As the buzzer signaled the end of the first quarter, the crowd was silent, stunned that the Blue Devils put up only two points compared to Summit’s seven in the first round of the Union County Tournament.
The defensive strategy for the Hilltoppers was to sit in a zone, a defense that is often looked down upon in the basketball world. Westfield head coach Jim McKeon said, “It took us a little bit to get acclimated.” With the Watchung Division known for their talented and competitive nature, Westfield has not seen an inactive zone as much this season.
Having to adapt on offense, senior tri-captain Enzo Ferrero said, “Throughout the first [quarter], we weren’t executing. We weren’t getting our sets through and making the right passes. We were really taking a shot after the first pass. I think throughout the game we kind of stepped it up and there’s not much they could really do.” Ferrero contributed an impressive 13 points with 3 three-pointers.
The Blue Devils took one quarter to adjust and then were on their way, dominating offensively and defensively the rest of the game.
Senior Will Kirby said, “It came down to energy. In the first quarter we came out like our win was predetermined because we knew we were the better team. Then, in the second quarter, we started to actually play our game and it came a lot easier.”
McKeon said, “Our defense kept us in the game when our offense was nonexistent, our defense turned into transition points.” This was evident during the Blue Devils 19-5 run during the second quarter, resulting in a 21-12 lead at halftime.
Westfield continued to soar the remainder of the matchup, with a final score of 58-36. Every player for the Blue Devils contributed in some way, from assists to rebounds to points, all tallying a statistic in the box score.
The Blue Devils will play in the UCT quarterfinal this Saturday at 6:30 p.m. versus Elizabeth at the Dunn Sports Center. Westfield fell short to Elizabeth the first time they played, but most recently, the Blue Devils came out on top against a top 10 team in the state. Ferrero said, “It’s execution and energy we need to really bring energy. We’re just going to have to bring our A-game and do our best.”
