Winter break means holiday hoops tournaments and non-league contests for prep girls and boys basketball teams from Kentwood, Kentlake and Tahoma.
BEARS HOLIDAY TRAVELS
Tahoma’s boys traveled to the Orange Holiday Classic in Fullerton, Calif. The tournament started off well for Tahoma, which won its first game 68-51 over San Juan Hills Dec. 26.
The Bears hung onto a narrow lead over the Stallions, starting the fourth quarter with a 43-42 advantage, to clinch the win in that first contest.
In the second game against Pasadena Dec. 27, Tahoma spent much of the game trying to fight back after falling behind 19-10 in the first quarter. The Bears were down 13 points at the end of the third, 49-36, but battled back to cut the lead to four with 38 seconds left in the game. It wasn’t enough, though, and Pasadena held on for the 64-56 win over Tahoma.
It was a different kind of fight for Tahoma against Esperanza Dec. 28. The Bears started the game off with a 12-9 lead at the end of the first period but were down by three at halftime then trailed by one at the end of the third. Tahoma couldn’t close the gap and lost to Esperanza.
Finally, Tahoma played Marina High School Monday after taking the previous day off to ride roller coasters at Knott’s Berry Farm, among other team bonding opportunities.
The Bears closed out the Orange Holiday Classic in a big way, notching a 62-49 win Monday.
Meanwhile, the Tahoma girls took on Garfield in a non-league matchup, with the Bears defeating the Bulldogs 65-45 Dec. 27.
Tahoma’s girls followed that up the next day with a close loss to West Seattle, falling 51-49 on a buzzer beater.
Those games came after a big league win for Tahoma on the road against Auburn, as the Bears downed the Trojans 56-29.
KENTLAKE REPRESENTS NEAR AND FAR
The Falcons boys basketball team took its first game at the SunDome Shootout with a 58-53 victory over W.F. West from Chehalis Dec. 27.
Junior Carson Stowell led the way against W.F. West for Kentlake, scoring 24 points, while John Morasch added 12.
Kentlake took on Kennewick the next day but fell 70-38. Stowell tallied 11 points to lead the scoring for the Falcons.
With the split in the SunDome Shootout, the Falcons season overall record moved to 4-5.
Kentlake traveled to Kentridge for a league contest Monday night. The Chargers were undefeated heading into the game against the Falcons.
Kentlake hosts Tahoma Saturday night in a game delayed by the snowy weather Dec. 20.
For the Falcons girls, competitions in non-league games led to similar results as the boys, as they split a pair of contests.
First, Kentlake’s girls lost 63-42 to Bothell Dec. 27, but the Falcons girls bounced back the next day with a double digit victory over Seattle Christian. Following those games, Kentlake was 4-4 overall while sporting a 2-2 record in South Puget Sound League North play.
Kentlake’s girls will play again Friday night when they host Kentridge then will travel to Tahoma Saturday night to make up a game originally scheduled for Dec. 20.
NON-LEAGUE MATCH UPS FOR KENTWOOD
After starting off the SPSL North schedule 3-1 with that lone loss to Kentridge Dec. 10, the Kentwood girls hoops team picked up a narrow non-league win over Woodrow Wilson Dec. 14 followed by a 60-36 league Kentwood’s girls took on Seattle Prep in a non-league contest Dec. 27, putting together a 44-43 victory. Kentwood will play again Friday night at Kent-Meridian.
Meanwhile, the Kentwood boys team played Auburn Mountainview, a member of the SPSL 3A, in a non-league matchup Dec. 21, putting together a 53-36 win at the start of winter break. Kentwood plays again Friday night when they host Kent-Meridian.
