By Oly Archibald
PORT ANGELES — College basketball fans have their last chance tonight and Saturday to watch the 4th-ranked Peninsula College Pirate omen and the 9th-ranked Pirate men as they finish up their home seasons.
The Pirates host Skagit Valley tonight and the 4th ranked Pirate Women 11-0 18-2 can clinch the Northern Division Championship with a win over the 3-8 9-16 Cardinals. The Pirates would seal the deal on earning the Northern Division #1 seed in the NWAC tournament beginning March 8th at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. The Pirates would play the #4 seed out of the West, Pierce College on Friday March 8th.
The Pirates have won 14 games in a row and beat Skagit Valley 64-40 in Mount Vernon. The Pirates were led by former Sequim Wolf Jelissa Julmist who hit for 14 points and pulled down 7 rebounds.
Former PA Roughrider Allison Crumb’s Pirates can clinch the Northern Division Championship tonight.
The Pirates 18-2 have won 14 games in a row.
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The 9th ranked Pirate men are in 2nd place in the Northern Division with a 7-4 record trailing 8-3 Edmonds bye one game. Right on the heels of the Pirates are 10th ranked Skagit Valley, Everett and Whatcom all trailing the Pirates by a game with 6-5 records. So only 4 of these 5 teams will make it to Pasco for the NWAC tournament that starts March 6th for the men.
The Cardinals gave the Pirates their worst loss of the season 90-55 in Mount Vernon. Cardinal Head Coach Carl Howell is a legendary NWAC coach who’s sideline antics are always as colorful as his well-dressed attire. Howell is a 1983 graduate of Morton High School graduate. As a player, he led Morton to the 1983 Class B State Basketball Championship. It’s “Fan Appreciation Night” and fans are encouraged to arrive early for what will be a packed house tonight.
Pirate Sophomore Ese Onakpoma, one of the all time Pirate greats, will have his final home game on Saturday against Everett
Both games will be broadcast live on KONP Newsradio with the Les Schwab Tires pre game show starting at 4:45 with the tip off at 5:00. Oly Archibald and Joe Gladfelter will have the play by play.
The Pirates will host Everett on Saturday.