Decatur boys out-shoot Jefferson

The Decatur boys basketball team kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a 73-52 win over Jefferson on Friday.

The Gators also needed to win last night against Emerald Ridge to stay in the playoff race.

If the Gators won last night, they need to hope that Emerald Ridge loses to league-leading Puyallup and the Gators need to win Friday at Federal Way and in order to make the post season.

“Our playoffs started tonight,” said Decatur coach Kevin Olson. “We’re playing pretty well right now — now is the time to do it.”

Jefferson jumped out to a 14-4 lead and led 14-6 at the end of the first quarter, while Decatur missed five 3-point attempts.

But the 3-pointers started falling for the Gators in the second quarter. Brandon Hicks hit two in a row as Decatur climbed back to tie the game at 26 with 1:27 let in the first half.

Kellen McCaffrey hit a fall-away jumper at the halftime buzzer to put Decatur up 33-26.

Decatur maintained a lead the rest of the game.

Alonzo Akres scored 14 points for Decatur. Brandon Hicks scored 12, while Steven Patenaude and James Van Stralen scored 10 each, Patenaude’s points all coming in the second half. Justin Watson and Larry Kier each scored nine.

Jefferson was led by Matt Englund’s 26 points. Myron Hennings and Jared Bronson added eight points each.

Decatur plays Federal Way at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Federal Way in the final game of the regular season.

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