Jaylen Petty's 26 points lead Auburn to 72-45 basketball victory over Timberline

But that won't be the junior's only role with regular point guard Carter Hansen out (wrist) - he will be asked to facilitate offense as well, like he did Saturday at the Les Schwab Showdown

BURIEN, Wash. - Ryan Hansen already thinks junior Jaylen Petty can be the best boys basketball scorer in the state.

But for the next few weeks, Petty might be asked to be Auburn High School's best distributor as well.

Petty certainly looked up to both tasks Saturday night at the Les Schwab Showdown at Highline College.

He poured in a game-high 26 points (9-of-17 shooting), but also had assists on four of his team's 3-pointers - and also on a rim-rattling dunk by Luvens Valcin - in the sixth-ranked Trojans' surprisingly-easy 72-45 victory over perennial state playoff-bound Timberline.

Petty played more point guard Saturday because starter Carter Hansen suffered a serious wrist injury earlier in the week, and will be sidelined well into January.

"I've been a point guard for a long time," Petty said. "So, I am ready for it."

Ryan Hansen said ball-handing duties will likely be "by committee" - shared among Petty, Michael Reed and Chase Mentink.

When it was Petty's turn to run the point for an extended time in the second quarter, the Trojans turned a small deficit into a big lead.

Petty's 3-pointer triggered a 12-0 run. He also found Reed for 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions - and capped the spurt with another 3-pointer from the left corner to give the Trojans a 28-18 lead at the 3:59 mark.

"Jaylen is an incredible ball-handler," Hansen said. "He can run the (point). He can run (off the ball). He’s a really smart player."

But his highlight pass ended the team's exclamation-point run - 9-0 - at the end of the third quarter.

With Valcin to his left, Petty lobbed a long pass to the far rim for the senior to grab and stuff for a dunk - and 50-30 Trojans' lead with 2;33 to go.

"I already knew I was going to throw the lob," Petty said.

Reed finished with 19 points, including four 3-pointers.