by Mike Finnerty (mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com)
Last year the Kennedy Cougars started 5-0 in Metro League play, but a pair of losses to second place Sac High, plus two more losses to eventual league champ Burbank, put the Cougars in the tie for third place with McClatchy at 9-5.
Fast forward to this season and once again the Kennedy is off to a good start in league play, improving to 3-0 with a 58-47 win over the visiting Valley Vikings on Tuesday.
Center Ryan Edwards (14 points) and guard Derrick West (11 points) led the Cougars in scoring.
"It's been a good season obviously, nice record, we've played a couple of opponents, we're up and down, and we're still trying to figure it out," said Kennedy head coach Rob Fong. "We have a new addition, Ryan Edwards that came over from Capital Christian and we're trying to fit him in to the system. It's taken a while, but we're slowing getting there, and hopefully we'll get there before we start playing Sac and Burbank."
Valley jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but Kennedy regrouped and went on a 13-3 run to close out the first quarter.
Kennedy continued to control the game in the second with West knocking down a pair of three-pointers and Blake Williams attacking the glass for another six points in the quarter to go up 32-34 at the break.
In the third, Valley cut the lead to 35-30 with four minutes only to see the Kennedy push the lead to as high as 52-39 midway through the fourth.
Edwards did his damage in the paint, and he did it in the second half where he scored 12 of his 14 points, and his size was a clear advantage for the Cougars.
"He's legitimate 6'5" and about 200 pounds," said Fong. "He's a nice player for us, he's athletic. He's given us a presence where we never had in the last four years, so he definitely helps us."
With the addition of Edwards, he joins West, a guard with good size who can hit hit the three-pointer as well as drive to the basket, but it's West willingness to change his game this year that is helping the team as well.
"He's had to give up a little bit," said Fong. "He's used to being the man on the team, and now that we've gotten Ryan, and a couple of other kids have stepped up, he's given up a lot of his role in terms of scoring to help the others score, and so it's making us a better team."
If Kennedy should win it's next two games over Florin and Johnson, it will put the Cougars right were they were a year ago, with a record of 5-0 and ready to take on No. 3 Sac High and No. 6 Burbank.
"Definitely Burbank and Sac are the top two, and us," said Fong. "I think we're in there with them. They are both better than us because they have played a tougher schedule."
"They have been in the mix before we keep knocking on the door, we've never been inside so to speak yet, but we're looking to do that."