By RICHIE HALL
WESTFIELD – The Westfield girls basketball team gave itself a tough test in its season opener Tuesday.
The Shamrocks hosted North Central, which is ranked No. 3 in the Class 4A pre-season poll. Westfield got out to a hot start, but the Panthers’ depth and size soon took over, and sent North Central to a 62-39 victory.
The Panthers led 4-3 early in the first quarter, with Jasmine McWilliams scoring all of NC’s points and Shamrocks sophomore Alyssa Crockett hitting a 3-pointer. Westfield then went on a 10-0 run to jump ahead 13-4. Senior Ava Henson and sophomore Olivia Robey both made layins, then Robey and senior Ashtin DeCraene both drained 3s.
North Central finished the quarter on a 7-0 run to cut the Shamrocks’ lead to 13-11 by the end of the quarter, then made it an 8-0 run by opening the second with a free throw. DeCraene’s basket got the ‘Rocks back up 15-12, but the Panthers then scored nine unanswered points to go ahead 21-15.
A Robey layin and Crockett 3 cut North Central’s lead to 21-20. The Panthers finished the half with another scoring run, pouring in seven straight points to lead 27-20 at the break. That pattern would remain true in the second half: North Central made a run, Westfield would stop it with a couple baskets, then the Panthers would make another quick run.
“I feel like we just stopped managing the game,” said Shamrocks coach Ginny Smith. “We didn’t control the controllables.”
Smith was pleased with the first half, noting that her team held NC to only three offensive rebounds. But that changed in the second half, when the Panthers began to dominate on the glass.
“Maybe it was a little bit of fatigue,” said Smith. “Maybe it was just a little bit of, we just lost our mental focus.”
Smith complimented North Central, calling the Panthers “a good basketball team. They’re big, they’re long, they’re physical and they just find ways to score.”
Three Westfield players finished in double figures. Crockett scored 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and earned herself a double-double by grabbing 10 rebounds. DeCraene also nailed three 3s on her way to 12 points, while Robey, seeing her first significant varsity minutes, added 10 points.
“All in all, our effort was good, our kids played with heart and I felt like when we executed and did the things we were supposed to do, we were solid,” said Smith. “And we just fell apart from time to time.”
Henson pulled five rebounds. Robey handed out five assists, while Crockett dished out four. As for North Central, Meg Newman, a 6-foot-3 junior, scored 14 points, with Nakaih Hunter adding 12 points and McWilliams scoring 11 points.
“We knew going into it that they were bigger than us, that they were going to be more physical,” said Smith. “I think it’s just a good gauge for us right out of the gate. That’s game one. We don’t have to win that game. We’re working on getting better so we’re prepared for the end of the season, not the first game of the season.”
Westfield will play its first road game of the season on Saturday, traveling to Pendleton Heights.
NORTH CENTRAL 62, WESTFIELD 39
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Olivia Robey 4-7 0-0 10 3
Alyssa Crockett 4-11 2-3 13 3
Ava Henson 1-4 0-0 2 4
Jessica Castor 0-2 0-0 0 4
Ashtin DeCraene 4-11 1-2 12 0
Emily Robison 0-5 0-0 0 1
Chesney Tebbe 0-2 0-0 0 2
Madi Kerrigan 1-1 0-0 2 1
Ashley Black 0-3 0-0 0 0
Totals 14-46 3-5 39 18
Score by Quarters
North Central 11 16 16 19 – 62
Westfield 13 7 8 11 – 39
Westfield 3-point shooting (8-26) Crockett 3-9, DeCraene 3-7, Robey 2-3, Robinson 0-3, Castor 0-2, Tebbe 0-1, Black 0-1.
Westfield rebounds (29) Crockett 10, Henson 5, DeCraene 4, Robinson 2, Robey 1, Tebbe 1, Castor 1, Black 1, team 4.
Westfield senior Ashtin DeCraene made three 3-pointers during the Shamrocks’ game with North Central Tuesday at The Rock. (Richie Hall)