Royal boys turn the corner
Chase Christensen of Royal flies toward a lay-in during a South Central A Conference East 74-24 boys high school basketball triumph at Warden last week.
Royal's Kent Christensen looks for an opening under the Kiona-Benton basket during a South Central A Conference prep hoops contest at Ki-Be last Saturday. East-leading Ki-Be won, 46-43.
ROYAL CITY - The Royal High boys basketball team appears to be poised for a second-half run at the district tournament after last week's action.
The Knights shocked highly-regarded Naches, 39-37, at Naches, steamrolled Warden, 74-24, at Royal and just missed upsetting South Central A Conference East-leading Kiona-Benton, 46-43.
"I am proud of the way these guys played this week," coach Pete Christensen said. "Our defense is strong, and their drive to succeed is still there."
The way Royal and Naches had been going in opposite directions, Royal's win at Naches shocked the entire league. The Knights came back from a 22-18 first-half deficit to win.
Kent Christensen led Royal scoring with 14 points. The Lefler brothers, Reed and Riley, combined for 13. K. Christensen pulled in 11 rebounds, and Brady Dixon had nine.
The game with Warden was decided with a 27-8 second quarter that made the score at the half 48-18. K. Christensen hit 88 percent of his shots for 24 points and hardly played the second half.
Reed Lefler added 14 points, and Carter Christensen scored 12. Reed Lefler had 13 rebounds.
"In the five years I've coached, I have only witnessed shooting like this by the other team and that wasn't very often," Christensen said. "It was exciting to watch Kent go off tonight. It didn't matter if he had someone in his face or not."
Royal's first meeting with Ki-Be was peculiar. After the Knights won the first period, 13-0, Ki-Be won the second, 21-7.
"The little things, free throws and a few untimely turnovers, put us in a position to have to foul in the end to be able to get the ball back," Christensen said.
Reed Lefler had a season high 17 points and played the Bears' big center tough all night. Brady Dixon guarded their big shooter well.
The Knights are 2-4 in the SCAC East with six games to go. The way they are playing now, victory is within their grasp in all six. The last game will be a home rematch with Ki-Be.
The Knights could level off their record this Friday and Saturday at River View and home to Wahluke.