The Kentwood boys basketball team lost for only the second time this season during a battle of conference leaders Jan. 16.

The Conks, who sit atop the SPSL 4A Northeast conference, fell to Northwest conference leaders Federal Way, 77-64. The Eagles are the states No. 1 ranked team in 4A. As of Wednesday, Kentwood was 4-0 in conference, 14-2 overall. The Conks will host second-place Kentridge on Jan. 24.

Kentwood coach Blake Solomon said his squad played “pretty well” against the top-ranked Eagles, especially defensively through the third quarter. The Conks cold shooting hurt, he said, particularly at the free throw line, where the group connected on just 15 of their 34 attempts.

“Make a couple of those and the game changes quite a bit,” Solomon said.

Solomon said the game worked as a measuring stick for the rest of the season.

“I told the team, if that is best the state has to offer we are really close,” he said. “It’s kind of good for our kids to see that they can play with anybody.”

In other local action Jan. 16, Kentlake won its third game in a row, dropping Decatur 72-48. Tahoma, meanwhile, lost 40-45 against Northwest conference foe Thomas Jefferson.

As of Wednesday, the Falcons and Bears were both 1-4 in conference, 10-6 and 5-11 overall, respectively.