by Kyle Howard

Chief Sealth visited West Seattle for a Metro Sound Division boy’s basketball matchup Tuesday night Jan. 31. These two teams have had a long standing rivalry through the years. Last time these teams met Chief Sealth pulled off a 63-59 overtime victory over West Seattle early in the season. Seven players scored in double digits between the two teams that game.

West Seattle was missing their top scorer for this game; LaTrey Newsome who averages 15 points per game was sidelined due to an ankle injury he received Saturday against Rainier Beach. The game played out pretty cleanly, turnovers and fouls were limited on both sides, but Chief Sealth’s ability to get easy, high percentage shots was the key to their victory as they topped West Seattle 63-48.

Chief Sealth’s Pepe Hernandez went wild, living up to his reputation as being an exciting player to watch; Hernandez finished with 21 points and had four dunks for the game. Bronte’ Corbray finished with 15. On West Seattle’s side DeAndre Coulter led the game with 25 points while knocking down three, 3 pointers for the game; Troy Lingle finished with 13.

Chief Sealth head coach Colin Slingsby was pleased with how his team played “We stepped up and ran our offense well, the way its suppose to be ran, and coming off of two loses I’m glad they responded the way they did”.

West Seattle’s head coach Donald Watts Jr. said after the game “It’s the same old story, at times we were good, other times not so much, we didn’t have the defensive concentration we needed tonight, they were hungrier than we were for this game”. Coach Watts is very pleased with his team as a good solid group of people “We’ve done a great job as a program by the players going to school and class, and being good citizens around campus”.

Both teams play Friday Feb. 3rd when Chief visits Bainbridge and West Seattle takes on Eastside Catholic at home.