When the Kentwood Conquerors boys basketball season started, there were expectations that this team would be one of the best in the state — especially after Kentwood surprised a lot of people in attendance at the Tacoma Dome last season, finishing in fourth place.
At the start of the season, the Conks dropped their season opener on the road at Auburn by 13. In the six games since, the Conks have won all of them.
It took a switch in practice philosophy to really get Kentwood going. To start, the focus was on offense. Ball movement, sets and really finding a groove on offense. But going into the second week of the season, Kentwood switched the emphasis to defense, thus propelling a seven-game win streak.
“We really focused heavy on the defensive side of the ball. But now we can win games multiple different ways,” Head Coach Blake Solomon said.
Kentwood defeated Timberline in the opening round of the Curtis Winter Classic and took on Davis High School from Utah in the semifinals on Dec. 20.
Davis was no slouch either — the 6A team is three years removed from a state championship in the Beehive State. In the Darts’ opening round game of the tournament, they defeated 3A 2024 fifth placed O’Dea, 62-51.
Kentwood knew they had their hands full when they took the court for warmups. Just eight players were in uniform available to play. But that didn’t phase this Kentwood team as they would win 56-54 over the Darts on a Corey Tita buzzer-beating layup.
“We came out with energy in the second half. Defense was our main focus coming out of halftime,” Tita said.
In the first quarter, Kentwood came out firing. Mason St. Louis and Brandon Tagle made a pair of threes that put the Conks up 16-5 early. At the end of the first quarter, Kentwood led 19-14. But nothing could prepare the Conks for what came in the second.
Solomon took over the Kentwood program in 2012. In his entire Kentwood career he had never experienced a quarter like the second quarter against Davis. For the entire eight minutes, Kentwood did not record a single point. Not a two-point shot, no threes, no free-throws, nothing.
“I told the guys at halftime I have been coaching too long to have a ‘first’ like that… But they dialed up the pressure really well and sped us up like crazy,” said Solomon.
But despite all that, Kentwood only trailed 27-19 at the break, a gap that seemed attainable if the Conks could find some of that magic they had in the first quarter.
“We knew when we got to halftime the guys were confident. They knew what we did in the first quarter… I think our guys settled in when we got to halftime and kind of just reset,” Solomon said.
All doubts were subdued when St. Louis hit a three from the left wing on Kentwood’s first possession of the second half. From there Kentwood settled in, and at the end of the third quarter, Davis’ lead was cut to one point, twice before the Darts took a 40-37 lead heading to the third.
“When shots go in, it helps,” Solomon said laughingly.
“We stick together in tough moments,” said Tita.
With such a short bench and such a terrible quarter, the fact that Kentwood was within arm’s reach was an achievement all on its own. Players like Javion Jamerson and Jacob Bail have found their stride for Kentwood and have been monumental over the seven-game win streak.
Jamerson played a handful of games his sophomore year, but last year played a much more rotational role coming off the bench. This year, Jamerson has taken strides to be the fourth option and really open things up for the big three for Kentwood.
“He has gotten so much better. He is doing everything we are asking. He defends, rebounds and sets screens… He epitomizes what I love about basketball,” Solomon said.
Bail on the other hand is a sophomore who is just starting to get his feet wet. He was thrusted into a starting role this season and is gaining experience against high quality opponents.
“He’s a great defender, he can knock down threes. He got us some offensive rebounds in the third quarter that really helped us out,” Solomon said.
The score was 54-54 with 1.3 left in the game. Kentwood is no stranger to late-game heroics. Just six days prior in a game against Franklin Pierce, St. Louis hit a game winning three-pointer to down the Cardinals.
This time Tita’s name was called: “I knew it was going to be there. Got it, came down with it and got the bucket,” said Tita.
Brandon Tagle was the inbounder and he lofted a pass to Corey Tita who had his back to the basket. But Tita used his momentum to throw the defender off balance and turned around for a banked-in layup as the buzzer sounded.
“Brandon is the best passer we have ever had that I have coached. He put that ball in a great spot and Corey is a great athlete and was able to high point it. We knew he was going to have a good look,” Solomon said.
Kentwood went on to the championship against Mount Spokane and lost to the Wildcats. But playing high level games back to back is needed in order to take strides at the state tournament.
“Anytime there is a trophy of any kind, you’re competitive and want to win. You want to be able to string together three games in a row without any practices in between and see guys execute a game plan on the fly,” Solomon said.
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Kentwood’s Brandon Tagle fights against a Davis defender. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Corey Tita takes a jumpshot against Davis at the Curtis Winter Classic. Ben Ray / The Reporter
