Lindsey Roberts and Coupeville are all smiles after winning their eighth straight game. (John Fisken photo)
Get rocked, never get knocked out.
Twice Friday night Chimacum made runs at the Coupeville girls’ basketball squad and cut the lead to a single point.
Both times the Wolves dug down deep, found an answer sparked by an aggressive team-wide display of defensive excellence and rose to the moment.
Bending just a bit, but never breaking, the host Wolves eventually rolled to a 44-33 decision for their eighth straight victory.
Now 7-0 in Olympic League play (25-0 all-time) and 12-3 overall, CHS got something from everyone on their roster.
Big buckets from Kailey Kellner, huge rebounds from Lindsey Roberts, gritty work in the paint from Tiffany Briscoe, electrifying passes from Mia Littlejohn and a spark off the bench from both Kalia Littlejohn and Mikayla Elfrank.
The Wolves bolted out to a 10-0 lead, holding Chimacum scoreless for the first 7:58 of the game.
Kellner rippled a three-ball from the right corner, after playing give-and-go with Mia Littlejohn, to kick things off and Coupeville pressed the pedal through the metal in the early going.
Elfrank added three the hard way, making off with a steal and beating the Cowboy defense to the other end, then added a free throw after being hammered at the very last second.
The steal was one of four the Wolf junior made off with in a wild two-and-a-half minute stretch after she first jumped off the bench and jump-started Coupeville.
Chimacum, a scrappy, physical team if ever there was one, finally settled in and cut the lead to 12-11, but the Wolves never blinked.
Two free throws from Briscoe — she was 4-of-4 at the charity stripe in the first half — sent CHS on an 11-5 tear to end the half.
Four Wolves scored in the run, with Roberts nailing a gorgeous trey from the left side that was set up by Briscoe, who hauled down an offensive board, dribbled out of danger and found an open teammate.
The Cowboys made their second, and final, run right after the halftime break, using three straight baskets in the paint to once again cut the margin to a single digit.
Enter the cold-blooded Kellner, who scorched the net with a three-ball from the top of the arc.
That sent the Wolves on a game-busting 14-0 run, with Elfrank hitting twice, both on plays set up perfectly by teammate’s passes.
First Roberts dished, then Kellner, as the Wolves got out on the run and finished strongly.
Coupeville stretched the lead out as far as 17 before cruising in during the game’s final minutes, giving their end-of-the-bench players a chance to stretch their legs.
Before she left, Kellner dropped another trey, set up by Mia Littlejohn beating the Chimacum press by bull-rushing two defenders, then firing the ball over the top to her waiting shooter.
Kellner paced the Wolves with 15, while Roberts and Elfrank each went for nine. Briscoe added a season-best seven, while Lauren Grove and Kalia Littlejohn each had a basket.
Roberts hauled in 12 boards, while Kellner had eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
Mia Littlejohn played inspired ball at the point, picking up four assists and setting up numerous plays with her ball movement and dribbling skills.
Lauren Rose, Allison Wenzel, Ema Smith and Sarah Wright all got floor time as well, with Wenzel being especially scrappy on the defensive side of the ball.
Coupeville returns immediately to action, hosting Klahowya (0-5, 3-12) Saturday in a game that was postponed earlier by bad weather.
The varsity tips at 12:30, followed by the JV at 2:00.
JV sits night out:
The Wolf young guns are officially 4-0 in Olympic League play, but, if you count forfeits, they sit at 7-0.
Chimacum cancelled for the second time in three games Friday, citing a lack of players.
Tack on an earlier cancellation by Port Townsend and Coupeville’s JV has barely been able to take the court for 50% of its scheduled league clashes this year.
