Bulldogs primed for postseason
Published 6:41 pm Saturday, February 13, 2016
King’s Fork High School’s boys’ basketball team finished its regular season on a positive note. Now it awaits its start in the Conference 17 tournament on Tuesday as the No.-2 seed.
King’s Fork High School senior forward Terry Tubbs works against the defense of visiting Lake Taylor High School on Feb. 5. The Bulldogs fell 65-43 in that game, but will likely have the chance to face the Titans again in the postseason.
The Bulldogs closed out their regular-season run with a 61-36 conference victory over host Woodrow Wilson High School on Tuesday.
“We did a good job defensively,” King’s Fork coach Josh Worrell said.
In the Bulldogs’ initial meeting with the Presidents this season on Jan. 30, they played defense well at times in the first half and then became consistent in the second half, winning 54-33. They led 15-9 in that game after the first quarter, 26-20 at halftime and 40-25 after the third quarter.
King’s Fork grew its lead more consistently in Tuesday’s meeting with the Presidents. It held a 21-9 advantage after the first period, a 30-15 lead at halftime and a 46-26 lead after three quarters before winning by 25.
The Bulldogs were led in scoring by a player they did not have the first time they faced Wilson, senior center Chris Roscoe. He finished with 15 points on Tuesday.
One of the key players on the 2014-15 team that went to the Group 4A state championship game, Roscoe re-joined the team when the new semester started this year.
King’s Fork sophomore guard Rontre Pope ended up with 12 points, senior guard Donjawnez Stancel had 12, as well, and senior guard Drequan Wilson produced 10 points.
On Feb. 5., the Bulldogs hosted the Conference 17 team that finished the regular season in the top spot — Lake Taylor High School. The Titans beat King’s Fork 65-43.
Worrell said Lake Taylor’s depth was on display in that matchup.
The Titans also likely have revenge on their minds. The Bulldogs qualified for the state tournament last year by ending the season of visiting Lake Taylor in the Region 4A South semifinals, winning 75-71 in overtime.
Worrell has had to develop a significantly different team this season with the departure of Keith Stagg, who transferred out, and Deshaun Wethington, who opted to run track. But King’s Fork will likely face Lake Taylor again at some point in the postseason.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season 12-10, going 7-3 in Conference 17.
“We’re getting better and not having as many lapses,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll continue to play with that same discipline.”
King’s Fork will host either Deep Creek High School or Great Bridge High School in the conference tournament semifinals on Tuesday.
