The host South Whidbey High School boys basketball team clobbered last-place Granite Falls 78-33 Friday, Jan. 25, to keep pace in the battle for second place in the North Sound Conference.

The Falcons are now 5-3 in league play (12-6 overall), tied with Cedar Park Christian (5-3, 9-9) and a half game up on Sultan (5-4, 6-13) with two games remaining.

South Whidbey, which has clinched a playoff berth, meets Coupeville (1-7, 2-13) at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, in the final home game and then wraps up the regular season at first-place King’s (9-0, 15-4) at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1.

The district tournament begins Monday, Feb. 4.

South Whidbey 78, Granite Falls 33

The Falcons went up 16-8 in the first quarter and then buried the Tigers with a 28-point second period.

Kody Newman scored 8 points in the opening frame to get South Whidbey off to a good start, then added 11 points, including two three-pointers, in the second to help the Falcons take a 44-22 lead into the break.

Levi Buck scored 6 points in the big second period, and Jacob Ng and Dexter Jokinen each drilled threes.

The rout continued in the third quarter as the Falcons outscored the Tigers 24-2. Again Newman scored 11 points, Wyatt De Mers and Buck chipped in with 4 each and Brock Gray sank a three.

Gray and Sterling Patton each canned a three-pointer in the fourth as the Falcons closed out the lopsided win.

Newman finished with 30 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and five steals in three quarters.

Buck collected 12 points; Nick Young tallied a season-high 11; Gray had 6; Ng, Jokinen and Patton 5 each; and De Mers 4.

Kole Nelson, Patton and Buck grabbed six rebounds each.

Ben Haider scored 15 points for the Tigers (0-9, 2-16).