By RICHIE HALL
WESTFIELD – Westfield coach Shane Sumpter summed up his team’s game with Harrison Tuesday in one sentence.
“It really was a game of runs,” he said.
The Shamrocks and the Raiders went back and forth at The Rock, but it was Westfield that got the final run that secured a 67-57 victory. Balance and good free-throw shooting were the keys to the Shamrocks’ win.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” said Sumpter. “We knew it was going to be a gutsy effort.”
The two teams spent the first quarter mostly trading baskets. Harrison led 15-11 after a 7-0 run, but the ‘Rocks answered that with 10 unanswered points, a run that bridged the first and second periods. Cam Haffner started it with a 3-pointer, then Matthew Penley scored the next seven points, including a 3.
“Matthew Penley was spectacular off the bench tonight, said Sumpter. “I was very proud of him and his effort that he gave us tonight.”
Westfield led 16-15 at the end of the first, while in the midst of its run, and soon led 21-15. The Raiders tied the game late on a 3 from Jordan Walters, but Haffner drained another 3, then Braden Smith’s layin finished the half and gave the Shamrocks a 29-24 lead.
Smith opened the third quarter with a triple, finishing an 8-0 run and putting Westfield up 32-24. Another 3 from Smith gave the ‘Rocks a 38-32 lead.
At that point, the Raiders went on a 16-2 run that took up the remainder of the third quarter and stretched into the start of the fourth. Nic DePasquale’s layin was the only score for Westfield during the run, which gave Harrison a 48-40 lead with 6:56 left in the game.
“Harrison’s a very good basketball team,” said Sumpter. “They’re well-coached, they run their stuff. They make really everything challenging for you.”
But after that, it was all Shamrocks. Westfield went on a 15-0 run, which began with a basket off a steal by Smith. Eli Patchett then made a 3-pointer, Penley scored off a Camden Simons rebound, and Smith hit his fourth 3 of the night to get the ‘Rocks up 50-48.
Westfield wasn’t done yet: Penley converted a three-point play, then hit two free throws in a 1-and-1 situation to put his team up 55-48 with 1:19 left. The Shamrocks finished things out from the free-throw line, with Penley, Smith and DePasquale all going 4-of-4 during the final 1:19.
“We got a lot of contributions from a lot of guys and that’s what we’re going to need,” said Sumpter.
Four Westfield players reached double figures: Smith scored 19 points, Penley had 16, Haffner scored 14 and DePasquale added 10. The Shamrocks made 10 3-pointers, with Haffner draining four and Smith making three. Benji Welch had a first-quarter triple, along with the aforementioned 3s from Patchett and Penley. Smith handed out six assists and collected five rebounds.
Westfield is 11-6 and hosts Hamilton Heights on Friday.
WESTFIELD 67, HARRISON 57
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Braden Smith 6-15 4-4 19 2
Cam Haffner 5-8 0-1 14 0
Benji Welch 1-4 0-0 3 1
Nic DePasquale 3-6 4-4 10 0
Camden Simons 1-2 0-1 2 2
Matthew Penley 5-6 5-5 16 2
Zach Byrer 0-1 0-0 0 0
Eli Patchett 1-2 0-0 3 1
Totals 22-44 13-15 67 8
Score by Quarters
Harrison 15 9 22 11 – 57
Westfield 16 13 11 27 – 67
Westfield 3-point shooting (10-16) Haffner 4-5, Smith 3-5, Welch 1-2, Patchett 1-2, Penley 1-1, DePasquale 0-1.
Westfield rebounds (17) Smith 5, Simons 4, Penley 2, Haffner 2, Welch 1, DePasquale 1, Patchett 1, Byrer 1.
Westfield’s Matthew Penley scored 16 points for the Shamrocks during their 67-57 win over Harrison Tuesday at The Rock. Penley was one of four Westfield players that scored in double figures. (Richie Hall)