Bringing their A-game, the varsity boys basketball  took on district rivals Round Rock Dragons on Friday, Feb. 6, coming out on top in the aggressive competition. The Warriors’ success stemmed from their strategic use of moving the ball with speed and agility rather than simply rushing to score, a tactic that was evident throughout the game and brought the Warriors to a fruitful close but final score of 50-46.

“It was a close game but we played really well and most importantly we played smart, which I think is what really led to our success,” Mark Morillo ‘29 said.

Starting off the first quarter with the sole mission to get ahead, the Warriors scored their first three-point shot which created an initial score of 3-0. Put off by the Warriors’ claiming a powerful first shot of the game, the Dragons quickly brought the ball back down the court, but ultimately failed to make the shot. The Warriors quickly racked up and maintained  a score of 9-0 throughout the early parts of the game, with the Dragons making several attempts to kickstart their redemption. Despite numerous efforts, the Dragons attempted a variety of shots but failed to further their score. This led to a long period of the Dragons and Warriors battling to get the ball on their sides of the court, however the Warriors pursued  pressuring  their opponents with consistent interceptions against the Dragons. Furthering the score to 12-2, through multiple three-point shots and layups, the Dragons realized that the Warriors’ superior aggression meant they needed to shift tactics and better utilize their defense. Soon after, the Warriors struggled to make shots against a ramped Dragon defense, a phenomenon that the Dragons capitalized on to begin their own ascent up the scoreboard. However, the Warriors learned to balance their explosive offensive with a robust defense of their own,  creating the final score of the first quarter, 20-2.

“Its very important to start off the game ahead because it also means that we have a better chance of staying ahead later in the game,” said Jonah Wellington ‘29. “They did play very well so it was important for us to think about every move and get around them to keep the lead.”

Kicking off the second quarter, the Warriors not only brought the intensity but also played strategically in pursuit of staying ahead of the Dragons. Both teams began the quarter spreading out throughout the court and making skip passes to evade incoming defenders and swiftly bring the ball to the other side of the court.. While at times this did allow the Warriors to obtain several three-point shots, many interceptions were made by the Dragons, leading to a stalemate. After intercepting the ball, the Dragons made their way around the Westwood defensive side into a layup. The Dragons intensity grew more evident as they fought to gain possession of the ball. However, in their efforts to bring it back down, they were met with technical errors such as dropping or tripping over it, giving the Warriors an implicit advantage. With the scoreboard showcasing a score of 29-14, the Dragons kept pushing, not settling for the large point gap.This added pressure successfully led them to make several shots. However, they still fell behind the Warriors with an ending score of 31-21 at the first half.

“The skip passes do help because the Round Rock defense was a tough one, and we were determined to keep the lead, so getting around defense through skip passes was a really good way to do it,” Kyle Jeng ‘29 said.

Beginning the second half of the game, both teams’ aggression was visible on the court. With the first point being made by the Warriors free throw after a Dragon foul, the initial score of the third quarter was 32-20. Shortly after the initial free throw, the Warriors gained possession of the ball looking to make the first three-point shot of the quarter. In response to the numerous score attempts by the Warriors,  the Dragons continued their spree of intercepting the Warriors, preventing an explosive point disparity. The Dragons translated this defensive action to their offense, using their sustained possession of the ball to catch up with a score of 35-28. Attempting to disrupt their momentum, the Warriors steal the ball, making another skip pass onto the other side of the court. Once the ball had reached the other side, the offense played smart, weaving around the defenders and into a layup, concluding the third quarter with an ending score of 38-32.

“They were turning up the aggression so we made sure to match it while also being aware of how we play,” Logan David ‘29 said. “We didn’t want to get reckless with the ball, we wanted to be both smart and aggressive.”

Entering the final stretch of the game, the Dragons attempt to climb the scoreboard in these final minutes. As the Warriors began the quarter with a foul, the Dragons were awarded with a free throw building the initial few points of the fourth quarter to 41-36. Making every second count, the Warriors make their way to the three-point line, and create a score of 44-36. As there is still ample time on the clock, the Dragons attempt to disrupt the Warriors with increased aggression, however that backfires and results in a foul, giving the Warriors another opportunity to score in the final moment of the game. Making the granted free throw, the Warriors end with a victorious score of 50-46.

Approaching the final stretch of an eventful season, the Warriors will play their final game, against the Vandegrift Vipers on Feb. 13. This season represents the hard work and dedication leaving a positive note on the players first high school season leaving them optimistic for the future.