ROYAL CITY After starting the year with a 2-3 record and coming off an appearance at the Pro Image Sports Holiday Classic in Boise, Idaho, the Royal Knights have strung together wins in 12 of their last 14 games, including nine straight wins.
“We were feeling really good, even though we started off 2-3,” Royal coach Greg Jenks said. “We played some pretty good teams, including a team that has the leading scorer in the nation, down in that Boise tournament. It was good to see something different and take a trip with basketball behind it. I think that helped the boys make that transition from fall sport to winter sport.”
Royal’s last loss was a 79-55 home game against Zillah on Jan. 5, the state’s No. 1 team in 1A boys basketball according to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s Rating Percentage Index. Since that loss, there’s been a strong emphasis on rebounding, according to Jenks.
COLUMBIA BASIN – With the start of the new year, many boys and girls basketball teams around the area have started to enter the teeth of league play across their respective classifications. See below for a look at where Basin squads stand at the beginning of January.