Mercedes Wetmore started slow Tuesday night at Kentwood High.
But Auburn Riverside’s standout guard certainly finished with a flurry, scoring nine of her team-high 19 points in the final eight minutes, lifting the top-ranked Ravens to a thrilling 55-49 come-from-behind victory over No. 9 Kentwood in a South Puget Sound League North Division game.
“I had a lot of uncharacteristic turnovers early, but I stayed in it,” said Wetmore, who added four rebounds and four assists in the win. “I just know that big-time players step up in big-time games. My teammates helped me the whole way. There were a lot of big plays from a lot of big players tonight.”
Kentwood, which has been the only team to give Auburn Riverside (11-0 in league, 15-0 overall) a stiff challenge all season, led for most of the game. In fact, the Ravens didn’t take the lead for good until 2:42 remained in the game, when Makenna Clark converted a short runner on an assist from Wetmore.
Kentwood (8-3, 11-4) is the only team this year to have stayed within single digits of the Ravens. Tuesday night, however, it was hard for the Conquerors not to feel as though they let one slip away.
“When I get home and text my friends, I’ll probably tell them we had that game,” lamented Kentwood point guard Kylie Huerta. “It’s tough, but I was pleased with how we played.”
Huerta, who leads the North with a 19.3 points-per-game average, certainly did her part. The 5-foot-1 junior dynamo scored a game-high 24 points, added eight rebounds, and dished out three assists. In a physical matchup between top-tier teams, Huerta was Kentwood’s only consistent source of points, especially in the second quarter, when she scored all of her team’s 10 points.
“Kylie is just so steady, that’s what she brings to our team,” said Kentwood coach Dean Montzingo. “She’s kind of unflappable. She can score inside, outside, pass and defend. She’s really our steady go-to girl and that’s huge. Every team needs a go-to person.”
That player for the Ravens on Tuesday was Wetmore.
Kentwood took a 36-33 lead into the fourth quarter, when Wetmore slowly took things over. Wetmore opened the quarter by draining a 10-foot jumper, cutting the deficit to 36-35.
Huerta answered with a 3-pointer from the top of the key before Auburn Riverside’s Kat Cooper and Jelea Crump converted inside buckets, tying things at 39-39.
Auburn Riverside took its first lead since the second quarter with 4:51 remaining, when Wetmore drilled a 3-pointer, giving the Ravens a 44-41 advantage. In a back-and-forth final quarter, Kentwood took a 47-46 lead on a teardrop runner off glass from Huerta.
It was the last lead the Conquerors would see.
Auburn Riverside’s Clark answered with a layup and Taylor Wofford followed with a clutch 3-pointer, giving the Ravens a 51-47 lead with 59 seconds remaining. Wofford’s big bucket forced the Conquerors to foul the Ravens. Auburn Riverside’s Cooper answered by converting 4 of 4 at the line in the final seconds to seal the victory. Cooper, who scored 14 points, was the only other Raven to reach double figures scoring.
“(Kentwood) just fights,” said first year Auburn Riverside coach Terry Johnson. “That team has got as much fight as any team in the state. They’re going to be right there with a bunch of other very good teams to compete for a state title.”
With the win, Auburn Riverside became the first team in the SPSL North to clinch a playoff berth. The top five teams in the North advance to the postseason. The win also puts Auburn Riverside in prime position to take the North crown as it doesn’t have any of the league’s top teams remaining on its schedule.
“The only thing that can stop us now is ourselves,” Wetmore said.
Kentwood has won each of the last three North Division titles outright and shared the crown in 2006 with Auburn Riverside.
At 8-3 in league and with five regular-season games remaining, KW remains very much alive for one of the top three playoff berths.
Sanda Milovic, who scored 11 points, was the only Kentwood player other than Huerta to reach double figures scoring.
It was Kentwood’s third game in four days, though that didn’t play into the final result, Montzingo said.
“I thought we could be tired (coming in), but the girls did not play tired tonight,” said Montzingo. “I thought they played up to the task.”
ELSEWHERE
• Jefferson 48, Kentlake 39: Morganne Comstock delivered a game-high 19 points, but no other Falcon managed to get going offensively in a loss to the Raiders.
The loss dropped Kentlake (6-4, 9-5) into a tie with Auburn (6-5, 7-8) in the win column. It also helped sixth-place Jefferson (5-6, 8-7) inch into the playoff picture. The top five teams from the North advance to the postseason.
• Auburn 53, Kent-Meridian 36: D’Andrea Parker scored a team-high 14 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Royals (1-10, 1-13) to overcome the Trojans (0-11, 1-14).
• Tahoma 56, Kentridge 34: Nicole Barger and Maddie Maley chipped in eight points apiece, but it wasn’t enough for the Chargers (0-11, 1-14) in a loss to the Bears (4-6, 5-9).
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