La Center took the floor Tuesday in its Trico League boys basketball matchup at King’s Way Christian knowing the Knights would be without their injured leading scorer Bryson Metz.
Luckily for the Knights, they had another Metz.
Senior Brady Metz hits seven 3-pointers, finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead King’s Way to a huge 56-50 win over the Wildcats.
“That speaks to Brady,” King’s Way coach Daven Harmeling said. “A lot of shooters aren’t going to get their nose in there rebound that way or defend that way. He has 27 and 10 guarding a really tough player (La Center’s Hunter Ecklund), one of the top players in Southwest Washington.”
Metz scored all 14 of the Knights’ second-quarter points — four 3-pointers and two free throws — as King’s Way built a 31-21 halftime lead.
“I was feeling good,” Brady Metz said. “Credit to all my teammates; they were getting me some open shots. We were breaking the press pretty well, so that led to some good transition 3s.”
Metz’s sixth and seventh 3-pointers put King’s Way up 42-34 early in the fourth quarter.
But then La Center went on a 10-0 run to take a 47-45 lead with three minutes to go.
“It wouldn’t be a La Center-King’s Way game if it didn’t go down to the wire,” Harmeling said.
Ty Snider hit a baseline 3-pointer with 1:58 left to put the Knights back up 48-47. Kai Butterworth hit another 3-pointer to stretch the Knights’ lead to 52-47.
Ecklund had a 3-point play to cut the deficit to 52-50.
La Center got the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead. But the Knights’ defense held, and King’s Way sealed the game from the free-throw line.
Kobi Cason, playing point guard in place of Bryson Metz, added 10 points and eight rebounds for King’s Way.
Ecklund led La Center with 20 points, six assists and five rebounds. Evan Norris had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats.
KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN 56, LA CENTER 50
LA CENTER — Hunter Ball 10, Tobey Deemer 3, Parker Ball 2, Shawn Child 0, Evan Norris 11, Jeremy Humphrey 2, Riley Fender 0, Cedric Hubler 2, Hunter Ecklund 20. Totals 18-59 (5-24) 9-10 50.
KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN — Giovanni Evanston 0, Kobi Cason 10, Gage Koenders 6, Ty Snider 7, Mason Packer 0, Bryce Dodge 0, Kai Butterworth 6, Justin Frahm 0, Brady Metz 27, Bailey Meek 0, Sam Kelly 0. Totals 17-48 (12-24) 10-14 56.
La Center 7 14 11 18–50
King’s Way 17 14 8 17–56
