HS Hoops: North Thurston sweeps Timberline in boys-girls Twin Bill

1/10/2024

A double-header of crosstown rivals in Lacey with Timberline hosting the North Thurston girls and boys teams. The teams came in with a combined 20-0 record. Both were 6-0 in South Sound Conference play and the Rams 8-0 overall while the Blazers were 12-o.

The boys were also battling for 1st with the Rams unbeaten at 6-0 in South Sound Conference play and 11-1 overall while the Blazers are just a game behind at 5-1 and 7-5 for the year.

Our coverage of both games is below with a re-cap, stats, post game show and video highlights is all below.

Link to watch the North Thurston at Timberline boys game on the NFHS Network (Subscription required)

Boys Game

North Thurston 14 32 53 70
Timberline 14 29 36 57

This was a battle of big guys early with the Rams big man Ray Adams and the Blazers’ bruiser Darrell Gipson each had 3 blocks in the 1st half and both leading their teams in scoring. Adams had 8 points and 5 rebounds. A trio of Rams knocked down 3-balls and included Micah Anderson, Micah Gentry and Liam Sheeran with a well spread out offense. Connor Seward had 4 points and 3 boards. The Rams were 3 of 4 from the free throw line.

Gipson and Cedric Ragland led the Blazers with 11 each while Kadyn Ward and Josh Tichenor hit from from the arc. Gipson, Ragland and Ward each had 3 rebounds. The Blazers went 50/50 from the line going 3 for 6.

The 3rd quarter ended up being the magic 8 minutes for North Thurston who extended that halftime lead from 3 to 17 point advantage. Adams found his stride as he and the other Rams poured in 21 points and threw a blanket on the Blazer offense holding them to just 7.

Timberline could never recover and fell behind by as many as 21 but then came running back to cut the lead to just 11 with a little less than 2 minutes to play but could get no closer losing by 13.

Ray Adams led the Rams and was named the MVP with a full stat line of 23 points with 1 3, didn’t shoot a free throw pulled down 12 rebounds, dished 2 assists picked off 2 steals and blocked 5 shots.

Adams got help from Liam Sheeran with 12 points and 3 boards, Micah Gentry had 10 with 3 boards, Ahmari Steplight hit for 9 off the bench while Micah Anderson and Conner Seward each had 8.

The Blazers were led by Cedric Ragland and Darrell Gipson each with 17, Ragland led in rebounds with 7 while Gipson had 5 along with 4 blocks. Kenyon Simmons had a huge 2nd half scoring all 7 of the Blazer points in the 3rd quarter and finished with 13 and 6 boards. Josh Tichenor and Owen Korn each had 3 and Carmelo Roper added 1.

North Thurston is now 7-0 in SSC play and 12-1 overall while Timberline drops to 5-2 in league play and 7-6 for the season.

ESN Post Game Show

The “Bigs” answer each other

Ray Adams triggers a 3rd quarter run for North Thurston

Girls Game

Link to watch the North Thurston at Timberline girls game on the NFHS Network (Subscription required)

North Thurston 22 38 50 67
Timberline 12 16 24 38

The game of the night turned out to be a one-sided affair with the North Thurston Rams pulling aweay early and never giving the host Blazers a chance to get back in the game. In the 1st quarter Timberline pulled within 14-12 but 8 unanswered points by the Rams pushed their lead to 10 after the 1st quarter.

The Rams defense then locked down the Blazers in the 2nd quarter limiting them to just 4 points while knocking down 16 to surge to a 38-16 halftime lead. Leading the Rams was Soraya Ogaldez who scored 19 of her 30 points in the 1st half.

The Rams kept up the pressure in the 2nd half extending their 26 and coming away with a big 29 point victory to remain undefeated in SSC play now at 7-0 and 9-0 overall. The Blazers suffered their 1st loss dropping to 6-1 in league play and 12-1 for the season.

For the Rams Ogaldez led all scorers with 30 including 5 3’s, she added 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks to fill up her stat line. Her performance was clearly enough to capture the MVP award for the game. Alexis Meyer added 15 while Grace Lee had 9 and Sadie Tanner with 7 as the top scorers for the Rams.

Timberline’s Brandi Stanford knocked down 15, Sierra Cordis and Shayla Cordis each had 10 to lead the Blazers.

ESN Post Game Show