Lincoln's Second Quarter Surge Overwhelms Peninsula in Early Season Test

For the first 11:37 seconds the Peninsula Seahawks boys basketball showed they had what it takes to compete with one of the top teams in the state. It was the final 20:43 that not-so-gently reminded them there’s still work to do early in the season.

The Lincoln Abes scored 15 unanswered points in just 2:21 late in the second quarter to pull away, handing Peninsula a 70-39 loss Friday night in a cross-division Puget Sound League opener at the PHS gym.

Abes sophomore Justus Holt took over early, scoring 10 of his game-high 18 points in the second quarter. Junior Oshea Lamar added 11 for Lincoln. Seahawks senior AJ Alexeev and junior-transfer Tariq Taylor each scored 12 to lead Peninsula.

Lincoln (1-0, 1-0 Puget Sound League), last year’s conference and District 3/4 tournament champion, returned nearly its entire lineup – a young group that will look familiar and formidable to conference foes the next two seasons.

Peninsula (1-1, 0-1 PSL) coach Sean Muilenburg and his staff scouted the Abes well, but Lincoln’s relentless full-court pressure and trap defense kept the Seahawks from settling into an offensive flow. Lincoln relied on quick passing lane penetration to keep the game close early and push the Seahawks into foul trouble in the first half.

The teams matched up well in size and both attacked the boards, trading baskets through most of the first half. After falling behind 11-7 after one quarter, a jumper from Isaac Smith and a three from Talen McDonnell brought the Seahawks within one, 13-12, with 7:13 left in the half.

The teams traded threes and layups to keep it tight, and a steal and lay-in by Alexeev with 4:23 to go made it 19-17.

That’s when Lincoln seized control. The Abes closed the half on a 20-2 run to take a 39-19 lead into the break, and Peninsula never cut the deficit under 18 the rest of the night.

GAME NOTES: A bright spot for the Seahawks was holding last year’s Narrows Division MVP Davion Shareef-Dulanaey to only four points. Both he and Holt, already all-conference players as freshmen, are only sophomores.

Peninsula has a promising youngster of their own. Freshman Deric San Inocencio scored the first of what will likely be many points in the PHS gym when he sank the second of two free throws in the fourth quarter. Even in limited minutes, San Inocencio showed poise against one of the state’s strongest programs.  

Seahawks fans got their first look at two off-season transfers this week. Taylor comes from South Kitsap, and the 6-foot, 7-inch Jack Raslavsky joins the Seahawks from Arizona. Raslavsky scored two points on a put-back in the third quarter against the Abes.

The Peninsula boys will pack up next week and travel for games against Silas (Tuesday), Mount Tahoma (Thursday), and West Seattle (Saturday).

The Peninsula girls basketball team in 2-0 to open the season, posting wins over Stadium (52-30) and Lincoln (48-44) away from PHS. The Seahawks host Silas on Tuesday in their home opener.