Coupeville Sports

   Jordan Ford, seen here in an earlier game, scored a team-high 14 Thursday. (John Fisken photo)

Mark your calendars.

The Coupeville High School boys’ basketball team will open the playoffs at home Feb. 11.

Having absorbed a 68-38 loss at Chimacum Thursday, the Wolves, now 8-10 overall, 3-5 in conference play, are officially the #3 seed out of the 1A Olympic League.

That means, after the regular-season finale at Klahowya Saturday, they host the #4 seed from the Nisqually League in a loser-out postseason game.

Most likely opponent? Bellevue Christian, who the Wolves beat 53-50 on the road in the third game of the season.

Win next Thursday and CHS advances to play the #2 seed from the Nisqually League (currently Cascade Christian) Feb. 13 for a chance to advance to the double-elimination round of districts.

To see the playoff bracket, hop over to: http://www.cascadeathletics.com/tournament.php?act=view&league=2&page=1&school=0&sport=3&tournament_id=1814

Coupeville entered play Thursday with a chance of still earning the league’s #2 playoff seed, but that slipped away early.

Chimacum seized the game with a 19-6 run in the first, stretched the lead to 14 at the half, then buried the Wolves with a 25-9 assault in the third quarter.

The win gives the Cowboys (6-2) a shot at repeating as league champs.

All they have to do is upend Port Townsend Saturday in the rubber match between the two schools.

Jordan Ford paced the Wolves Thursday, ringing up a team-high 14, while Risen Johnson knocked down six and Wiley Hesselgrave hit for five.

Dante Mitchell (4), Jared Helmstadter (4), JJ Johnson (2), Gabe Wynn (2) and DeAndre Mitchell (1) rounded out the scorers.

Helmstadter scored all of his points in the fourth, including hitting his first three-ball of the season.

Chimacum was led by James Porter, who went for 17 and Chris Bainbridge, who popped for 16.

4th quarter blues kill JV:

For three quarters life was brilliant for the Wolf young guns, but things fell apart in a hurry.

Up 18 entering the fourth quarter, Coupeville was steamrolled 31-6 over the final eight minutes and lost 55-48 to the host Cowboys.

The loss dropped the JV squad to 2-14 on the season.

The Wolves jumped out to a 13-7 lead after one, stretched the lead to eight at the half, then used a 14-4 surge in the third to seemingly put things on ice.

But it wasn’t to be, as Chimacum roared back to life after being listed as dead.

Kai Dickerson, who hadn’t scored a single point through three quarters, led the way with 12 in a torrid fourth.

Coupeville’s Brian Shank was the game’s leading scorer, throwing down 20 on his birthday, while Ty Eck dropped in 16.

Cameron Toomey-Stout knocked down seven, while Gabe Eck tickled the twines for five, as only four Wolves scored.