HS Boys Basketball: Clover Park's Scott and Taylor Duo Carry T-Wolves by Orting

1/9/26

Clover Park 85, Orting 74

(Lakewood, WA) The 2A South Puget Sound League has been a wild league so far in the 2025-26 season and while Franklin Pierce has taken the top spot with Fife right behind them, four teams have found themselves tied at 2-2 in league play. Two of those teams met at Mel Ninnis Memorial Gymnasium on Friday night as the Orting Cardinals looked to snap a four-game losing streak as they visited the Clover Park Timberwolves who entered the showdown on a three-game winning streak. It was the first league game for both teams since December 19th and both teams looked to separate themselves from the middle of the pack to begin 2026.

It was a lightning quick start as both teams came out rolling on offense. Orting scored on their first two possessions, including a three by Kenzie Seniours were answered by threes for Clover Park as Ijohn Taylor buried a couple early to give Clover Park a 6-5 lead. Orting then went on a 10-0 run to take control but the Timberwolves didn’t bat an eye. Clover Park responded with an 11-0 run to retake the lead as a fast-paced 1st quarter ended with Clover Park leading 20-18

Marshall Scott took over as soon as he entered the game a couple of minutes in and never slowed down. Scott lit it up from beyond the arc as he was unconscious shooting the basketball. Orting would not allow the duo of Scott and Taylor to lead the Timberwolves to too big of a lead. Evan Polly came off the bench for Orting and immediately recorded a couple of blocks but he began to drop threes. At halftime it would be a track meet but Clover Park had a 46-41 lead over Orting.

The bench of Orting was the difference maker but Max Holcomb started to get things going for the Cardinals in the 3rd quarter. Scott continued to attack for Clover Park as they kept Orting at arm’s reach. Armando Moreno added to the scoring off the bench for Orting but Alexander Charles added to the scoring for the T-Wolves as well. Free throw shooting was an issue all night for the Cardinals but Marshall Scott and Ijohn Taylor were a bigger issue as Clover Park took a 66-60 lead into the final quarter.

Finally, one team began to run out of gas and that would be Orting. Some missed shots at the basket allowed Clover Park to pull ahead but the Cardinals had one last charge. Evan Polly hit yet another three as Orting fought back with Cale LaFountaine dominating the paint. It was cut down to a two-point game but a couple of huge threes by Michael Simpson and Colin Boykin gave Clover Park some breathing room and the Timberwolves began to kill clock. Simpson finished the game strong as well as Orting struggled to answer the Clover Park buckets with points of their own. The Timberwolves pulled away in the end to take down Orting 85-74.

Our Sumner Holiday Inn Express MVP of the game went to Marshall Scott for Clover Park. The senior was out of his mind shooting the basketball and while he cooled down a bit in the 4th, Scott still finished with 37 points as he continues with his extremely high scoring season.

Clover Park moves to 6-4 on the season and 3-2 in SPSL 2A play to move themselves into the top half of the league. The Timberwolves will play on Saturday in a non-league game at Lakes at 5:30pm as part of a girls-boys doubleheader. Orting falls to 2-7 on the season and 2-3 in league play. The Cardinals will look to snap a five-game losing skid on Tuesday when they host Washington at 7pm.

Scoring

Orting: Max Holcomb 15, Evan Polly 14, Armando Moreno 14, Cale LaFountaine 12, Jayden Schoenbachler 9, Kenzo Seniours 9, Logan Ross 1

Clover Park: Marshall Scott 37, Ijohn Taylor 21, Michael Simpson 9, Trey-David Lunnie 7, Colin Boykin 5, Alexander Charles 4, Jakhi Pegram 2

Link to watch full game replay on the NFHS Network (subscription required)