Westchester basketball earns split
• Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer
HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day caught a spark in the first half. But Gaston Day quickly snuffed it out in the second half.
The Wildcats cut a double-digit deficit to three just before halftime. But the Spartans opened the second half on a big run to lead by 20 and beat Westchester 67-40 in nonconference boys basketball Friday at Westchester.
In the girls game, Westchester rolled into the Christmas break with a 48-20 victory over Salem Baptist.
“We played the best first half we’ve played all year,” Wildcats boys coach Brook Patterson said. “We really had a lot of intensity, played hard — and that’s what we were telling our guys. This is one of the top teams in the state and they obviously proved that in the second half.”
Jalen Umstead scored 12 points — all in the first half — to lead Westchester (3-5), which will host New Garden Friends today at noon to close out its 2022 schedule. Zane Dinkins added 10 points while MJ Edwards had nine points.
Gaston Day, ranked No. 47 in the state overall and No. 6 among NCISAA 2A teams, used a 10-1 run to close the first with an 11-point lead and held a 10-point advantage midway through the second.
But the Wildcats — keyed by 3-pointers by Dinkins, Edwards and Josh Bayne — answered with an 11-4 run to pull within three with a minute left in the half and trailed 31-26 into halftime.
The Spartans — getting the ball inside to 6-foot-11 senior Callum Richard — opened the third on an 18-3 run to lead by 20 midway through the quarter. Gaston Day scored on their first seven possessions of the third.
“Late in the first half, they got one over the top and they got two right to start the second half,” Patterson said. “We were there, but we had a guard down on the 7-footer when they threw it over top. So, it’s like we’re doing the right things — they’re just good.”
Richard finished with 21 points, including 15 in the second half after being bottled up fairly well in the first half, to lead the Spartans (8-2). Evan Montanari added 12 points — all on 3-pointers.
But Westchester takes some positives as it heads into the break.
“It’s putting two halves together,” Patterson said. “And I think our guys have to realize (they are having some success). We’re preparing for the state playoffs — our conference is a little different. So, this is good that we had some success. We can build off that.”
• Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer
HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day caught a spark in the first half. But Gaston Day quickly snuffed it out in the second half.
The Wildcats cut a double-digit deficit to three just before halftime. But the Spartans opened the second half on a big run to lead by 20 and beat Westchester 67-40 in nonconference boys basketball Friday at Westchester.
In the girls game, Westchester rolled into the Christmas break with a 48-20 victory over Salem Baptist.
“We played the best first half we’ve played all year,” Wildcats boys coach Brook Patterson said. “We really had a lot of intensity, played hard — and that’s what we were telling our guys. This is one of the top teams in the state and they obviously proved that in the second half.”
Jalen Umstead scored 12 points — all in the first half — to lead Westchester (3-5), which will host New Garden Friends today at noon to close out its 2022 schedule. Zane Dinkins added 10 points while MJ Edwards had nine points.
Gaston Day, ranked No. 47 in the state overall and No. 6 among NCISAA 2A teams, used a 10-1 run to close the first with an 11-point lead and held a 10-point advantage midway through the second.
But the Wildcats — keyed by 3-pointers by Dinkins, Edwards and Josh Bayne — answered with an 11-4 run to pull within three with a minute left in the half and trailed 31-26 into halftime.
The Spartans — getting the ball inside to 6-foot-11 senior Callum Richard — opened the third on an 18-3 run to lead by 20 midway through the quarter. Gaston Day scored on their first seven possessions of the third.
“Late in the first half, they got one over the top and they got two right to start the second half,” Patterson said. “We were there, but we had a guard down on the 7-footer when they threw it over top. So, it’s like we’re doing the right things — they’re just good.”
Richard finished with 21 points, including 15 in the second half after being bottled up fairly well in the first half, to lead the Spartans (8-2). Evan Montanari added 12 points — all on 3-pointers.
But Westchester takes some positives as it heads into the break.
“It’s putting two halves together,” Patterson said. “And I think our guys have to realize (they are having some success). We’re preparing for the state playoffs — our conference is a little different. So, this is good that we had some success. We can build off that.”
