BY GERARDO BOLONG
Contributing Writer

LAKEWOOD - Speed spurred Kennedy Catholic to a 60-41 destruction of Auburn Mountainview in a loser-out game of the 2015 West Central/Southwest bi-district boys basketball tournament on Thurs., Feb. 17, on the court at Clover Park High School to earn a Feb. 21 winner to state regionals, loser-out match up against Peninsula.

"We executed better in the second half," said Lancer head coach Don Hoffman. "We attacked the basket, got to the rim more and were quicker."

Auburn Mountainview shot well to take a 12-4 lead in the first quarter, but, beginning with Michael Sasonoff's quarter ending 3-pointer, and concluding with five straight points by A.J. McGrew to open the second quarter, the running Lancers tied the score at 12-all.

Scrapping evenly, the teams fought on until James Jolly's driving basket sent Kennedy into the intermission with a 20-18 lead.

Leading 24-21 in the third quarter, the Lancers fired off 10 consecutive points for a 34-21 margin and never let the Lions prowl closer than seven points to the lead the rest of the way as Kennedy Catholic established high, double digit leads.

Three Kennedy Catholic players earned double doubles.

Sasonoff scored 15 points and gleaned12 boards. Jolly earned 15 and 11 rebounds while McGrew posted 13 with 10 rebounds, three assists.and three steals..

"Someone had to take it on their hands to step up, so I thought it might as well be me," Jolly said.

The Lancers had six players score in double figures in a 79-63 state regional qualifying defeat of Peninsula on Feb. 21. A.J. McGrew scored 19 points while Parker Diller, Keannu Royster and Emilio Marcol had 13 apiece. Michael Sasonoff pitched in 11 as James Jolly notched 10.

This six-player balance offset the 39 points from JaQuori McLaughlin and the 14 points by Garrett Kingman.

The Lancers broke quickly to a 19-7 lead after one quarter and never let Peninsula get close.

As the No. 5 seed from bi-district, Kennedy Catholic (22-3) will play District 1 #1 Stanwood in 3A regional play on Feb. 27 or Feb. 28 at sites to be determined.