharar made the most of his opportunity.
“I’ve been waiting for that,” he said of Sharar’s performance. “He’s had it in him this entire time, and to see him get his feet wet and come out in one of the biggest games in the year so far, it was fun to watch.”
Gray finished with 17 points, and nine rebounds. Sharar had four rebounds and two steals to go with his 14 points.
Gibler had 10 points and five rebounds, while Wood had 10 points and six rebounds.
Now comes the “Super Six”: six straight games on the road, all against quality opponents in Eastside Catholic, O’Dea, South Kitsap, Franklin, Cleveland and Chief Sealth.
Orness feels the Spartans will be competitive in every one.
“This is the start of it, and we’ll take it one game at a time,” he said. “We’ll focus on Eastside Catholic and move on from there.
“It’s a challenge, but we think we can come out of these next two weeks battle tested and ready for the playoffs.”
The Spartans (5-0, 7-0) played at the Crusaders yesterday.
They travel to fourth-ranked O’Dea on Friday to do battle for the Mountain Division lead. Game time is at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday’s contest against the 4A Wolves of Port Orchard will take place at the King Classic at the Key Arena at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for the entire day and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets.
The game will be broadcasted on KJR-950 AM.
For more info, visit www.TheFinalScore.TV.
Girl hoopsters drop close one
The Bainbridge girls basketball team knew it would be in a tough fight with Seattle Prep Friday night.
So the eighth-ranked Spartans took the fifth-ranked Panthers’ best shots, then made a slow but steady rally before ultimately falling short by the score of 66-64 Friday night at Paski Gymnasium.
Down by 17 with a few minutes left in the third quarter, Bainbridge went on a 27-10 run and tied the game with ten seconds left on an Emily Farrar three point shot.
Panther guard Yasmin Fuller broke the Spartans’ press and raced to the basket for the game-winning layin with four seconds left.
“They’re a good team,” head coach Penny Gienger said. “You can’t stop everybody and they haven’t even used their post yet. They’re going to be a handful for people.”
But she was pleased with the effort of the team to fight back and tie the game.
“We had our spurts where we were terrible, but at the end we fought and clawed and did what ever (we could),” she said.
Bainbridge kept things close in the first quarter and were only down by seven, but Prep kept pulling away thanks to Chelsey Nill.
Brittany Gray had 13 points in the first half, but got into foul trouble and sat for most of the second and third periods.
The Panthers built their lead in the third, but couldn’t quite put the game away.
In the fourth, Megan Burris and Farrar scored to get things going while Prep started missing shots and committing fouls to send the Spartans to the line.
Bainbridge responded by going 11 of 14 on free throws to slowly close the gap.
After Lindsay Bratonia converted both free throws to cut the lead to four with 2:56 to play, Candace Chambers scored to give the Panthers some breathing room.
But Bratonia was fouled going to the hole and she knocked down two more shots to cut the lead down to four again with 1:46 left.
Prep committed a turnover and Gray capitalized with a layup to take the lead down to two.
“We never really look at a game until it’s over,” Gray said. “We always fight until the final buzzer.”
Chambers scored in the paint again, but Farrar was fouled hard on the Spartans’ next possession.
She split her foul shots, however, leading to Prep taking control in their end and causing Bainbridge to foul to stop the clock.
Burris stripped the ball, but the Prep player quickly got her hands on it to force a jump ball.
But on the inbounds pass, it appeared to go off a Panther player. After a conversation between the refs, they gave the ball back to the Spartans.
Farrar didn’t let the opportunity pass, as she hit a three with ten seconds left.
Spartan fans exploded in excitement as Farrar was mobbed by her teammates.
“We just ran the play and I pulled up (and shot),” she said. “I didn’t think it went in, but it was exciting.”
But Fuller got the ball and was able to race down the court and score, as the Spartans had no fouls to give.
“It’s hard to defend when we don’t want to foul,” Bratonia said. “We had to stay on her, but she got it.”
A last-ditch attempt by Caitlyn Salo fell short, and Prep left with a win.
Despite the loss, Farrar said the locker room was a positive place after the game.
“You can’t be happy with losing, but that’s about as happy as you can be with a loss,” she said. “We just have to keep fighting.”
Gray had 23 points and 11 rebounds while Farrar had 13 points and three assists.
Bratonia had 12 points and six rebounds while Burris had four points and nine boards.
The Spartans (3-2, 5-3) played at Eastside Catholic yesterday.
They travel to undefeated Holy Names on Friday. Game time is at 7:30 p.m.
Tumblers win two more
The Bainbridge gymnastics team won two meets over three weeks with a 164.7-127.75 win over Nathan Hale Dec. 12, then defeated Sehome 152.75-133.35 Friday for their 84th dual meet in a row.
They were without Marie Welsh who was recovering from a cold.
Sophie Wenzlau took the all-around title with a score of 32.65.
She was first on the bars with a 8.3.
Lauren Fleming was second with a score of 30.4 while Annie Zuckerman was third with a score of 30.1.
Katie Fleming placed first on the floor exercise with a 8.6.
The Spartans host Port Angeles, West Seattle and Mercer Island Friday at Woodward Middle School at 6 p.m.
The Bainbridge Island Gymnastics Club is also holding a meet this weekend at Woodward.
Their theme is “Welcome To The Island” and they will host several teams from around the area.
The girls compete Saturday with levels 4 and 5 starting at 10:30 a.m. and levels 6 through 10 at 1:30 p.m.
The boys compete Sunday with levels 4 and 5 starting at 10:30 a.m. and levels 6 through 10 starting at 1:30 p.m.
The entry fees are $5 for an individual, $15 for a family and $3 for 10 and under.
