Playing smothering defense, the King’s Way Christian boys basketball team put on a show for its home crowd to open the postseason.
The Knights opened the Class 1A District 4 Tournament on Thursday with a 40-point win over visiting Elma. The 56-16 triumph advances King’s Way to the district semifinals.
“We live in the moment for that day. The next day it’s a clean slate. We start a new chapter and focus on the next game ahead of us,” King’s Way guard Cole Jensen said.
Next on the slate for the Knights is a 5 p.m. Saturday game against Castle Rock at W.F. West High School in Chehalis. A win there would clinch a spot in the 1A state tournament. King’s Way beat Castle Rock twice in league play, by scores of 63-56 and 76-56.
Saturday’s loser will need to win a game next Wednesday to qualify for state.
The Trico League champions never gave Elma hope on Thursday. King’s Way (16-5) used its active defense to take control of the game. The Eagles (6-15) scored four points in each quarter and turned over the ball 24 times.
King’s Way forward Mikey Johnson said it was a case of high-intensity practices carrying over into the game.
“Tonight we wanted to come out and push them to the sidelines and create turnovers,” Johnson said. “That’s what we were focusing on is just trying to speed them up and turn the ball over.”
Some of those turnovers turned into transition baskets, particularly early in the second half when the Knights put to rest any chance of an Eagle comeback.
Kienen Walter, who scored a game-high 17 points, had a transition dunk off a steal by Kyle Gonzales to highlight the third-quarter surge.
Jensen made three 3-pointers and finished with 13 points and Joe Mills scored 12.
It added up to a memorable last home game for Jensen and Johnson, the only two seniors on the Knights roster.
“It was really fun,” Jensen said. “Our crowd was amazing tonight.”
Just like the Knights’ defense.
KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN 56, ELMA 16
ELMA (6-15) — Tiki Hickle 0, Kyle Smith 0, Bryson Crisp 3, Justin Spencer 2, Elijah Martin 3, AJ Brown 0, Kholton Emerson 4, Blake Sackrider 4, Seth Osgood 0, Wyatt Gray 0. Totals 7-38 (1-12) 1-6 16.
KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN — Cole Jensen 13, Mikey Johnson 0, Arda Ayden 2, Kyle Gonzales 5, Kienan Walter 17, Clayton Rajewich 0, Anthony Huser 0, Joe Mills 12, Karter Graves 2, Nick Pulicella 5, Isaiah Pratt 0. Totals 23-54 (4-16) 6-8 56.
Elma 4 4 4 4—16
King’s Way 15 12 16 13—56
