Metro Boys | Bainbridge bumps Beach

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND — Bainbridge Island became Shipwreck Island Tuesday night for Rainier Beach.

Second-ranked Bainbridge used 61-percent shooting and a strong inside game to thump the third-ranked Vikings 80-62 for a rollicking boys basketball victory before a capacity crowd.

It was the second straight Metro League loss for Beach (7-5 overall, 6-2 Metro Sound Division). Three of the defeats were to national powers at a holiday tournament in Houston.

"We're still trying to find our identity," said Beach coach Mike Bethea, whose team lost 6-foot-6 inside space-eater Emeka Iweka for the season last week to an Achilles injury. "I'll take it a step further. Right now, we're not a very good team but we will be."

Right now, Bainbridge (11-1, 8-0 Metro Mountain) is good and rolling. The Spartans' only loss was to top-ranked Class 4A Franklin on Martin Luther King Day.

Gonzaga recruit Steven Gray led the way for Bainbridge with 21 points, making his first seven shots and also finishing with 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals.

"We weren't going to let them intimidate us," said Gray.

Senior 6-foot-9 post Coby Gibler, who had been fighting the flu, contributed 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. Austin Wood scored 14.

Beach was led by DeAngelo Jones with 17 points. The Vikings were a woeful 19 for 69 (.275) from the field.

Bainbridge coach Scott Orness said, "I felt our guys really attacked their pressure. We never played on our heels tonight."

Bainbridge took control in the second quarter with a 14-0 run to build a 39-23 lead and wasn't challenged after that.