The Westmont men’s basketball team dusted off its shoes and took the court for the first time this year in an exhibition game against traveling team News Release on Wednesday night. While the score got a little too close for comfort towards the end of the game, the Warriors were able to walk away with a 72-71 victory.
“I really liked the energy we played with in the first half and the start of the second half. I thought we got a little tentative towards the end, but that’s understandable when you have as many new guys as we do,” opened head coach John Moore who is kicking off his 22nd season at Westmont with a win.
There was an even distribution of responsibilities on the court tonight. While sophomore Cory Blau was the go-to shooter this evening, junior Britton Williams was handling and moving the ball well and senior Daniel Carlin was not only crashing the boards, but came up with a team high of 22 points. It was a collective team effort.
“I really like the way Britt Williams led the team. I thought he did a very, very nice job. Daniel (Carlin) was consistent and had a special game. I thought Cory (Blau) played well. I always love the way Jared (Wilson) and Nate (Marsing) lead us on the court as captains,” reflected Moore.
With a very young roster this year, it is going to be key for each player, no matter their age, to step into their role on the team and contribute to the work on the court. Tonight was a glimpse into the potential that this year’s squad has, and it looks quite promising. Only time will tell. But thankfully, with time comes experience– which is exactly what this team needs.
“We really played with the energy I hoped that we would. News Release is a very good team. They are a bunch of guys who were stars on their college teams and so they looked like grown men while we looked young. Except for a couple of turnovers and missed free throws, I liked the way that we handled ourselves on the court,” explained Moore. “Our passing was definitely there tonight. We had points in the game where I thought that we moved the ball as well as we have mid-season in past years. I was really impressed and encouraged by that.”
The Warriors will officially open their season when they take the court at Murchison Gymnasium again this Friday, November 7, at 7:30 PM against Bethesda.
