By DAVID MILLER
Special to The Dispatch
The extra reps on the shooting machine paid off.
The West Point High School boys basketball team didn’t strategize for its two games at the Trojan Classic or prepare for its upcoming district games during the Christmas break. Instead, coach Brad Cox focused on conditioning and shooting. And though his roster is dominated by guards, he didn’t foresee the offensive fireworks the Green Wave displayed Thursday against Choctaw County High.
The Green Wave knocked down 16 3-pointers and turned a six-point third-quarter into an 82-57 win at the Trojan Classic at New Hope.
“Best shooting night this year, no doubt,” Cox said. “I don’t know if I can say that I felt it brewing, but coming off of the break we wanted to spend a lot of time in practice getting shots up.
“A lot of our open looks came against the 1-2-2 and the half-court trap Choctaw was trying to run, and we were able to hit the open man and get good looks at the rim. We moved the ball quickly and to the right spot.”
West Point guard Shaunderrius Westbrook led all scorers with 29 points and seven 3-pointers. He nailed three triples in both the first and fourth quarters. His teammate, Austin Crowley, knocked down six 3-pointers and finished with 28.
Westbook said he “felt good” about his shot heading into Thursday.
“We were able to get more time on the shooting machine and prepare us to take advantage of the open looks we got tonight,” Westbrook said.
The Green Wave (6-8) have won three of their last four heading into today’s Trojan Classic matchup against Canton.
West Point popped early against Choctaw County behind six 3-pointers and carried a 26-10 lead into the second quarter. Choctaw County alternated between man and zone defense, but West Point players were able to get to the basket and dish if the look wasn’t clean at the hoop .
“We’re used to it,” Westbook said. “Teams have been doing it all year [switching defenses]. So coach told us to be ready to adjust to it.
“It’s just all in the offense; if they run man, we’re going to run rotation and we’re going to try and beat them to the rim. If not, we’re drive and kick to the open man.”
Choctaw County rallied late in the second quarter and in the third by crashing the boards and playing with greater intensity. Akeem Kirkwood, who led Choctaw County with 18 points, converted a pair of layups and cut the Green Wave lead to six on back-to-back possessions, but that would be the closest the Chargers would get to the Green Wave, who opened the fourth on a 17-1 run.
“(Choctaw Central) Coach (Gary) Beals is a great coach and is really good at mixing it up, which kind of got us out of rhythm, especially went they went box-and-1 on us,” Cox said. “That, and them getting offensive rebounds got them back in the ball game. “But we started rebounding better and taking care of the ball, which helped us pull away.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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