Martel Taylor-Barone was the hero Tuesday night for Kent-Meridian in a 53-51 victory in the fourth game of the South Puget Sound League 4A North boys basketball schedule.

Taylor-Barone, who finished the contest with eight points, tipped the ball in after Calvin Edwards’ shot popped out.

It was an intense finish to a wild, frenetic contest.

Kent-Meridian had an eight point lead heading into the locker room at halftime but Tahoma went on a 9-0 run to start the third quarter before finishing the period with a 38-34 lead.

The fourth quarter was a back and forth affair as the teams flew up and down the floor. With one minute, 24 seconds left on the clock, Paul Loranger’s free throw cut Kent-Meridian’s lead to 49-48.

Edwards stole the ball and took the ball the other way to score, putting the Royals up 51-48 with 16.2 seconds left in the game, but the Bears had an answer when Ethan McCormack came off a screen on the left wing drained a three pointer to tie it up at 51-51.

But Taylor-Barone was under the basket as the Royals tried to get the game winner to prevent the contest from heading into overtime and tipped the ball back into the bucket as the buzzer sounded.

Edwards led Kent-Meridian with 15 points.

McCormack had 15 points for Tahoma, all on three pointers, while DeShon Williams added 10 and Loranger tallied a dozen points for the Bears. With the loss Tahoma drops to 2-2 in league play.

Kent-Meridian improves to 2-1 in league play. The Royals had a bye Nov. 30 when the rest of the SPSL North tipped off for the first time.

Tahoma hosts Kentlake at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Kent-Meridian will take on Thomas Jefferson at home at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.