Tigers show best side in debut beatdown

The Napavine boys basketball team had a delayed season opener due to the Napavine football team’s extended postseason run, but when the Tigers finally made their debut Saturday, they showed just about all of the features that have made them favorites to repeat as Central 2B League champions in an 88-26 win over Kalama.

James Grose started his senior season with a 31-point spectacle, going 9 for 10 from the field and a perfect 11 for 11 from the free-throw line. He also brought down five rebounds and led the Tigers (1-0, 1-0 C2BL) with four assists.

Jarin Prather, the only starter who wasn’t wearing a helmet and shoulder pads at Husky Stadium last week, pitched in 20 points, going 4 for 6 from beyond the arc. Karsen Denault, still just a couple of weeks removed from a collarbone injury, added 10 points, logged five rebounds and also had four blocks.

The Tigers held Kalama to just nine field goals all game, and forced 23 turnovers, which they turned into 32 points. 

Napavine led 26-11 after a quarter, then went on a 44-5 run across the middle two periods to go into the fourth up by 54.

The Tigers will hit the road Tuesday for another C2BL matchup, at Toutle Lake.