All that the Westhill boys basketball team got out of its monumental win over Bishop Ludden was another game 24 hours later, which did not turn out as well.
Oswego out-scrapped the Warriors’, 42-31, to win the Rosemary Corcoran Memorial Tournament Friday night at Ludden’s gym.
Simply put, the Warriors couldn’t conjure up the magic they showed in defeating the host Gaelic Knights one night earlier. Westhill’s only lead against the Class AA Buccaneers was 3-0.
“(It was a) pretty ugly game,” Warriors coach Kevin King said. “I don’t think either team played very well. Oswego deserved to win. They were a bit bigger, stronger and faster than us tonight.”
Tournament MVP Josh Gillard sent Oswego on its way with a pair of early three-point baskets. The Bucs outscored Westhill 9-2 to close the first quarter to take a 14-7 lead.
Sophomore standout Jordan Roland was the Warriors lone offensive spark in the second stanza. Roland scored eight of his team’s 10 points. but Oswego also scored 10 points, and took a 24-17 lead to intermission.
King may have had the third quarter in mind with his “ugly” comment. Westhill scored only three points, missing several open jump shots.
“I know (playing Ludden) took a lot out of us,” King said. “We were short on a lot of our shots. We were rushing some of our shots. They were good looks, not great looks. And I think lot of it had to do with (Oswego), too. Give their defense credit.”
Westhill twice pulled within 10 points in the fourth quarter, but never got closer. Roland led the Warriors with 14 points. Tyler Reynolds had eight, and was a rebounding force. Jeff Lobello, whose free throws clinched the Ludden victory, only had four points.
Gillard led the Bucs with 14 points. Ryan Lavner scored 10. Westhill returns to the Class B ranks next Friday for another high-profile game, at Bishop Grimes.
Bouncing back from its first loss of the season, Ludden won the third place game, 64-52 over Syracuse Academy of Science.
Ben Hackett led the winners with a season-best 31 points, while Dan Kaigler added 20 points. Jack Rauch pitched in with nine points. Ramazan Ozkan led the Atoms with 19 points and SAS teammate Chimaka Browne had 14 points.
Gillard and Lavner were Oswego’s representatives on the all-tournament team. Roland and Lobello were Westhill’s honorees. Hackett and Kaigler were the Gaelic Knights’ picks.
