Another day, another Brandon Tagle masterclass as the Kentwood High School boys basketball team got 33 points from their star point guard, including the game winning shot with 3.8 seconds remaining on the clock against Kennedy Catholic.
Kentwood needed every bit of his 33 points as the Conquerors were able to outlast the Lancers 63-61 on Jan. 6.
“This win means a lot. Kennedy is a great team and doing great in league (play). It’s a big win for us, especially since people are sleeping on our RPI (rating percentage index),” said Tagle, a senior.
Over the course of winter break, Kentwood has played just two games during the past three weeks with their last games back on Dec. 30 (a loss to North Creek) and on Dec. 20 (a win against Mountlake Terrace).
Getting back into the swing of play is no easy feat against a team the caliber of Kennedy either. The Lancers’ length and speed caused problems for the Conks in the first quarter as Kentwood didn’t score until the 3:49 mark on an impressive step through lay-in from Caleb Ross.
“When adversity hits, like having zero points in the first four minutes, we just have to keep pushing. We got to encourage the guys to keep going. Once we got the first bucket, it was just go from there,” Tagle said.
The Lancer defense wasn’t just stout in the first quarter. The entirety of the game, they made Kentwood work harder just bringing the ball up the floor. The Conks’ 63 points was their second-fewest in a win all season and just the fourth time they have been held to under 65 points.
“These guys pick you up full (court) and they hound you. They got really good athletes that can really stay in front. It’s a different style than the rest of our league plays,” head coach Blake Solomon said. “Not having played much in the last three weeks, and the pressure is different, it took us a while to adjust.”
Despite the slow start and strong defense, Kentwood still led 13-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Brandon Tagle turns the corner with the ball in his hand against Kennedy Catholic. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kennedy continued to give Kentwood arguably more problems in the second quarter as Ross’ five points were the team high in that frame. Kennedy stayed on their front foot until the end of the first half, leading 30-27, and for Kentwood, the uphill battle to shake the rust continued until Tagle broke free.
The third quarter was all Tagle. He didn’t miss a single shot in the third quarter — 100% from the floor and three-for-three from the charity stripe. Tagle finished with 16 points on six shot attempts, three from beyond the arc. He recorded a single steal as well to help give Kentwood a 47-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter. When told he scored 16 in one quarter, Tagle was befuddled. But that just shows the type of flow state he can be in as a competitor.
“I didn’t realize I had 16 in the third, but going into halftime, I knew that it was going to take a leader and someone to stand up and hit shots and make plays. Once I started and the first couple went in, it felt like any shot I shot went in,” Tagle said.
For the most part, Tagle was right.
In the fourth quarter, Tagle showed he was human and missed just two shots, but still scored nine points in the quarter and had two assists and three steals. With 14.1 seconds left in the game, Tagle had the ball in his hands and drove to the lane scoring the would-be winning shot with 3.8 seconds left.
“He’s the best player in our league. I wouldn’t trade him for anybody. He’s a tough cover, he got to the paint a lot tonight. If you’re off of him to keep him out of the paint, he’s the best shooter in the league,” Solomon said.
Caleb Ross finished with 12 points and most importantly finished the game. The senior had three blocks and on a team where he is Kentwood’s tallest player on the floor, he had to stay in. His defensive prowess and effort have shown he can play at a high level, but his mental game is what will get him there.
“He’s a great shot blocker,” Tagle said. “Hats off to him for doing a good job in the paint.”
Darian Williams holds up play while looking for a teammate. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentwood seems to have found their groove and has an all important rivalry game against Kentridge on Jan. 8, the sides’ first meeting of the season with sole possession of second in the NPSL on the line.
“There is a lot on it, for a rivalry game at home. We are excited and looking forward to it,” Solomon said.
Solomon and Tagle have great respect for Charger coach Zac Webb and his squad, but to them, it’s important to not make it more than just the next game on the schedule.
“Kentridge is a great team, they’re doing very well and having a good season. They have our number from last year, so we’ll kind of play with a chip on our shoulder. We just have to come out and compete,” Tagle said.
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