For the last few years, varsity basketball played a rigid, slower-paced style.
This year, with senior forward and Texas commit Bo Ogden, as well as high-flying junior forward Mack Martin, head coach Robert Lucero said the Chaps are able to play a much more free-flowing, fast brand of basketball.
“With this team having so many guys that can guard down the floor and so many guys that can push it and spread it, I think we’ve tried to open it up more so they have more freedom,” Lucero said. “Especially on the other team’s makes and misses.”
Their new style manifested itself in the form of their second-straight 80 point game, as Westlake (4-0) smothered Rouse (0-3) in a 83-38 victory Friday night on Al Bennett Court. Ogden finished with 21 points, leading all scorers.
“We did a really good job of getting easy shots and running out in transition,” Ogden said. “That starts from offensive rebounds. We had so many offensive rebounds, we beat them on the overall rebounds by a lot, so I think that was the most important thing. We were all defending, all playing well.”
The Chaps showed their versatility early, hitting their first two threes, the first from senior guard Blake Cannatti and the second from Ogden. Soon after, Ogden finished a fast break dunk before coming back down the court, forcing a turnover, and finishing in transition once again. Ogden has fit in smoothly so far this season after transferring in from St. Michael’s.
“Coming to Westlake is not necessarily the easiest place,” Lucero said. “The school is difficult. Everybody’s known each other for so long, but the guys that were already here have accepted him as a teammate. And Bo has tried really hard to fit in and be part of the team.”
Seven different players got on the board in the first half, and four of those were seniors. Ogden and Cannatti combined for 21 first-half points, more than the Raiders as a whole, who went into the half trailing 44-16. Ogden also collected two blocks, both coming on the same possession.
“Blake and Bo have been balling out recently,” Martin said. “Powell has been out there dishing dimes, really the whole squad is balling. We’ve been playing extremely great together as a team.”
Coming out of the break, the Chaps went on a quick 7-2 run. Each basket came from a different player. Martin finished at the rim before junior forward Alex Allen got a whistle on a flagrant foul, knocking down a pair of free throws. Following the free throws, Ogden knocked down another three to extend their lead to 32 points. Lucero was impressed with the tenacity that the Chaps came out of halftime with, a testament to their experience.
The Chaps emptied their bench with the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. Fifteen of the 18 players on the roster got playing time. Nine Chaparrals got on the board in the penultimate half.
“I liked how unselfish we were,” Martin said. “We gave up good shots for great ones. We really got our teammates better.”
Westlake will take on Alamo Heights next Tuesday and then head to Duncanville on Friday for the Thanksgiving Hoopsfest to play Calvary Baptist and East St. Louis. As the Chaps move further into the season, Ogden said their goal remains the same.
“We want to go win a State Championship.”
