GLENS FALLS – As much as any boys basketball program in Central New York, Westhill has felt the sensation of attaining state championship glory.
With five previous state titles in the books, four of them in a stretch from 2010 to 2017, the Warriors again paid a visit to Glens Falls’ Cool Insuring Arena looking to add another crown – and attained it.
By holding off Section II’s Catholic Central 66-61 Sunday afternoon, Westhill added to its long and glorious legacy, leaning on well-time scoring spurts and plenty of poise when things got tense down the stretch.
“This is a dream come true,” said Shawn Mayes, who was named tournament MVP.
Though it led almost from the opening tip, the Warriors, no matter how hard it tried, simply couldn’t put the Crusaders away, and only led by two, 58-56, with a minute to play.
Luke Gilmartin’s pair of free throws with 57.6 seconds left extended the margin to four, and he also contributed a critical late steal. Free throws from Mayes and Omar Robinson provided the clinching points.
“We’ve been working really hard for this, and his is the best feeling I’ve ever had,” said Robinson.
Yet it was Westhill’s other main scoring threat, Kam Langdon, who provided the most timely shots of the state final.
Ahead 25-18 at halftime, the Warriors had seen CCHS cut the margin to three in the third quarter. Then Langdon converted a basket, was fouled and made a free throw.
Then with the score 35-32, Langdon struck for back-to-back 3-pointers, which helped Westhill take a 44-35 lead to the final period. And when CCHS again cut it to three, 54-51, Langdon hit a big 3-pointer to double the margin.
All told, Langdon had 16 points, just behind Gilmartin and Mayes, who managed 18 points apiece. It was Mayes who carried Westhill’s offense early, getting 12 points in the first half.
As a whole, the Warriors’ defense, a force throughout the post-season, made things uncomfortable for the Crusaders in the early going, carrying over what it had done the day before.
Saturday’s state Class B semifinal pitted Westhill against Section V’s Newark. With tremendous defense and a scoring outburst late, the Warriors rolled past the Reds 63-36.
When confronted by Westhill’s intense man-to-man defense, Newark ran into all kinds of early trouble. Though also quiet at the outset, Westhill still did enough, mostly on baskets from Langdon and Mayes, to lead 11-6 after one quarter.
More cold shooting by Newark followed in the second, which continued to play to the Warriors’ advantage as its margin kept growing, the defense led by Gilmartin, who amassed nine rebounds.
With all of the offense from Mayes, Langdon (10 points each) and Gilmartin (six points), Westhill kept the Reds from reaching double figures until late in the half, building a 24-8 advantage before Newark closed the gap to 26-16 at the break.
Not happy at the way the half ended, Westhill broke out again early in the third quarter, its lead growing to 34-18 before, again, Newark made up some ground, closing the period with a 10-4 run.
Yet by going on a 15-3 run to start the fourth quarter, the Warriors dashed any hopes of a full Reds comeback.
Gilmartin led the way, augmenting his 16 points with 13 rebounds and seven assists. Langdon also had 16 points, with Mayes getting 15 points and Robinson earning most of his 12 points in the second half, adding five rebounds and three assists.
Catholic Central beat Southampton 65-52 in the other semifinal, but the Crusaders, like so many others who have met Westhill at this time of year and in this venue, would find out that, when it senses a state championship, the Warriors will not relent until the big prize was in its possession.
