POULSBO — Down by as many as 13, the Cougar girls’ basketball team faced the prospect of dropping out of first place in the Narrows League to a Viking team hungry for a win.

But the Cougars were not quite ready to give up their top spot.

Central fired five 3-pointers and scored 27 points in an explosive third quarter that not only erased North’s lead but put them up four with one period to play.

“They just got hot on us,” said Vikes’ coach Dan Weedin. “CK stepped up their defense and we didn’t respond the way we would have liked.”

The 58-52 win keeps Central Kitsap (10-3 in league, 14-5 overall) in a tie for first place with Port Angeles heading into Narrows playoffs time. For North Kitsap (2-11 in league, 4-15 overall), the loss represents a reoccurring theme on the season.

“We’re only losing to the best teams each time by 6 points or less,” Weedin said.

Cougs’ Coach Denise Baxter agreed.

“I feel for North — they’re the best 2-11 team (in league) I’ve ever seen,” Baxter said. “Dan’s done a great job here.”

The game began with North Kitsap using a box-and-one defense that rushed the CK offense, seeing the Cougs shooting out of desperation on nearly every trip down the floor.

“We were rushing in the first half,” Baxter said. “We needed to not try and force the issue.”

North took the ball inside, using its three posts — Jenna Reed, Jasmine Hill and Katie Swanlund — effectively, setting up good looks at the basket. After half time, the Cougars came out with a new plan.

“We just needed to settle down a little,” said Baxter. “Let Emily (Zygmontowicz) move around and have the other girls step in the scoring.”

That plan paid off — and to go with the offense, the Cougs employed a tough full-court press that created Viking turnovers as well.

“Once we started playing together, we got the momentum,” Baxter said. “I knew once we got the lead we’d be in control.”

Deterred by the lead change at the end of the third, the Vikings fell into a funk that lasted through the fourth.

“We didn’t take care of the basketball in the fourth,” Weedin said. “And we didn’t block out the way we should.”

To North’s credit, solid free throw shooting — 14 for 17 from the charity stripe — put the Vikings in the game with a minute to go, down 3 points.

“Our free throws kept us in it,” Weedin said.

But the Vikings couldn’t find the outside shot, and Heather Case missed a 10-footer that would have put NK down 1.

For the Cougars, the win — however close — is an important victory going into the Narrows tournament.

“A win on the road is a win on the road,” Baxter said.

For the Vikes, Swanlund led the way with 11 points and Reed scored 10 and added nine rebounds.