Seamount Boys | Soph's 2nd effort propels Kennedy

BURIEN — Kennedy guard Marques Moorman started slow Thursday night, but finished strong.

The 6-foot sophomore scored 20 second-half points to lift the eighth-ranked Lancers past Mount Rainier 82-66 in a Seamount League boys basketball showdown.

Moorman, the league's leading scorer at 19.3 points per game, managed just five in the first half.

"He just had to get loose," Kennedy coach Doug Strauss said. "We still had to keep going to him. He's a gamer."

Moorman finished with 25 points and nine rebounds as the Lancers (14-2 overall, 10-0 league) won their 14th straight game. Mount Rainier (10-3, 8-1) had a 10-game win streak snapped.

Moorman saved his best for last, scoring 11 in the decisive fourth quarter. The Lancers entered the final eight minutes clinging to a 59-54 lead in a game that saw numerous ties and lead changes.

"I just knew I had to turn it up, to bring it," he said. "This is really big. We haven't beaten them in years."

Moorman scored six of the Lancers' first 10 in the fourth quarter as their lead ballooned to 69-59 with less than four minutes to play.

But he was far from alone for Kennedy, which also got 18 points and 11 rebounds from sophomore forward Antonio Gonzalez. Gonzalez put the game away — and put the crowd on its feet — with a breakaway dunk with 20 seconds remaining. Kennedy's Josh Brown added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Mount Rainier took a 40-39 advantage into halftime, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Alfie Miller and Mark Otero in the final minute of the half.

The Rams pushed their lead to 45-41 early in the third quarter before the Lancers went on a 9-3 run. It was Mount Rainier's last lead.

Miller scored 19 and Bruce Fuller had 15 for the Rams.