No. 9 Davis boys secure signature win at West Valley of Yakima to clear room atop 4A CBBN

Dhantaye Bennett-Joe's 24 points helped snap the Rams' 30-game Big 9 win streak. Now ill Davis end their streak of league titles?

YAKIMA, Wash. – For more than three quarters, West Valley had things the way it wanted in Tuesday night’s Columbia Basin Big Nine showdown with Davis.

Then, as they often, the Pirates found another gear.

Using its length and familiar stifling defense, Davis, No. 9 in SBLive's 4A power rankings, outscored the Rams 28-9 in the fourth quarter en route to a 71-58 victory at West Valley of Yakima and sole possession of first place in the Columbia Basin Big Nine.

The loss ends a 30-game conference winning streak for the Rams, who have won three straight CBBN titles.

Dhantaye Bennett-Joe scored 17 of his game-high 24 points before halftime, when the Pirates struggled offensively and held one lead — 2-0.

MORE:Latest 4A boys basketball power rankings

Davis scored just one basket in the first quarter and nary a 3-pointer before the intermission. Yet, West Valley couldn’t shake the Pirates and never led by more than eight because of the 6-foot-6 Bennett-Joe, who hit 7 of 8 free throws in the first quarter and had 10 points mostly on drives in the second period.

“D-taye definitely kept us in the game while we were trying to adjust,” Pirates coach Eli Juarez said of Davis’ four-year fixture in the post. “He took it to the hole, was rebounding well and a big guy like that is going to take the physicality of this game.”

Said Bennett-Joe: “I try to pick up my team so we can get our intensity up.”

With 5:52 left in the game, the Pirates regained the lead when Blake Garza laid in Cesar Hernandez’s lob pass to the rim. After a couple more minutes of back-and-forth, Davis fed off its frenetic style to close on a 15-2 run.

“The last four minutes defensively we shut them down a little bit and that gave us opportunities,” Juarez said.

And a West Valley squad that had answered each Davis surge for three quarters couldn’t find an offensive rhythm late.

“When they went up 50-49 with six minutes left, we stopped playing the way we normally play,” West Valley coach Tyson Whitfield said. “We got into hero-ball a little bit and I think that’s what got us down the stretch.”

Hernandez added 17 points for the ninth-ranked Pirates, who improved 5-0 in league and 11-1 overall, and Brandon Lee Jr. chipped in 10.

(Photo by Jerrel Swenning)

(Photo by Jerrel Swenning)

(Photo by Jerrel Swenning)

(Photo by Jerrel Swenning)

Jackson Cluff shook off early foul trouble to lead the Rams (5-1, 9-2) with 14 points, and Jaxson Goldsmith and Hunter Schlepp added 13 and 12, respectively.

The two teams continue conference play Friday when Davis travels to Wenatchee while West Valley visits Sunnyside.

The Pirates and Rams will meet again Feb. 12 to cap regular-season game.

“This was a great physical game and it’s the kind of game you’re going to get in regionals and beyond that,” Juarez said.

REPLAY:Rewatch Davis' win over West Valley (subscription required)

—

(Lead photo by Brenda Hartline Juarez)