Russell Jones (2) shows his reach under the basket. (Photo/Ross Burton)
BLYTHEWOOD (Feb. 1, 2017) – The tempo of Tuesday night’s game between Westwood and York Comprehensive didn’t seem like that of a blowout. Yet when the final buzzer sounded, the Redhawks walked off the court with a 28-point victory over the Cougars to chalk up their fourth straight victory in Region 3-4A.
Russell Jones Jr. led the way in the 55-27 win, scoring 13 points. Terrance Barnes added 11 and Cameron Wormack had 10.
“We got some better shots against their zone in the second half, and we were able to wear them down,” Westwood head coach Jeff DiBattisto said. “We didn’t play particularly well in the first half. I think a lot of it was self-inflicted.”
While baskets were hard to come by in the girls’ 42-20 win earlier in the evening, the Westwood and York boys simply didn’t attempt that many shots in the first half. The Redhawks (13-8, 4-3) were 8-of-19 in the first two quarters, but York (6-11, 1-4) was 8-of-12.
The difference for Westwood by the half came from the foul line. York was just 0-for-1 from the stripe over the course of the first half, while Westwood was 7-for-11.
That difference enabled the Redhawks to take a 25-18 lead into the locker room.
York had an 8-7 lead on Westwood with 3:20 left in the first quarter, but the Redhawks closed out the opening period strongly, albeit slowly. Wormack got a basket with 2 minutes left, and over a minute later scored on a 3-point play to give Westwood a 12-7 lead going into the second quarter.
There, the Redhawks stayed just ahead of the Cougars for a seven-point lead at halftime.
“We did a much better job in the second half,” De Battisto said. “We played better defense and got some steals and built our confidence up.”
The second half was an entirely different game. York made just four baskets and one foul shot, while Westwood went 11-for-18 shooting, as the Redhawks blasted past the Cougars 30-9 in the final two quarters.
Westwood, which beat Richland Northeast 62-55 last Friday night, heads to Lancaster this Friday.
“It’s a tough game,” DiBattisto said. “They (Lancaster) haven’t won a region game, but we’re preparing for them like they haven’t lost a region game. You have to take it that way, because nothing’s easy in our region. It’s not like anyone’s getting blown out. Every game is tight, and it’s tough to win on the road in any region.”
Westwood 55, York 27
YCHS: 8-10-6-3 – 27
WHS: 12-13-15-15 – 55
York
Kennedy 5, Prosser 5, Cobb4, Jones 4, lytle 3, Iannone 2, Robbins 2, Culp 2.
Westwood
Russell Jones 13, Terrance Barnes 11, Cameron Wormack 10, Dobey 8, Brown 6, Hawkins 5, Douglas 2.
