Sean Toomey-Stout, swooping in an earlier game, banked in nine points Friday as Coupeville’s varsity won a thriller in Concrete. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
In a basketball world captivated by three-point shots, Ulrik Wells is a bit of a throw-back.
The lanky 6-foot-4 Coupeville High School junior does the dirty work in the paint, snatches rebounds by the bushel and hits his free throws.
And, while new-school long-range gunners often dominate the highlight reels, old-school skills can win you ball games.
Perfect example, Friday night, as Wells scored a career-high 14 points, including hitting six pressure-packed fourth-quarter free throws on the road to lift the Wolves past Concrete 43-42.
After coming close several times, it was the first win of the season for the CHS varsity boys, who now sit at 1-6.
To be completely honest, Friday’s non-conference bout was decided thanks to both new-school and old-school skills.
Coupeville out-shot their hosts behind the arc, with freshman Hawthorne Wolfe drilling a trio of treys to spark a 5-1 advantage on three-balls.
Older gunners Mason Grove and Sean Toomey-Stout also connected from three-point land, providing some nice daggers.
But the one-point game came down to free throws in the end.
The Wolves had two more opportunities at the charity stripe than the Lions (22-20), and hit one more (14-13), perfectly providing the winning margin.
Wells drained 8-10, including 6-8 in the final quarter, but Wolfe came up big too, netting both of his free throws in the fourth.
Meanwhile, Concrete as a team got to the line only four times in the second half, and never in the fourth quarter.
So, despite hitting just one field goal over the final eight minutes (Wells was again The Man), Coupeville won the final quarter 10-4, turning a five-point deficit into a one-point win.
Wells hit what would prove to be the winning shots with under a minute to play, pushing the Wolves back in front.
After that, it was up to the CHS defense to hold, and it did.
“Clutch. Guys fought hard to pull back ahead and hold on,” said Coupeville coach Brad Sherman. “Ulrik was big down the stretch. Showed a ton of heart in that fourth quarter.”
The game, between a pair of longtime rivals, was perfect for a Friday night, a back-and-forth affair where neither squad could pull away.
While Concrete snatched the early advantage at 11-9 headed into the first break, the Wolves immediately turned the tables in the second quarter.
With Wolfe dropping a pair of three-balls, Grove swishing a long trey and big men Wells and Jacobi Pilgrim combining for seven points in the paint, CHS used a 16-11 run to take a three-point lead to the half.
The break seemed to suck a bit of the life out of the Wolf attack, though, as they were stung 16-8 in the third. But, thanks to five points from Toomey-Stout in the quarter, they didn’t fall too far behind.
In the end, the third-quarter fade proved to not be fatal, but just an excellent way to set up the fireworks ahead.
Coupeville spread its offense among six players, with Wells (14), Wolfe (11) and Toomey-Stout (9) leading the way.
Pilgrim tossed in a varsity career-high four points, with Grove (3) and Brown (2) also scoring.
Dane Lucero, Koa Davison, Jean Lund-Olsen and Gavin Knoblich also saw floor time for the Wolves, who kicked off a four-game road trip with the visit to Concrete.
Coupeville has away games at Port Townsend, Nooksack Valley and King’s ahead on the schedule, not playing at home again until Jan. 8.
