Freshman Jason Brown had a game-high 14 points as Auburn squeezed past the Steilacoom 43-37 Saturday at the ShoWare Shootout in Kent on Saturday.

Both teams struggled offensively in the nonleague contest, with Auburn (4-4) converting 14-of-56 attempts from the field for 25-percent shooting. Steilacoom (0-7) hit 28.6 percent on 12-of-42 shooting.

“We have lots to work on,” said Auburn coach Ryan Hansen. “We’re pretty inexperienced. We’re playing a lot of young kids. We started two freshman (Brown and Patreon ‘Juicy’ Lee) today. So it’s just trying to gain that experience and progress as the season goes on.

“It’s definitely a work in progress. It’s important as coaches we try to stay patient and let the kids grow.”

Brown added seven rebounds and an assist to his 14 points. Lee chipped in with eight points and a rebound. Sophomore Gavin Strojan added nine defensive rebounds.

“We’re playing hard,” Hansen added. “We always talk about things we can control, and one of those things is our effort. I feel the kids are playing really hard, so I’m pleased in that area. We just need to get the kids more comfortable understanding how to play at this level and finishing. But we’re getting there.”

Jorghino Souza led the Sentinels with 10 points.

ALSO: In girls action at the ShoWare Shootout, the Auburn Mountainview girls fell 41-32 to Kentlake. Brianna Zaragoza-Jones led the way for the Lions (3-5) with nine points, with Kiara Dyer adding seven points and five rebounds. Tanya Spatarel had nine rebounds. Kentlake (7-1) was led by Aniston Denckla’s game-high 11 points. … The Auburn Mountainview (5-1) boys lost for the first time this season at the ShoWare Shootout, falling 53-46 to Kentridge (4-2).

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PHOTO BELOW: Auburn Mountainview’s Carlie Sahlin (23) and Kiara Dyer (32) battle with Kentlake’s Karizma Loeffle (32) for a rebound. Rachel Ciampi/Reporter