A cape couldn\u2019t have lifted Kentwood star Joshua Smith any higher Friday night at the ShoWare Center in Kent. Because when the moment called for a heroic perf ormance, Kentwood\u2019s 6-foot-9, 285-pound unstoppable basketball force was more than up for the challenge.<\/p>\n
Smith put the second-ranked Conquerors on his back, soaring to a career-high 43 points \u2014 12 alone on thunderous two-handed dunks \u2014 and grabbed 21 rebounds, leading Kentwood past No. 9 Kentridge 62-60 in a pivotal South Puget Sound League North Division game in the Kent Shootout.<\/p>\n
Kentwood (12-2 in league, 14-4 overall) kept pace with top-ranked Federal Way (12-2, 16-2) in the SPSL North standings on Saturday, knocking off Auburn 52-45. The loss to Kentwood dropped Kentridge (10-4, 11-7) into third place with two games to go. If Kentwood and Federal Way finish the season in a two-way tie for first, a tie-breaking game would be played on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
But the talk last Friday was about Smith, who added a few buckets from outside the paint, blocked five shots and came away with two steals to go along with his impressive point total. Smith\u2019s previous high came three days earlier, when he went off for 40 points in a win over Jefferson.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the seventh time this season Smith has scored 30 or more points in a game.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe and (guard) Tre (Tyler) are the 1-2 options,\u201d said Smith, the most highly-recruited junior in the nation. \u201cSo when Tre went out (with foul trouble in the second quarter), I was like, \u2018OK, we\u2019re not going to go unless I go.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I just tried to step my game up.\u201d<\/p>\n
And he did just that, scoring 18 of Kentwood\u2019s 21 points in the third quarter, turning a 32-25 halftime deficit into a 46-40 advantage going into the final eight minutes.<\/p>\n
But as key as Smith\u2019s record-setting performance was, unheralded sophomore Alec Wilson delivered the biggest shot of the night for the Conks. Trailing 60-59 with six seconds remaining, Wilson pulled up and hit what proved to be the game-winning 3-pointer. Kentridge\u2019s Gary Bell followed up the shot by connecting with teammate Brendon Westendorf on a long outlet pass. Westendorf\u2019s contended layup was just off the mark, sending the Conquerors into a celebratory rush onto the court.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoach (Michael Angelidis) put me in to shoot, so I was definitely going to be shooting,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI didn\u2019t have any doubt in my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
The only thing in doubt in a game that included five ties and five lead changes was who would come out on top. Kentridge, behind dazzling guard play from Bell, Shaquielle McKissic and Laron Daniels, took an 11-10 lead after the first quarter.<\/p>\n
The Chargers proceeded to go on a 16-1 run in the first four minutes of the second quarter, taking a 27-11 lead with 4:46 remaining in the half. The run included a pair of technicals on both Angelidis and Tyler. McKissic and Bell combined for 11 of the 16 points during the spurt.<\/p>\n
Smith then went to work.<\/p>\n
He scored nine of Kentwood\u2019s 15 points in the second quarter, getting the Conquerors to within seven points, 32-25, at the half. Smith then scored Kentwood\u2019s first 12 points of the third quarter, lifting the Conquerors to a 35-34 lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had runs, but we let them come back into it,\u201d said Bell, who finished with a team-high 22 points. \u201cThey have big Josh and it\u2019s hard to maintain a lead when they have him. He\u2019s not really stoppable. He\u2019s big. We tried to double-team him, triple-team him, but we couldn\u2019t do it. If he missed, he\u2019d just go back up and tip it in or dunk it.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Bell, one of the North Division\u2019s premier shooters, did his best to keep the Chargers in the game. Bell showed his tremendous range with three minutes remaining in the game, connecting on a long 3-pointer, getting Kentridge to within one at 53-52.<\/p>\n
Smith answered with a layup on the other end, setting the stage for Bell\u2019s game-tying 3-pointer with 2:22 remaining. The Kentridge sophomore hit the shot just seconds after missing everything on a previous 3-pointer and to the sound of Kentwood fans chanting \u201cair ball.\u201d Bell then converted a pair of free throws on Kentridge\u2019s next possession, giving the Chargers a momentary 57-55 lead.<\/p>\n
Kentridge took its last lead at 60-59 on a free throw from McKissic, setting the stage for Wilson\u2019s big shot.<\/p>\n
But it was Smith who put Wilson and the Conquerors in position for the win.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerimeter wise, I thought we did a pretty good job stopping their other four guys,\u201d Kentridge coach Dave Jamison said. \u201cYou can\u2019t expect to stop someone with that big of size (as Smith). And he\u2019s athletic. He\u2019s not just a big, slow guy. He gets the ball and makes moves. He was hitting turnarounds and leaners. Everything.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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