Royal boys battling for district tourney spot
Royal Knights Basketball
ROYAL CITY - Enjoying their best basketball season in years, the Royal High School boys rode great shooting to a 2-1 week last week.
Even in the game they lost to Kiona-Benton, 56-54, The Knights shot 41 percent from 2-point range. They shot 60 and 51 percent from 2-point range against Wahluke and Burbank.
"We are playing an exciting style of ball right now," coach Pete Christensen said. "It's fun for the kids and fun for the fans."
At the end of the week, the Knights had a 9-5 overall record and 4-2 record in the SCAC East. They enter this week tied for second place in the chase for four district tournament berths.
The Knights will host Naches Friday in a non-league contest. Saturday they travel to Connell to try to avenge an earlier loss to the Eagles.
The 59-55 win over Burbank was hard fought all of the way. Royal's 22-4 second quarter gave the Knights a 31-16 lead at the half, but Burbank battled back by winning the third and fourth periods.
"We were outmanned with their height, but our pressure on defense when the ball went into the post was near perfect," coach Christensen said. "We had a hard time getting any rebounds. So we had very few second attempts on offense."
Aaron Johnson, who scored eight points, had three steals for breakaway lay-ins that were a big part of Royal's success.
Chase Christensen led the Knights with 19 points, but the Coyotes limited all other Knights to eight points or fewer. Mead and Jonathan Partida led in rebounds with seven.
The Ki-Be game was another battle. The Knights won the first and fourth quarters. The difference was Ki-Be's 18-13 second period.
"It was an exciting game even with the loss," coach Christensen said. "If you weren't there, you missed something."
The game was closely fought from tipoff to final buzzer. The score was tied with very little time left.
Ki-Be missed a shot, and Royal got the rebound. But the ball was slapped out of Royal's hands. Ki-Be tossed up a desperation shot and missed, but the Ki-Be center tipped it in at the buzzer.
Christensen led the attack with 20 points. Johnson added 11. Mead had seven rebounds, Riley Lefler had four assists, and Johnson had four steals.
Starting the second half of the SCAC schedule on the road Saturday, Royal jumped ahead of Wahluke, 15-5, after one quarter and maintained a lead throughout the evening.
"We are peaking at a good time," coach Christensen said. "It will be an exciting second round in league."
Mead had a monster game, putting down 20 points and picking off 11 rebounds. Lefler added 14 points, and Chase Christensen had 11. Kaden Jenks had four rebounds, and Lefler had five points.
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