Franklin Comes Up With Another 38 Special : He Scores 38 Points for Fifth Time This Season to Lead Taft Over Kennedy

Taft High’s Kevin Franklin, who is averaging better than 30 points a game, is not unstoppable. Kennedy’s Clarence Williams, who had the unenviable task of guarding Franklin in Wednesday’s Valley League game at Taft, has found a way.

When Franklin moves inside toward the basket. . . . grab his shirt. Otherwise, it is difficult to defend the 6-3 All-City forward.

“He’s really good,” Williams said after Taft beat Kennedy, 66-62. So baffling was Franklin, Williams had to resort to grabbing his jersey late in the game. “He took it to me,” Williams said.

Franklin’s 38-point, 6-rebound performance against Kennedy left his coach, Jim Woodard, almost speechless. “Kevin is Kevin,” Woodard said. “He’s on a tear.”

Franklin, who set a school record with 43 points Friday, scored 38 for the fifth time this season.

He is something of a savior for Taft, which is in the same league with highly regarded Fairfax and Cleveland. Taft (11-3, 3-2) has already lost a game to each, and Kennedy (9-3, 3-1) has yet to face either. The Valley League’s most intense battle may be for third place.

“Most of the people who watch our league say that,” Woodard said. “Let’s face it. Fairfax has the inside track. But we lost to Cleveland by only four points and it was at their place.”

The home-court advantage Wednesday did not appear to be much help for Taft, especially late in the game.

Taft had a 10-point lead with 2:20 left. But unanswered baskets by Kennedy guard Stevie Bethley, and a pair of free throws by Williams with 44 seconds left, brought the Golden Cougars to within four. After Williams made his second free throw, Taft’s Jason Bromberg coughed up the ensuing inbound pass and Kennedy’s Marcus Malone scored to bring his team to within two, 64-62.

With seven seconds left, Kennedy had another chance but Malone was called for traveling while trying to move inside against Franklin. As the game came to a close, Franklin was fouled and made two free throws for Taft’s final points.

While pleased with its overall performance, Woodard was concerned about his team’s free-throw shooting late in the game. Taft missed three straight one-and-one opportunities in the last four minutes.

“If we had made those we would have been in Fat City,” Woodard said. “We’re definitely a good team, not a great, great team, but a good team. We have to be good to be 11-3.”

Gerrard Prince, who has been improving rapidly, came off the Taft bench to score 14 points and grab 9 rebounds. Prince, a 5-10 guard, and Franklin were the only Toreadors to score in double figures.

“They played well the whole game,” Kennedy Coach Yutaka Shimizu said. “We played well in spurts.”

Kennedy fields a more balanced offense than Taft, which is frequently lopsided because of Franklin. Kennedy had three starters--Bethley (21), Malone (16) and Williams (11)--score in double figures.

As for the team’s next meeting, Shimizu said: “I would play them the same way. . . . just score four more points.”

KENNEDY--Bethley 21, Malone 16, Bailey 4, Satterfield 4, Williams 11, Morris 6.

TAFT--Prince 14 and 9 rebounds, Franklin 38, Moten 4, Bromberg 12 rebounds, Smith 6, Middleton 4.