Bonney Lake High’s Marcel Pounds tossed in a game-high 27 points – including five 3-pointers – to help the Panthers clinch the No. 2 spot in the South Puget Sound League 3A with a 59-42 win over the Sumner Spartans Friday in Sumner.

With the win, the Panthers take a 16-4 mark into this week’s subdistrict tournament against the Seamount League. They will face Mount Rainer (15-4), the Seamount’s No. 2 team, at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Auburn Mountainview High School. The winner will take the SPSL/Seamount No. 3 seed into next week’s West Central District tournament, while the loser goes as the No. 4 seed.

The Panthers trailed 14-10 after the first period of play but were able to take the lead late in the second period due to several Sumner turnovers.

Trailing 21-19, Pounds drilled in a 3-pointer with 55 seconds left in the first half to gain the lead. Bonney Lake scored two more baskets in the final 30 seconds for a 26-21 advantage.

“We’ve had slow starts all season,” Bonney Lake head coach Thomas Ostander said. “It’s one of those mental things; when they get behind, they start playing hard. It’s just something we need to fix.”

Bonney Lake began the second half with a 12-0 run and the Spartans were never able to recover.

For most of the second half, Sumner had trouble against the Panthers’ full-court pressure defense which resulted in several turnovers. Sumner’s first score in the second half came with 2:20 left in the third.

Sumner managed to cut the Bonney Lake margin by 10 late in the third, but the Panthers answered with a 10-3 run.

“Sumner played well and I give them credit,” Ostander added. “They did a good job and played hard.”

Pounds, who was scoreless in the first period, added two more 3-pointers in the fourth period. It was her 20th consecutive game scoring in double figures. Rachell Murray added 11 points.

Sumner was led by Angie Wagar-Sanchez with 18 points and Lisa Schouten added 12.

Reach Dannie Oliveaux at doliveaux@courierherald.com or 360-802-8209.