Westchester posts big win vs. New Garden
Dec. 20—HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day head boys basketball coach Brook Patterson felt his squad finally put four good quarters of play together Saturday in Brooks Gym.
Westchester, playing its last game before the New Year, opened a sizable lead in the first half and posted a 55-36 nonconference victory over New Garden Friends, which is coached by former WCD standout Dwon Clifton.
The victory came the day after the Wildcats (4-5) played well in the first half and then couldn't keep pace with Gaston Day.
"Early we hit some baskets and they struggled and that set the tone," Patterson said. "That is what he (Clifton) and I were talking about. We felt good about our full game. Last night, we had one half. Today, we put two of those together. I'm happy for our guys, satisfied for our guys that we put two halves together so when we can come back after New Year's, we can say that is what it looks like."
The Wildcats led 9-0 before the Bears dynamic small forward Jeffrey Clark scored their first bucket. Westchester led 17-11 after one quarter and the lead was still six before the Wildcats, keyed by nine points from M.J. Edwards, went on an 11-3 run over the last 5:05 of the half for a 30-16 halftime advantage as they held New Garden to five points in the second quarter .
Edwards, who scored 18 points, started the run with a jumper and then came up with a steal and a layup. Westchester center Jalen Umstead, who had 10, scored from underneath. Edwards hit one of his two 3s and then closed the half with a drive to the bucket.
The Wildcats also tried to limit the times that Clark got the ball. Clark, who had no trouble driving to the basket if he got possession, finished with 24 points but no other Bear had more than four.
"He's so electric," Patterson said. "We had guys on him with a hand in his face and he made shots anyway. And they do a good job of setting back screens to get him free. We worked this week on jumping those screens and communicating defensively. The first half last night and today have been night and day to what we've been doing defensively."
The lead grew to 18 in the third quarter and to as much as 28 in the fourth before Patterson started substituting.
