Fans in the packed Scotch Plains-Fanwood gym watched with angst as junior Liam Washbourne’s corner three rolled around the rim before sinking in to send Westfield’s student section into a frenzy, and extend the Blue Devils lead late in the fourth quarter.
On Dec. 18, the WHS boys basketball team opened their season against rivals SPF in an electric environment. After a close-run game throughout all four quarters, the Blue Devils were able to grind out a win and edge the Raiders 56-55.
Dealing with injuries to their captains, Westfield was playing shorthanded as senior tri-captain Jake Russell watched from the bench with a broken nose. Senior tri-captain Connor Whelan injured his shoulder early in the first quarter, however he was able to return later in the game. While these injuries were not ideal, it opened up new opportunities for younger players to shine, and they took advantage.
After playing for both JV and varsity last year, Washbourne played a key role in the game, recording 12 points and leading the team in rebounds and steals. Washbourne was able to build confidence from his key performance, saying, “If they need a big shot, I’ll put it in. If they need me to get an assist, a stop, I can do that. I just want to help out as much as possible. Knowing that I can contribute to the team helps build my confidence for the rest of the season,” he said.
Senior tri-captain Max MacEacheron was forced to step up in this game, leading the scoring for the Blue Devils with 18 points. After getting off to a slow-shooting start in the first half, MacEacheron’s confidence in his shooting kept him in the game. “Teammates like Rashawn and Jared talked to me. Coach helped me get my confidence back on offense, we ran our sets and I got good looks from it.”
The Blue Devil’s late game perseverance proved to be the deciding factor in the game. Head coach James McKeon, leading his eighth season as a head coach, was able to keep his players focused until the last buzzer. “You try to let the noise, which is the entire gym, out of it, but I think we handled it at the end. We were battle tested and conditioned, these guys work hard in practice, and it shows in the fourth quarter.”
The Blue Devils look ahead to their next game, where they meet Plainfield on Dec. 20, at home at 12 p.m.
