Kelvin Atkins watches his shot into the net against Ridge View. (Photo/Ross Burton)
Lady ‘Hawks Rebound at L-E, Boys Fall Short
BLYTHEWOOD – Both of Westwood’s varsity basketball teams fell to the Ridge View Blazers on Friday night. The Girls lost by a score of 60-38, and the boys by the razor thin margin of 41-40.
The Redhawks and Blazers traded baskets all through the first quarter, with Ridge View getting the last score to take a 10-8 lead as the quarter ended. All of the scoring was from field goals. Ridge View pulled out a five-point lead in the second quarter, leading 15-10 at the midpoint of the quarter. By halftime, the score was 23-19.
The Redhawks’ comeback began as the third quarter opened, when Xavier Davis sunk three baskets and Demonte’ Jacobs hit a 3-pointer. Westwood narrowed the gap to a single point, but a 3-point River View play with 30 seconds to go widened the gap back to two points as the buzzer ended the period.
All game long, the Westwood zone defense kept the Blazers outside and forced some long shots. The score with 14 seconds to play was 41-40 with Westwood in possession.
“Jefferey Okeke and Jordan Watson have been playing very well. Xavier Davis has also been playing very well,” Westwood head coach Terry Dozier said. “Richie Finch is healthy. We have to get him going. He has to play his best for us to achieve our goals. We have a team that can do it, but it’s all about the mental focus.”
And that mental focus cost the ‘Hawks down the stretch.
While driving toward the basket during the closing seconds of the game, an unforced Westwood turnover ended the Redhawks’ chances for a dramatic finish. Ridge View recovered the loose ball and ran the clock out.
Westwood’s Jordan Watson led the scoring with 14 points with six baskets and two out of two for three throws. Isaiah Hopkins led the Blazers with 10 points.
The girl’s game was more one-sided. Ridge View raced out to a 10-point lead in the first period, and Westwood could never narrow the gap.
The Lady Redhawks went down another 10 points in the second quarter, and were never able to keep pace with the Lady Blazers. Ridge View’s Armani Grice led all scorers with 20 points. Mikeya Matthews and Mya Belton led the Lady Redhawks with 10 points each.
The Lady ‘Hawks bounced off the matt Tuesday night, dropping the hammer on the Lady Demons at Lugoff-Elgin, 61-15. Matthews poured in 16 points for Westwood, while Kayla Atkins added 14 and Morgan Britt 12.
The boys, however, were not as lucky, coming up short to the Demons, 66-65.
Girls
RV: 14-14-12-20 – 60
WHS: 8-7-9-14 – 38
RV: Armanii Grace-21, Ciera Goodwin-9, B. Blanding-8, Laura Ajukwa-6, Ashlyn Anderson-6, G. Rogers-5, Erica Tisdale-3, T. James-2. WHS: Mikeya Matthews-10, Mya Belton-10, Kayla Atkins-9, Morgan Britt-4, Diamond Harling-3, Kyanna Samuel-2.
WHS: 22-12-17-10 – 61
LE: 6-6-2-1 – 15
WHS: Mikeya Matthews-16, Kayla Atkins-14, Morgan Britt-12, Mya Belton-8, Kyanna Samuel-5, Diamond Harling-2, P. Smith-2, K. Tyler-2.
Boys
Ridge View-41, Westwood-40
RV: Isaiah Hopkins-10, K. Lewis-4, D. Foster-4, T. Robinson-6, X. Mason-5, J. Alewine-2, D. Ashe-2, D. Johnson-2. WHS: D. Jacobs-3, X. Davis-8, J. King-2, Jordan Watson-14, K. Atkins-4, J. Okeke-2, R. Finch-7.
Westwood 65
Lugoff Elgin 66
WHS: Dominic Corbitt-12, D. Jacobs-5, X. Davis-2, Jordan Watson-19, Whitney McLeod-12, K. Atkins-4, J. Okeke-4, R. Finch-7. L-E.: K. Roberson-16, A. Nells-11, T. Elm-11, E. Campbell-10, R. Samuel-2, B. Salmond-13, W. Campbell-2.
