By Terry Mosher
Editor, Sports Paper
BREMERTON – Post-game, Bremerton senior Deonte Dixon leaned against a lockeroom wall leading to the showers and posted that the goal of the Knights was state. And after the six-foot-one senior guard poured in 26 points Tuesday night in a 72-57 rout of Black Hills and the return of the Gallaghers to Bremerton, who would argue?
Dixon scored nine points and the Knights just about blew out the Wolves in the first quarter with an outburst that led to a 23-3 lead over the visitors from Tumwater.
Bremerton led 17-0 after five minutes before Zack Grate got coach Jeff Gallagher’s Wolves on the scoreboard with a four-footer.
“They are so athletic,” said Jeff Gallagher, a Bremerton High School graduate who is assisted by his dad, Larry Gallagher, a 1968 East Bremerton High School graduate and former Bremerton coach and athletic director. “Down 23-3 and then you are just battling back all the time. But I was pleased with our kids after playing last night (an 87-66 blowout at home against Klahowya), and then showing some resolve in coming back.”
Bremerton coach Darren Bowden put in his bench to start the second quarter and the Wolves finally got warmed up from the cold drive north and trimmed the lead to 31-19 at halftime
The outcome, though, was never really in serious doubt, although the Wolves cut the margin to 67-57 with 1:11 left. Dixon then hit two free throws to close out his game-high scoring and guard Tarez Mason gunned in a three to put a cap on his 15 points off the bench.
“I feel like we worked hard in the beginning, and then we let them come back,” said Dixon, who hit four treys. “We have to work on keeping the score up instead of letting them get back in the game.”
A big reason why the Wolves stuck around and got close at the end was the play of point guard TJ Mickelson, a 5-11 freshman.
Yes, a freshman.
“I told you he was good,” said Larry Gallagher.
Mickelson scored a team-high 24 points on an assortment of drives and pull-up jumpers after beating his man off the dribble.
“He played well tonight,” Jeff Gallagher said. “Sometimes you forget that he is 14 playing against 17-year-olds. We are going to go as far, probably, as he takes us.”
The Wolves also got some late help from six-foot-three post player, Casey Duff, who finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
The Knights have an inside presence that makes them extremely tough. That would be six-foot-three post Marquis Gurske (son of Olympic College coach Michael Gurske), who claimed 14 rebounds and added 12 points for a double-double.
“I told Gurske at the beginning of the year that one of my expectations is that he leads the league in rebounding,” Bowden said, “cause he’s a big body and has a nice instinct for the ball. He also has good hands, and knows the game. “
Gurske’s goal is to average a double-double for the season.
“Twenty (points) and 15 (rebounds), He said.
And helping Dixon outside is Mason, who Bowden is extremely happy with the development he’s shown.
“Mason had a great off-season in our summer league and tournaments, and he really has emerged,” Bowden said. “He lifted hard over the summer. He played well. I am really happy with the way he has developed. Yeah, we are petty good. Tarez and Deonte are probably two of the best guards in the whole state, actually. I’m lucky to have them.”
Both teams pressed each other and that created an early-season cart full of turnovers, 24 by Bremerton and 20 by Black Hills. But those mistakes will likely take care of themselves as the two teams get deeper into their seasons. For Bremerton, deep into the season is a chance to challenge rival Olympic for the Olympic League championship and to get where Dixon believes they belong – to the state 2A tournament.
We are good, really good,” said Dixon, who in the off-season has played with the Bremerton Wildcats and Total Package, as well as lift weights. “We are state bound. That is our main goal.”
Bowden was pleased to get a win in his team’s season debut.
“For the first game, they did a nice job and were able to handle their pressure and outside shooting,” Bowden said. “They (the Wolves are well coached. The Gallaghers do a great job, always have. But I was just glad to get the win.”
Bremerton 72, Black Hills 57
Black Hills 3 16 16 22 – 57
Bremerton 23 8 24 17 ‑ 72
Black Hills (57) – TJ Mickelson 24, Casey Duff 11, Tremarcus Hackney 7, Zack Grate 8, Kyler Noyen 2, Jason Underhill 2, Ryan Jones 1, Jaydon Troy 2.
Bremerton (72 – Deonte Dixon 26, Tarez Mason 15, Marquis Gurske 12, Terrick Sims 6, Casey Winderl 3, Wayne Ayers 6, Beau West 2, Calvin Cardwell, Tavontay Carter, Marcellous Gans 2, Skyler Lewis, Hudson Kolb.