Kentwood defensive pressure collapsed Todd Beamer's hopes in a Conqueror West Central 4A district boys basketball 58-39 victory Friday night in a winner-to-state. loser-out game, at the Dalesky and Black gymnasium on the campus of Foss High School.

Kentwood (16-10) earned the district's fifth seed to the state tournament.

Grasping a 38-37 lead with 7:13 remaining in the fourth quarter, Beamer fell to the tension-building Conqueror defense and could only muster up a Lorenzo Holcomb free throw with 56 seconds left in regulation after Kentwood had reeled off 20 consecutive points. The margin began as a short drop off that eventually transformed into a deep chasm.

"Napa started off really hot and kept us in the game," related Titan head coach Brent Brilhante. "Kentwood wore us down mentally and defended us with great pressure. Defensively, we were there, but offensively, we had trouble. Give credit to them (the Conquerors). I thought it would be a race to 63 and they just got ahead of us."

When 6-foot, 8-inch Titan Kevin Davis blocked 6-9 inch Josh Smith's inside shot early in the first quarter, the chances for a Beamer victory were uplifted. The fact that Smith eventually horsed home a basket after the block foreshadowed what would happen later in the game.

Both big men showcased their skills in the first quarter with Davis pitting his superior speed and agility agains the sheer power and presence of Smith. Junior guard Napa Mefi at 6-0 torched a three-point goal and and an outside field goal around Mac Gridley's pair of free throws to give the Titans a 7-4 lead.

After a 7-7 tie was broken by Mefi's outside shot and Max Aficiuc's jump shot from the wing, Kentwood blazed back to grab a 14-11 first quarter margin. Tre Tyler scored 12 of his game high 18 points to keep the Conquerors ahead in the first quarter.

With Smith picking up his third foul and sitting out for all but seven minutes of the first half, Todd Beamer took control.

Davis' one-hand tip in and a his goal off a Mefi assist ignited a 10-3 Titan scoring surge that was also aided by Gridley and Mefi as Todd Beamer turned a second quarter 16-13 deficit onto a 23-18 control en route to a 23-20 halftime lead.

Keeping his hot shooting touch, Mefi opened the second half with a field goal before eight consecutive Conqueror points had Kentwood leading 28-25 three minutes into the third quarter.

The Conquerors maintained short leads with Smith contributing assists and rebounds until they emerged from the quarter with a 37-34 margin. Davis nailed a jump shot from the wing followed by Vlad Aficiuc's driving basket to send the Titans into the lead for the final time.

With this season completed at 17-8, coach Brilhante reflected upon the accomplishments of his team and particularly on his key player.

"See that young man (Kevin Davis) sitting on the stands?" he commented. "In my two years here, we created history. Without that young man, we don't get to make it. We've been able to get first place in the South, get to state for the first time for the highest finish in school history and get the most wins in school history this year. If you would have told me before this season that we'd be in a loser-out, winner-to-state game, I'd have taken it. This team has worked so hard."

Mefi paced Beamer with 15 points. Titan senior Davis finished with eight rebounds and eight points.

Smith notched 16 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots although he sat out more than eight minutes of the second half.