High school basketball roundup: Whitten drops 25, leading young Curtis over Sumner
Results, recaps and more from high school basketball contests played Jan. 16-20 around the South Sound will be posted on this page throughout the week.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS (JAN. 20)
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A
Olympia 65, Rogers 52
Bears guard Matt Lindblom dropped a game-high 24 points and Olympia’s offense surged late for a comeback win over Rogers on Saturday night.
The Bears exploded for 28 points in the fourth quarter – including 13 from Lindblom – and Olympia (5-0, 11-5) pulled away to secure a road win at Rogers High School, still undefeated in league play and in control of the 4A SPSL South.
Lindblom drained a pair of treys and went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, the director of Olympia’s mammoth rally. Sophomore forward Kingston Stanciu posted a 12-point performance and Julian Zapata added 11.
Rogers guard Treyshawn Weatherspoon paced the Rams with 22 points, a balanced scorer from three levels in the loss – three two-pointers, a game-high four treys, and 4-of-4 free-throw attempts.
BOX SCORE
O: 7-13-17-28–65
R: 9-18-14-11–52
3A
Stadium 69, Jackson 67
Stadium rallied from a 15-point deficit and steamrolled to a 25-10 run in the fourth quarter to stun 4A-Jackson on the road Saturday night.
Junior guard Andrew Vindivich dropped a team-high 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Stadium sank four clutch three-pointers in the final minutes to claw back.
Five Tigers tallied nine-or-more points – Vindivich finished with 13 – and junior guard Donovan Gill delivered a team-high 16, including seven points in the fourth-quarter comeback effort.
Stadium senior Devin Pandell tallied 11 points. Baaroc Rivers and Moses Steen-Gix added nine points apiece.
Jackson forward Ryan McFerran set game-highs in points (28) and field goals (13). Jackson’s Colby Cooke added 10 points.
Stadium (8-1, 14-3) controls a 1.5-game lead in the 3A PCL with three league contests to play. Pivotal matchups at second-place Lincoln (Jan. 23) and a home meeting with third-place Mount Tahoma (Jan. 25) are on deck next week.
BOX SCORE
S: 11-14-19-25–69
J: 20-20-17-10–67
FRIDAY’S RESULTS (JAN. 19)
BOYS BASKETBALL
2A
FRANKLIN PIERCE 61, FOSS 48
Javon Barbee posted a double-double with a game-high 22 points and 16 rebounds to lead Franklin Pierce past 2A SPSL rival Foss on Friday in Tacoma.
The Cardinals (10-5) led at every quarter break, including taking a double-digit advantage into the halftime break at 31-20. They then eventually ran away with their 13-point victory late in the fourth.
“I feel like it was team chemistry, team ball,” Barbee said of the win. “We came out here and had a little chip on our shoulder. We were super hungry for this.”
The Falcons (9-6) won the first meeting between the two programs this season, 60-52, back in early December at Franklin Pierce, handing the Cardinals their first league loss.
Friday night, the Cardinals controlled the contest throughout, posting their fourth consecutive win, following their only other two 2A SPSL losses to Enumclaw and league-leading White River.
“I knew this time coming into this game, we were all locked in on the bus,” Barbee said. “ … We were ready.”
Jimrac Newmann-Godful added 15 points for Franklin Pierce in the win, while Amaar Coleman had 14.
Amir Goins led the way for Foss with 19 points, while Zaire Stubblefield had 12 on four 3-pointers.
Foss travels to Enumclaw for another 2A SPSL contest Tuesday, while Franklin Pierce hosts Clover Park.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
3A
BONNEY LAKE 55, LINCOLN 44
Panthers guard Azy Jackson dominated the fourth quarter (11 points) and Bonney Lake held off Lincoln’s late surge to remain undefeated in 3A PCL competition Friday night.
Lincoln erased a 15-point deficit and rallied to tie the game at 28 in the third quarter — but Jackson and Co. regained momentum and put away the Abes in the closing minutes at Lincoln High School.
In a contest that could have brought Lincoln (6-2, 7-6) within one-half of a game in the league standings, first-place Bonney Lake (9-0, 15-2) instead pushed its cushion to 2.5 games with three to play. Both programs possess playoff berths if standings hold.
Jackson posted on Twitter after the win: “Thankful to help get the W!!”
Senior center Ava Rice delivered eight points in the fourth quarter, joining Jackson to score the entirety of Bonney Lake’s 19 points in the period.
Panthers forward Jazmyn Shipp dropped a game-high 18 points, including 11 points in the first quarter that powered Bonney Lake to an early, double-digit lead.
Senior guard Ciona Wells led Lincoln’s comeback effort with a team-high 17 points and five treys. Lincoln’s Jaleigha Robinson poured in 14 points and DeAndrea Woods added 10 points (nine in the second quarter).
BOX SCORE
BL: 21-4-11-19–55
L: 6-13-13-12–44
THURSDAY’S RESULTS (JAN. 18)
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A
CURTIS 60, SUMNER 48
There’s no Zoom Diallo in a Curtis uniform this year, no Tyce Paulsen, no Cinque Maxwell. It would’ve been easy to write the Vikings off after losing so much star power from the teams that won two straight Class 4A state championships.
Senior guard Devin Whitten, who has grown into a more vocal leadership role and become the team’s go-to scorer this season, led the Vikings to another win in the 4A SPSL on Thursday night, this time on the road against Sumner. Curtis moved to 12-5 overall with the win, four of those losses coming to out-of-state opponents in a holiday tournament.
Once again, Curtis has been the team to beat in the 4A South Puget Sound League this season.
“Definitely, a lot of doubters,” Whitten said after scoring a game-high 25 points on Thursday, including 12 third-quarter points. “But all we did was just continue to work. It started day one of tryouts, we worked really hard. Coach (Tim) Kelly is always on us every day at practice. He gets a little frustrated all the time but we understand that. He wants perfection and that’s what we’re trying to strive for.”
Curtis strung together stops in the third quarter and got out in transition, separating from the Spartans and riding to a comfortable win. Freshman Noah Kaylor added 13 points off the bench for Curtis, while three-sport standout Xavier Ahrens added nine. Sumner senior forward Cooper Miller scored a team-high 15 points in the loss.
This year’s Curtis team looks different — younger, but the Vikings have talent and potential. Whitten finds himself willing a young group to round into postseason form as the playoffs approach.
“It’s a lot different with younger guys,” he said. “You always have to get on them, know that they have to be in the right spots at different times. Last year, I didn’t have to deal with that. We always knew where we were at and what positions we were supposed to be in.
“This year, I just had to be more vocal, be positive with them. Sometimes they’ll get down just being younger, so I just have to be positive with them. I feel like we’re going to keep building. I feel like we’ve got a chance to make a good run with the young guys we’ve got.”
Graham-Kapowsin 57, Rogers 46
Eagles guard Isaiah Norris poured in a game-high 21 points and guided Graham-Kapowsin over Rogers on Thursday night.
Graham-Kapowsin’s senior captain was the focal point — Norris scored at least four points in every quarter — with three treys, also a game-high.
Eagles guard Elijah Gillespie added 10 points.
Graham-Kapowsin (4-2, 8-9) is in a groove, having won five of their last six contests following a slower, 2-7 start to the campaign.
Thursday’s win lifted the Eagles into sole second place in the 4A SPSL standings, trailing only first-place Olympia (4-0, 9-5). The Bears remain undefeated in league contests.
Rogers guard Treyshawn Weatherspoon paced the Rams with 18 points and went 9-of-13 from the free-throw line. Senior wing Amanna Anusiem added 10 points (6-10 FT).
BOX SCORE
R: 11-9-14-12—46
GK: 15-14-13-15—57
GIRLS BASKETBALL
4A
Bellarmine Prep 51, Olympia 43
Lions guard Jada Travis delivered a 27-point scoring spree that lifted Bellarmine Prep over Olympia on Thursday night.
Travis jump started the Lions offense with three treys in the opening period (four total). The senior’s contributions handed Bellarmine Prep a one-point halftime lead before the Lions emerged in the third quarter via a 13-6 run.
Bellarmine (7-2, 10-5) sits on the precipice of a postseason berth — now in possession of a comfortable, four-game lead over South Kitsap for second place in the 4A SPSL North. Just four league contests remain.
Travis dropped eight points in the fourth quarter to help negate Olympia’s late, 18-point rally in the frame.
Lions forward Keira Leingang scored 11 points and freshman forward Kyla Frazier added six.
Olympia guard Sawyer Schaff, a freshman, dropped a team-high 13 points. Junior guard Lauren Wolin posted 11 points and freshman guard Brooke Juergens added eight, including a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
BOX SCORE
O: 6-13-6-18—43
BP: 11-9-13-18—51
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS (JAN. 17)
BOYS BASKETBALL
3A
Lincoln 77, Mount Tahoma 74
Abes forward Te’Shawn Ports-Jackson drilled a pair of late, pivotal three-pointers that guided Lincoln to a fourth-quarter comeback win over Mount Tahoma on Wednesday night.
Ports-Jackson poured in nine of his team-high 20 points in the final period – the two treys and 3-of-4 free-throw attempts – that erased a four-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
The rally kept Lincoln (5-2, 12-3) undefeated at home (8-0) and in sole possession of second place in the 3A PCL standings.
Abes guard Jream Bassett Jr. and forward La’Vhante Sandling-Green scored 14 points apiece. Freshman guard O’Shea Lamar added nine points (3-4 FG) and went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Mount Tahoma’s Tre’ Walker dropped a game-high 32 points (12-24 FG) with four three-pointers.
BOX SCORE
MT: 25-19-21-9–74
L: 18-26-17-16–77
TUESDAY’S RESULTS (JAN. 16)
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A
Tahoma 72, Kentwood 62
Make it five straight wins for these Bears – Tuesday night’s double-digit win over Kentwood keeps Tahoma (7-0, 12-4) undefeated in 4A NPSL play and, with five games remaining in the regular season, provides a much-clearer path to a league title.
Senior forward Adam Davis drained a triple in the closing minutes of the third quarter to provide a one-point lead, and the Bears ended the contest on an 11-0 run to seal a back-and-forth affair at Tahoma High School.
The Bears own the 4A NPSL’s top spot by 2.5 games with five contests remaining in league play, meaning Tahoma’s magic number for a league title is three.
Davis posted a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double with four assists.
Tahoma forward Dalton Brown co-led the Bears with 19 points and snagged eight rebounds. Senior forward Jayden Stephens added a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Bears guard Carter Stonerock dropped 12 points and dished five assists, and guard Parker Plowman added eight points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
Kentwood guard Brandon Tagle dropped a game-high 21 points. Junior guard Corey Tita added 18.
3A
Auburn 81, Todd Beamer 59
Trojans guard Jaylen Petty dropped a game-high 32 points, and Auburn ended the third quarter on a 14-0 run to emerge from Tuesday’s bout between league-title contenders.
It was tied at 42 in the opening minutes of the second half, but Petty and Co. more than doubled Todd Beamer’s scoring total (39-17) thereafter to snap the Titans’ 10-game win streak.
Petty’s 32 points powered an Auburn offense that featured three Trojans in double digits – senior Michael Reed delivered 14 points and Chase Mentink poured in 12. Junior point guard Carter Hansen scored nine points and senior forward Luvens Valcin added eight.
Auburn (16-1, 6-0) remains undefeated against in-state programs and lost only to 5A-Ironwood High School (Glendale, AZ) in a neutral-site tournament in La Verne, CA, 72-42, on Dec. 29.
Todd Beamer forward Will Tellis paced the Titans with 14 points. Senior forward Dominic Simpson added 13.
Both of Todd Beamer’s (13-2, 8-2) losses this season were to Auburn, the first on Dec. 8, 61-48.
BOX SCORE
TB: 15-16-11-17–59
A: 22-10-24-25–81
GIRLS BASKETBALL
4A
Tahoma 54, Kentwood 39
Senior guard Brooke Deyak delivered a team-high 18 points, and Tahoma’s sure-handed defense powered the Bears to victory Tuesday night in a contest plagued by costly Kentwood turnovers.
Kentwood mounted a late comeback effort – Conquerors guard Jessica Ajayi dropped a game-high 19 points – before Deyak and the Bears connected on late three-pointers that proved the dagger.
“We turned over the ball quite a bit,” Kentwood head coach Jordan Nero said. “That really hurt us. They got out in transition off of our turnovers, got a lot of easy buckets. We didn’t defend well inside at times. Easy lay-ins.”
Tahoma sophomore Adalynn Busch tallied nine points.
Kentwood guard Niki Boris posted a double-digit scoring performance with 13 points; Isabella Cho (sr.) and Tyanna Sims (fr.) added three points apiece.
“I thought we got to some of our spots,” Nero said. “Just didn’t knock down some of our shots. That hurt us.”
Tahoma (6-0, 13-2) grabbed sole first place in the 4A SPSL with a victory over Kentridge on Jan. 11 and remains undefeated in league competition, now winners of seven straight.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated Mount Tahoma’s Tre’ Walker scored 31 points on 13-of-29 shooting from the field. He scored 32 points on 12-of-24 shooting.
This story was originally published January 16, 2024 at 10:30 PM.
