Wolves ready to sink their teeth into Narrows League foes

"On paper, a 3-0 record looks good.But coach John Callaghan said his South Kitsap High School boys basketball team will need to continue its improved play on defense if it wants to make a mark in the Narrows League this season, starting with last night’s league opener against Capital.Callaghan said his team has improved its defense and rebounding after each game, with its best showing of the early season in a 60-45 win against Roosevelt last Monday.“Our defense was excellent, and our intensity was good,” Callaghan said. “It think it (defense) was a little better.”Callaghan said he has confidence in the Wolves’ ability to score, but defense and rebounding will be crucial to having a successful season.“Coming into the season, that was our focus — defense and rebounds — because we have the guys who can shoot it and fill it up and put it on the floor,” Callaghan said. “Defensively, we’ve been soft. Last year, that was one of our downpoints.”The Wolves have showed scoring will not be a problem. Nine players scored against Roosevelt, with senior John Sehmel tallying a team-high 15 points. Senior Kevin Milovac and sophomore Tyler Mayfield each added eight points.“We have a lot of different guys when they’re open who can put it in the hoop,” Callaghan said. “It’s just a matter of execution on offense.”The biggest offensive contribution against Roosevelt may have been the lift provided by senior Ryan Letson. Out with a sprained ankle for the first two games, Letson provided a huge spark to start the second quarter.With his team eading 13-9 after a drab first period, Letson started the second and reeled off six of the team’s next eight points.He scored his first bucket on a steal. He scored again on SK’s next possession.Sehmel followed up with a three-point play, and Letson concluded his scoring outburst with a rebound and putback, which extended SK’s lead to 20-9.“He’s our captain, and obviously when he’s on the floor the intensity goes way up,” Callaghan said.Milovac said Letson was the spark plug for SK to pull away from Roosevelt.“He comes in one quarter and we go from this (minimal) energy level to this (maximum) energy level,” Milovac said. “We were off the charts. He came out there and blew us up. He got the crowd going and everything.”For Letson, it was an opportunity to let out the frustrations of not being able to play.“I had a lot of built up energy,” Letson said. “I felt like I had to prove something again. We came out flat, and that’s three games in a row, so I’m glad I helped.”"

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