Friday night will go down as one of the best nights for Westfield basketball in a while.
The Shamrocks girls and boys teams played a Hoosier Crossroads Conference doubleheader at Hamilton Southeastern, and returned home with a sweep. The Westfield girls held off the Class 4A No. 7 Royals 38-37; it was the first win for the ‘Rocks over Southeastern in exactly five years.
Westfield’s boys, ranked No. 7 in 4A, then got out to a fast start and eventually won their game 77-68. It was the Shamrocks’ first victory over Southeastern in three years, and the first time in decades that Westfield won on the Royals’ court.
GAME OF SWINGS
Westfield girls coach Ginny Smith accurately called the girls’ contest a “game of swings.” The first quarter belonged to HSE, which went up 14-10 by the end of the period. The Royals’ Ryan Viele had a hot quarter, hitting three 3-pointers.
It was the Shamrocks’ turn in the second period, as they outscored Southeastern 15-5 to lead 25-19 at the halftime break. Olivia Robey had seven points for Westfield, while Alyssa Crockett added five points. Crockett scored seven in the first quarter as well.
The Royals took the lead back in the second half, moving ahead 32-30 by the end of the third quarter. Riley Makalusky scored six points and Viele hit another 3.
“HSE’s just so good,” said Smith. “They don’t make many mistakes. They really execute well offensively.”
Southeastern was still in front late in the fourth, but a basket by Crockett got Westfield ahead by one. The ‘Rocks were able to hang on from there.
“We were really patient offensively,” said Smith. “It was probably about a minute-long possession, and we ended up getting a bucket which put us up one. It was a huge bucket for us, a little bit of a shift that occurred.”
Crockett scored 19 points, collected eight rebounds and had two blocked shots. Robey added 12 points and made four steals. Gigi Eldredge pulled six rebounds.
“We knew it would come down to at least a possession or two,” said Smith. “We feel fortunate. Anytime you can win on the road, it’s good. But when you can beat HSE, it’s an accomplishment.”
Viele finished the game with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Makalusky and Makayla Hinshaw both had nine points. Olivia Brown dished out five assists and made four steals; Hinshaw, Brown and Lauren Stewart all collected three rebounds.
Westfield is now 5-1 in HCC play and 15-4 overall. The Shamrocks finish up conference play Thursday with a game at Fishers.
The Royals are 1-2 in the conference and 9-4 overall. Southeastern plays at Franklin Central Wednesday in another HCC contest.
FAST START
Westfield’s boys set the tone early, scoring the first six points of the game and eventually taking a 17-7 lead in the first quarter. Braden Smith started the game hot for the Shamrocks, hitting three 3-pointers.
“We were able to get a lead, got off to a nice start,” said Westfield coach Shane Sumpter.
Southeastern worked its way back into the game during the last couple minutes of the quarter. The Royals finished the period on an 8-0 run, getting within 17-15 by the end of the quarter. John McCall scored the final six points of the period.
Early in the second quarter, Southeastern tied the game at 19-19 after back-to-back baskets by Mohammed Awad. Matthew Penley put the ‘Rocks back in front with a layin, but HSE’s Dalton Retzner answered that with his own layin, and the game was tied again, at 21-21.
Westfield then took off on a 7-0 run and held the lead from that point forward. Smith scored on a layin, and Nic Depasquale threw in a 3-pointer, then made a layin to get the Shamrocks ahead 28-21. Later, Cam Haffner added five points, including a triple, to put Westfield up 33-23.
From there, the Shamrocks generally held a lead of anywhere between five and 13 points. Westfield led 40-30 at halftime, and a three-point play by Smith got the ‘Rocks ahead 45-32 early in the third.
Westfield held another 13-point advantage at 52-39 before Southeastern made a 9-0 run. Vinny Buccilla nailed a 3, Awad made a putback, and McCall added two layins.
Isaac Bowman then threw in a triple to get HSE within 54-51. But Kai Butterworth answered that with his own 3-pointer, and the ‘Rocks finished the quarter up 57-51.
“Kai came in and had a big game,” said Sumpter. “That’s probably his best game, best minutes that he’s given us this year.”
Westfield was able to stay a step ahead throughout the fourth. The Royals did make one last run, as McCall and Retzner had back-to-back putbacks to get Southeastern within 73-68 with under a minute to go.
But the Shamrocks held on, thanks to free throws from Benji Welch and Penley. Both seniors went 2-for-2 in the final minute of play, foul shots that Sumpter called “crucial” and used as an example of senior leadership.
“What about some big free throws from our two seniors down the stretch,” said Sumpter.
Smith finished the game with 25 points, including three 3s, and also had seven assists and four steals. Depasquale totaled 15 points. Haffner collected eight rebounds and Welch pulled five.
“Proud of our guys, proud of their effort. We had to hang on and fight, scratch and claw all the way to the end,” said Sumpter.
McCall scored 20 points for the Royals, with Retzner adding 19 and Buccilla contributing 11, also making three 3s. McCall had seven rebounds, followed by Retzner with six. Awad and Alex Totton both had five rebounds. Jason Stutz dished out seven assists and Buccilla handed out six.
“We had to keep fighting back, keep fighting back,” said Southeastern coach Brian Satterfield. “That’s the type of team that takes care of the basketball. Tonight, they knock down the free throws. Anytime you’re doing that with a team like that, it’s always tough. We kept having some opportunities, but they kept getting key plays to nullify what we were trying to do in terms of trying to make that run.”
Westfield leads the conference now with a 3-0 record and is 9-1 overall. The Shamrocks return home next Friday to host Brownsburg in another HCC game.
The Royals are 2-1 in conference play and 4-5 overall. Southeastern plays at Anderson tonight.
GIRLS GAME
WESTFIELD 38, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 37
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Alyssa Crockett 6-14 5-6 19 2
Chesney Tebbe 0-2 0-0 0 1
Jessica Castor 0-2 0-0 0 4
Olivia Robey 3-6 5-8 12 1
Gigi Eldredge 1-3 2-3 4 2
Ellie Kelleher 0-0 0-0 0 0
Jadeyn Hammes 0-1 0-0 0 0
Hailey Remaks 0-1 0-0 0 0
Emmrey Collinsworth 1-2 0-0 3 0
Alli McEvoy 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 11-31 12-17 38 10
Westfield 3-point shooting (4-11) Crockett 2-6, Collinsworth 1-2, Robey 1-1, Tebbe 0-1, Castor 0-1.
Westfield rebounds (25) Crockett 8, Eldredge 6, Robey 4, Tebbe 2, Remaks 2, team 3.
Southeastern FG FT TP PF
Makayla Hinshaw 4-9 1-2 9 2
Riley Makalusky 3-5 3-4 9 2
Olivia Brown 1-3 3-4 5 1
Ryan Viele 5-10 0-0 14 3
Lauren Stewart 0-3 0-0 0 3
Jocelyn Davis 0-0 0-0 0 0
Teegan Acres 0-3 0-0 0 1
Caleigh Scott 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 13-33 7-10 37 12
Southeastern 3-point shooting (4-10) Viele 4-5, Acres 0-2, Stewart 0-2, Hinshaw 0-1.
Southeastern rebounds (10) Hinshaw 3, Brown 3, Stewart 3, Acres 1.
Score by Quarters
Westfield 10 15 5 8 – 38
Southeastern 14 5 13 5 – 37
BOYS GAME
WESTFIELD 77, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 68
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Braden Smith 7-11 8-8 25 4
Benji Welch 0-2 2-2 2 4
Matthew Penley 3-4 3-4 9 1
Cam Haffner 4-10 0-0 9 1
Nic Depasquale 5-11 4-4 15 4
Luke Naas 2-4 0-0 6 1
Luke Van Dyke 0-0 0-0 0 0
Kai Butterworth 3-4 1-2 8 1
Trey Dorton 1-1 1-2 3 0
Totals 25-47 19-22 77 16
Westfield 3-point shooting (8-18) Smith 3-6, Naas 2-4, Haffner 1-4, Depasquale 1-2, Butterworth 1-2.
Westfield rebounds (26) Haffner 8, Welch 5, Depasquale 4, Butterworth 3, Smith 2, Naas 2, Dorton 1, Penley 1.
Southeastern FG FT TP PF
Jason Stutz 1-4 1-2 3 3
Alex Totton 0-4 0-2 0 1
Dalton Retzner 9-12 1-1 19 4
Vinny Buccilla 4-13 0-1 11 2
Sam Jacobs 2-5 2-2 6 2
Loudon Sundling 0-4 0-0 0 3
Isaac Bowman 1-5 0-0 3 0
Mohammed Awad 3-4 0-0 6 1
John McCall 10-15 0-2 20 0
Totals 30-66 4-10 68 16
Southeastern 3-point shooting (4-17) Buccilla 3-8, Bowman 1-4, Totton 0-3, Stutz 0-1, McCall 0-1.
Southeastern rebounds (36) McCall 7, Retzner 6, Totton 5, Awad 5, Buccilla 3, Sundling 2, Stutz 2, Jacobs 1, team 5.
Score by Quarters
Westfield 17 23 17 20 – 77
Southeastern 15 15 21 17 – 68