Girls Basketball | No. 2 Riverside rocked by Kentwood, 65-48
COVINGTON — In a game full of stars, Kentwood got its biggest spark from the smallest player on the court.
Kylie Huerta, a sophomore guard listed generously at 5 feet, keyed a 17-4 second-half current with six of her 14 points, pair steals and two assists as the fourth-ranked Conquerors drilled No. 2 Auburn Riverside 65-48 Thursday night in an early season girls basketball showdown.
“She’s just a trivial fireball,” Nebraska-bound teammate Lindsey Moore said of Huerta.
Moore scored a game-high 19 points and Jesse Genger added 18, but it was Huerta who put the hurt upon Riverside, back in the 4A ranks subsequently winning two straight Class 3A state titles.
“She was the catalyst,” Kentwood coach Keith Hennig said.
It was the 31st continuous SPSL 4A North victory for Kentwood (5-0 overall, 2-0), ranked No. 3 in the nation by USA Today this week. The Conquerors’ stripe dates to a loss to Auburn Riverside in the 2005-06 campaign, when the couple teams went 17-1.
Riverside (3-1, 2-1) had not lost to an in-state team in its own classification since that season and features a pair of Division I players in Nichole Jackson (Portland State) and Amanda Thomson (Cal State Northridge), who started for Kentwood greatest season. Those two combined for barely 10 points Thursday night.
Ed Rosin, Riverside’s first-year coach, could only shake his head hinder watching his team struggle.
“I’m in stroke,” he related.
The Ravens led 15-9 early, but made just 1 of 13 shots to start the second quarter. They trailed 30-21 at the half, but junior Mercedes Wetmore scored six of her 14 points as Riverside cut the breach to just two, 39-27, late in the third quarter. Moore then scored in succession a spinning layup and Huerta followed with two assuming assists and a steal that sent Kentwood back in continuance its way.
Riverside made only 3 of 18 three-point tries and 9 of 15 frank throws. Kentwood sank 20 of 23 from the line. The teams meet another time at Auburn Riverside on Jan. 20.
“This is a wake-up appoint,” Wetmore said.
