High School Sports

KENT — Taylor Jones knows when it's time to turn it on.

And in Friday's fourth quarter against rival Kentridge, it was time.

Jones scored eight of his 16 points in a 2 ½-minute stretch midway through the final period as Kentwood pulled away for a 74-65 boys basketball victory in the final game of the Les Schwab Shootout at ShoWare in Kent.

"I got in some spots where I could make a difference," said the 6-foot-6 Jones, who also pulled down 12 rebounds. "I just kind of came on in the fourth quarter."

Coupled with Kent-Meridian's loss to Kentlake, the Conquerors (11-5, 9-3) assumed sole possession of first place in the wild South Puget Sound League 4A North Division.

"We kind of imagine ourselves at the top of the league," Jones said. "There are a lot of teams that are beating everybody. Anybody could be in first place. On any given night, anybody can beat anybody. But when we play the kind of basketball we're capable of, there's not too many teams who can stop us."

It was Kentwood's fifth victory in a row and ended a four-game win streak by Kentridge (9-7, 6-6), which would have been one game out of first place with a win.

Jones also had a big fourth quarter when Kentwood beat Kentridge earlier in the season.

"When he needs to get it done, he rises to the challenge," Kentwood coach Brian Davis said.

Austin Benton finished with a game-high 21 points and Jeremy Smith was key not only with 13 points, but his second-half defense on Kentridge sophomore Jason Stepney. Stepney managed just five of his 19 points after intermission.

"Smith was a monster," Davis said.

Stepney also had a double-double with 11 boards. Three other Kentridge players finished in double figures as DaLorian Sampson had 12, Roddy Hanson 11 and John Okot-Okidi 10.

Kentwood, which trailed 40-33 early in the third quarter, led just 53-52 heading into the fourth before going on a 9-0 run.

Other boys games

Kentlake 74, Kent-Meridian 64

Austin Pernell Pernell put in a game-high 21 points to lead the Falcons to an upset victory.

"We knew K-M is fast and has the talent to be one of the top teams in the league, but we just came out ready to win," Pernell said. "We had to do it, because we've got to make the playoffs."

While Kent-Meridian (10-6, 8-4) is trying to win at least a piece of the SPSL North title for the first time since 2004-05, Kentlake (5-9, 5-5) is battling to just make the top five and qualify for postseason play.

The Falcons, who had not played since Jan. 10, used a 23-9 third quarter to open a 50-44 lead. But K-M rallied to go ahead 57-56 midway through the fourth before Kentlake closed the game on an 18-7 run.

Basketball is actually Pernell's third sport behind baseball (he has a scholarship to WSU) and football, but he's a difference-maker on the hardwood, too. He was just one of four Kentlake players in double figures, joining Jaron Heck (18), Bryce Demecilio (12) and Dedrian Miller (10).

Demecilio did all of his scoring in the second half to equal his season high.

It was Kent-Meridian's second straight loss, both at ShoWare. The Royals fell to Kentridge here on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 16. Mike Banks scored 34 in that one, but managed just eight against Kentlake, making only 3 of 13 shots.

Gary Bailey led K-M with 13 points. Abu Kamara, Martel Taylor-Barone and Denikko Howard added 10 apiece. Kamara made it a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Jefferson 69, Bethel 57

The Raiders (7-10) rolled to a 25-16 first-quarter lead in the nonleague game. Jacob Thoreson hit 4 of 6 three-point attempts en route to a game-high 20 points. Joshua Duckworth added 14. Bethel's Jordan Iverson hit for 14, while Dominque Lewis put together 10 points and 16 rebounds.

Girls games

Kentwood 54, Kentridge 32

Maddison Rankin scored 12 of her 16 points in the first half as the Conquerors (12-3, 9-2) opened a 29-12 advantage. Sarah Toeaina chipped in 11 points and also finished with three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Alicia Dugan got 10 of her 12 in the second half for Kentridge (7-8, 4-7).

Kentlake 51,

Kent-Meridian 29

Stephanie Luce, a 6-5 junior, just missed a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds. She added three blocks for the Falcons (3-11, 2-8), who avenged an earlier loss to K-M (1-12, 1-11). The Royals, who shot just 22.9 percent, were led by Aubreyane Anderson's 13 points.