Prep Boys Basketball Roundup: Reports and scores from The Blast Zone

Days of Service — Kelso’s Kinch picks up 300th win; and the rest of the action

Kelso head coach Joe Kinch surveys the action on the court during a 55-47 win over W.F. West, Monday, at LCC’s MLK Classic. The victory was the 300th in Kinch’s career. — Candy Durgeloh for Blast Zone Media

Jordan Nailon / blastzonenew@gmail.com

Scots top W.F. West to clinch Kinch’s 300th win

The Kelso Hilanders made short pilgrimage over the bridge to Longview on Monday but it wasn’t for a date to play R.A. Long or Mark Morris. Those games have already been played.

Instead, the Scots made their way to Lower Columbia College to play W.F. West in the MLK Diamond Showcase Classic at Lower Columbia College, coming away with a 55-47 victory.

Coincidentally, it was also a milestone victory for Kelso head coach Joe Kinch, who recorded his 300th career victory in front of a quasi-home crowd. The last 293 of those victories have been with Kelso, where he took over the captain’s seat in the 1999-2000 season.

And Kinch wouldn’t have even known about No. 300 without the help of his assistant coaches, who had a commemorative plaque made up for the occasion as a surprise.

“I didn't know where I was win total wise. I knew I was probably in the ballpark,” Kinch said. “It’s a cool deal. I’ve coached with a lot of great assistants and a lot of great players and great kids and it gives you a chance to reflect on all that.”