By RICHIE HALL
LOGANSPORT – After making history during sectional week, the Westfield boys basketball team was trying to make more history on Saturday.
The Shamrocks reached the championship game of the Class 4A Logansport regional at the Berry Bowl. Westfield came from behind to beat No. 3-ranked Homestead 59-54 in the semi-finals. In the championship game, Kokomo turned the tables on the ‘Rocks, making its own comeback to beat Westfield 64-60.
The Wildkats thus won their 35th regional title, while Westfield finished its season 22-7.
COMEBACK SEMI-FINAL
Westfield trailed for most of the game against the Spartans before making a furious fourth-quarter comeback. The Shamrocks outscored Homestead 27-6 after trailing 47-37 with around six minutes left in the fourth.
Westfield’s initial run was a 9-0 spurt to get the ‘Rocks within one, 47-46. Cam Haffner made a jump shot, Alex Romack was good on a layin, then Nic Depasquale made a three-point play with 4:03 left. Another Romack basket brought Westfield within 47-46.
The Spartans’ Fletcher Loyer hit two free throws to push Homestead up 49-46, but Haffner quickly tied the game up with a 3-pointer. A free throw by Maxwell Schiltz gave the Spartans a 50-49 advantage before the Shamrocks went on another 9-0 stretch, and they never trailed again.
Haffner put Westfield in front for good with a jumper, then Romack scored off a steal. Trey Buchanan knocked in a triple and Braden Smith made a breakaway dunk. The ‘Rocks were now up 58-50 with 1:07 left.
Shamrocks coach Shane Sumpter said his team had to speed up the Spartans, which proved to be the key.
“We were able to turn them over a few times and get back into the game and get a lead and hold the lead,” said Sumpter.
Andrew Leeper’s 3 was the last basket for Homestead. Westfield scored the game’s final six points: A layin and dunk for Smith, then Romack hit two foul shots.
“That game was everything everybody thought that would be,” said Sumpter.
The ‘Rocks were playing the Spartans close in the first quarter, which ended with Homestead up 10-9. Depasquale scored four points. In the second quarter, Loyer took over, scoring 10 points (including two 3s) to help his team lead 28-20 at the half. Westfield was never too far away, with Smith getting four points.
A putback by Loyer gave Homestead a 10-point lead for the first time at 30-20. Haffner reeled the Spartans back in with a jumper and 3, and that led to a basket-trading series that lasted for the entire quarter. Homestead got back-to-back scores from Grant Lepper and Loyer late in the third, only to have Haffner and Depasquale score consecutive baskets.
Homestead led 42-34 after three, then another Loyer putback pushed the Spartans up 44-34. Later, Andrew Leeper hit a 3, and Homestead was up 10 again. That’s when the ‘Rocks took over.
Four Westfield players finished in double figures. Haffner scored 19 points, Romack added 16, Smith scored 13 and Depasquale contributed 11. Smith led in rebounds and assists, with six each, and also made two blocked shots. Romack collected five rebounds.
Loyer led all scorers with 27 points. Both he and Smith will play for Purdue next season.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The championship game was tight in the first quarter until Westfield went on a 7-0 run to take a 13-8 lead. Nic Depasquale got all seven of the points, sandwiching a 3-pointer in between layins, the first one off an assist by Smith.
Flory Bidunga, the Wildkats’ 6-10 sophomore, made a dunk for the last basket of the quarter, but the ‘Rocks still led 13-10. The second quarter began with Romack scoring two baskets, and the Shamrocks held a 17-10 advantage.
The next few minutes belonged to Cam Haffner. The Westfield senior, who is committed to Eastern Illinois, erupted for 11 points, nailing three 3s along the way. The ‘Rocks led 28-20 at halftime; Kokomo’s Zavion Bellamy kept his team in it by scoring seven points in the quarter.
The Wildkats kept close, but Westfield maintained the lead for the entire third quarter. Kokomo got within 34-32 after Bidunga made a layin, but Romack scored and Trey Buchanan hit a 3 to push the Shamrocks up 39-32. Additional triples by Haffner and Buchanan during the final minute of the quarter kept Westfield ahead 47-40 going into the fourth.
Bellamy scored eight points in the third, including three jump shots.
“Their perimeter guys made a lot of shots,” said Sumpter.
Meanwhile, Bidunga scored 10 points in the third, including two dunks, the second one on a putback.
“We struggled to keep them out of the paint, whether it be a lot of paint touches, whether it be on the catch or on the dribble,” said Sumpter.
Still, a putback from Romack gave the Shamrocks a 49-42 lead early in the fourth. But the Wildkats took over after that, going on a 14-0 run to put them ahead 56-49. Shayne Spear was the major part of that spurt, scoring seven of those points.
Westfield refused to go away. Smith threw in a 3, then quickly scored off a steal. Then following a Bidunga layin, Haffner made a rare four-point play – hitting a 3 while getting fouled, then making the free throw.
Just like that, it was 58-all with 1:57 left. But Kokomo scored the next five points, all from free throws, and would stay in front for good, leading 63-58 with 30.9 seconds left.
“Kokomo made a lot of plays in the fourth quarter, and we just ran out of gas,” said Sumpter.
Haffner led again with 22 points, followed by Smith and Depasquale with 11 each. Romack scored 10 points and pulled nine rebounds. Smith dished out eight assists, collected six rebounds and blocked two shots, while Trey Dorton and Depasquale each had five rebounds.
“We’re really proud of our seniors,” said Sumpter. The coach said those players “had a terrific, terrific run and these are memories that these kids will have forever,” and called his team a “special group.”
In addition to its first-ever sectional championship, Westfield also won the Hall of Fame Classic on Dec. 30.
WESTFIELD 64, HOMESTEAD 53
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Braden Smith 5-10 2-2 13 5
Cam Haffner 8-14 1-2 19 1
Trey Dorton 1-3 0-1 2 1
Nic Depasquale 4-9 3-3 11 2
Alex Romack 6-8 4-5 16 0
Trey Buchanan 1-2 0-0 3 2
Jonah Spinner 0-0 0-0 0 1
Totals 25-46 10-13 64 12
Score by Quarters
Homestead 10 18 14 11 – 53
Westfield 9 11 14 30 – 64
Westfield 3-point shooting (4-21) Haffner 2-8, Smith 1-6, Buchanan 1-2, Depasquale 0-4, Dorton 0-1.
Westfield rebounds (25) Smith 6, Romack 5, Haffner 4, Dorton 4, Depasquale 4, Buchanan 1, Spinner 1.
KOKOMO 64, WESTFIELD 60
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Braden Smith 5-12 0-0 11 3
Cam Haffner 7-15 3-3 22 1
Trey Dorton 0-1 0-0 0 1
Nic Depasquale 5-12 0-2 11 1
Alex Romack 5-10 0-1 10 5
Trey Buchanan 2-4 0-0 6 3
Jonah Spinner 0-0 0-0 0 1
Totals 24-54 3-6 60 15
Score by Quarters
Kokomo 10 10 20 24 – 64
Westfield 13 15 19 13 – 60
Westfield 3-point shooting (9-24) Haffner 5-8, Buchanan 2-4, Depasquale 1-6, Smith 1-5, Dorton 0-1.
Westfield rebounds (31) Romack 9, Smith 6, Dorton 5, Depasquale 5, Haffner 2, Buchanan 1, Spinner 1, team 2.