The annual crosstown rivalry basketball games between Gig Harbor and Peninsula are only two days away, and for the Tides boys and girls teams, it's a chance to not only get some bragging rights, but build a little self-confidence.
Don't get me wrong - the Seahawks could use those things, too. But neither Gig Harbor's boys or girls have managed to win a game yet (they're a combined 0-12, including 0-6 in league games) so a win could be a really big thing.
I'll provide some coverage at the Saturday doubleheader, which begins at 5:15 p.m. with the girls game. The boys should follow sometime after 7 p.m. You can follow live updates from both games on Twitter @gateway_neil, and I'll also have a short recap of the boys game in Sunday's print issue of The News Tribune.
I'm not going to do any predictions for either game, but here are a few keys to look for:
Girls: Gig Harbor is getting decent offensive production from Taylor Talen, Katy Larson and McKenzie Alton, but the Tides really need Naphtali Ward to step forth and have a big game. Peninsula needs an effort similar to the one it put forth against Bremerton, when the defense was stellar and posts Rilee Zilkey and Tyler Stolz owned the boards. The Hawks can't count on Leigh Iosia to shoulder too much offensively.
Boys: Rumor has it, Peninsula will be starting two freshman guards in this game — JaQuori McLaughlin and Kyle Urbon-Olson — and a third freshman, Jimmy Ritchie, could provide some size off the bench. McLaughlin's ability to penetrate could open up shooters like Cody Olson and Nolan Winter. For Gig Harbor, Jared Anderson is primed to have a big game because Peninsula probably doesn't have anyone who can handle him down low. If the Hawks double Anderson, it'll open things up for outside shots from Jared Murphy, Travis Hopkins and Carson Gearhart. Gig Harbor hasn't shot well from 3-point range thus far, so that'll need to change for a win.
Below is an updated list of standings, as well as basketball and swimming results from earlier in the week. There hasn't been much in the way of wrestling this week, although Peninsula will host Curtis at 6 p.m. Friday in a nonleague dual, then goes to the All-South Puget Sound League Championships at Auburn High on Dec. 28-29. I'm planning to have some coverage of that event.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Class 4A
Narrows League
Standings through Dec. 22
Team League Overall PF PA
C. Kitsap 2-0 6-2 543 418
Olympia 2-0 7-0 484 336
Stadium 1-0 2-2 193 200
Bellarmine 1-1 1-6 306 345
S. Kitsap 1-1 4-2 330 313
Yelm 0-2 1-5 319 358
Gig Harbor 0-3 0-6 310 468
Results
Dec. 19
South Kitsap 48, Bellarmine Prep 43
Stadium at Central Kitsap, postponed
Yelm 57, R.A. Long 42
Olympia 49, Gig Harbor 29
Olympia 16 7 14 12 —49
Gig Harbor 7 3 7 12 —29
Olympia: Naipo 8, Bassett 2, Fortier 2, Matheney 0, Meyer 0, Tripp 2, Fettig 2, Johnson 14, Bishop 0, Faller 2, Leonard 11, Champlin 6.
Gig Harbor: Carson Gearhart 0, Chad Glover 0, Blake Fulton 0, Mason Selby 0, Jared Murphy 7, Kody Davis 5, Coleman Anderton 4, Travis Hopkins 2, Jared Anderson 11.
Class 3A
South Puget Sound League
Standings through Dec. 19
Team League Overall PF PA
Auburn MV 1-0 4-1 282 258
Lakes 1-0 5-2 378 365
Bonney Lk. 1-0 1-5 259 392
Decatur 0-1 2-3 311 267
Enumclaw 0-1 4-3 403 380
Peninsula 0-1 1-7 396 470
Results
Dec. 17
Wilson 81, Bonney Lake 34
Dec. 18
Lakes 66, Decatur 58
Auburn Mountainview 70, Enumclaw 51
Bonney Lake 55, Peninsula 49
Bonney Lake 9 14 19 13 —55
Peninsula 8 17 11 13 —49
Bonney Lake: Thomas 8, Herd 0, J. Zahnow 1, C. Zahnow 0, Lund 22, Harris 10, Buckley 10, Davidson 4.
Peninsula: JaQuori McLaughlin 4, James Silberman 6, Marque Kriebel 4, Shane Hanon 0, Kyle Urbon-Olson 3, Justin Erickson 4, Nolan Winter 9, Cody Olson 12, Austin Filkins 0, Patrick Hennessey 7.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Class 4A
Narrows League
Standings through Dec. 19
Team League Overall PF PA
Bellarmine 3-0 4-1 291 249
C. Kitsap 2-0 7-0 407 247
S. Kitsap 1-1 2-4 293 312
Yelm 1-1 6-2 424 327
Olympia 1-1 4-2 331 277
Stadium 0-2 2-5 263 322
Gig Harbor 0-3 0-6 223 318
Results
Dec. 17
Yelm 43, Timberline 38
Dec. 19
Central Kitsap at Stadium, postponed
Bellarmine Prep 50, South Kitsap 45
Yelm 47, Lincoln 31
Olympia 51, Gig Harbor 40
Gig Harbor 10 10 10 10 —40
Olympia 12 10 15 14 —51
Gig Harbor: Anne Gilbert 2, Tessa Waage 2, Morgen Wallerich 0, Ali Sommers 4, McKenzie Alton 11, Rachel Sommers 0, Taylor Talen 13, Katy Larson 8.
Olympia: Luthy 2, Randich 11, S. Snodgrass 16, Frank 4, Cooper 2, Cebula 12, Fesenbek 0, L. Snodgrass 4.
Class 3A
South Puget Sound League
Standings through Dec. 19
Team League Overall PF PA
Bonney Lk. 1-0 3-3 252 241
Enumclaw 1-0 4-3 310 327
Lakes 1-0 4-1 278 195
Decatur 0-1 0-7 189 311
Peninsula 0-1 4-3 280 261
Auburn MV 0-1 3-5 328 386
Results
Dec. 18
Lakes 61, Decatur 16
Enumclaw 49, Auburn Mountainview 46
Bonney Lake 55, Peninsula 34
Peninsula 6 8 4 16 —34
Bonney Lake 13 17 10 15 —55
Peninsula: Toni Helwig 3, Shelly Lauderbaugh 3, Raequel Bitten 4, Rilee Zilkey 2, Michala Zilkey 3, Tyler Stolz 2, Maddie Stelle 2, Leigh Iosia 15, Kirstine Rivera 0.
Bonney Lake: L. Downing 0, J. Seger 10, K. Seger 8, D. Downing 0, R. Jensen 2, S. Jensen 0, Hursch 1, Olson 2, Ruiz 0, Gratzer 4, Voellger 26.
BOYS SWIM & DIVE
Class 4A
Narrows League
Results
Dec. 18
Stadium 96, Olympia 84
Olympia 114, Lindbergh 69
Class 3A
South Puget Sound League
Results
Dec. 18
Auburn Mountainview 116, Steilacoom 63
Peninsula 122, Sumner 64
200 medley relay: 1. Sumner (Dyson, Anderson, Drobny, Goodspell) 2:24.67. 200 free: 1. Caleb Riggs (P) 2:04.50. 200 IM: 1. Matt Burkey (P) 2:31.11. 50 free: 1. Alex Wenman (P) 27.14. Diving: 1. Paul Friedman (P) 242.75 points. 100 butterfly: 1. Riggs (P) 1:06.81. 400 free: 1. Casey Cooper (P) 5:12.15. 200 free relay: 1. Peninsula (Burkey, Riggs, Wenman, Travis Brunson) 1:46.57. 100 backstroke: 1. Burkey (P) 1:16.75. 100 breaststroke: 1. Anderson (S) 1:18.14. 400 free relay: 1. Peninsula (Burkey, Wenman, Riggs, Brunson) 3:59.37.

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