By Thomas Jones, Sports Editor

KYLE – Westlake welcomed the playoffs with a night of firsts.

The Chaps’ resounding 86-63 win over San Antonio Lee at Lehman High School in a Class 5A Region IV bidistrict playff game marked the first career postseason win for first-year coach Tres Ellis, who had suffered five narrow playoff defeats in his previous tenure at Austin High.

Gifted Chap point guard Cody Doolin picked up his first playoff victory after a pair of first-round losses as a freshman and sophomore.

And Westlake’s first time to top 80 points in a playoff game provided plenty of proof that the run-and-gun style preferred by the Chaps can indeed succeed amidst the rough-and-tumble play of the postseason.

Westlake will face 34-1 Converse Judson in a second-round contest Friday at a time and place not yet determined.

“I thought that this group could get it [a playoff win] done when I took the job,” Ellis said. “They played their hearts out tonight, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Another near first keyed Westlake’s romp. Doolin, a 6-foot-2-inch junior, came within one rebound of recording his first career triple-double. Doolin punctured Lee’s defense for 28 points and 10 assists, but he quickly credited his teammates for their complementary play.

“Guys just stepped up tonight,” he said. “They were really making good catches and making some of my passes look good. That’s the thing about this team: no one is worried about getting their points or stats or whatever. We all just want to win.”

Westlake tallied plenty of stats while racing to the win. Junior forward Conner Kemper poured in 22 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Cliff Houston added seven points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

With reserve forwards Carl Meyertons and Jeremy Cox missing the game because of illnesses, Drew Wikelius and Jesse Breedlove came off the bench with 10 and nine points, respectively.

“Those guys played big, big minutes,” Ellis said. “And one’s a senior [Breedlove], and one’s a freshman [Wikelius]. I think that says something about how everyone on the team contributed.”

In particular, the 6-6 Wikelius impressed considering that he spent much of district play starring on the junior varsity team. Wikelius went 4-for-4 from the field and pulled down six rebounds.

“He was a man tonight,” Doolin said.

While Westlake soared, the high-scoring Volunteers struggled. Guard Paul Garnica, who led San Antonio in scoring this season with 26.1 points a game, had just 12 points on 2-of-13 shooting. The entire Lee team struggled to 27.5-percent shooting from the floor.

Lee, which never led, fell behind 25-5 six minutes into the game and never pulled to within single digits. The Vols did manage to trim Westlake’s lead to 28-17 early in the second period, but a blown dunk attempt by Garnica helped snuff Lee’s momentum. Westlake then reeled of a 10-0 run, and the Vols never bounced back.

News and notes

Westlake’s win marked just the fourth playoff-opening triumph for the program. The Chaps won playoff openers in 2002 and 2006 before losing in the second round, and the team reached the Class 5A Region IV finals in 2004. … Westlake outrebounded a small Lee lineup 65-36. … Each team had 80 shot attempts. … After making just four of 14 foul shots through the first three periods, the Chaps shot 12-of-16 from the foul line in the final period.

Westlake 86, San Antonio Lee 63

Lee      10   15   21   17  - 63 

Westlake      28   15   14   29  - 86 

 

Lee (29-9) – Garnica 2-13 6-8 12, DeLeon 1-2 0-0 2, Muro 3-13 1-2 7, Pierce 9-26 4-7 23, McPherson 3-5 1-2 7, James 0-3 1-2 1, McCracken 0-1 0-0 0, Garcia 3-8 2-2 9, Perez 0-2 2-2 2, Martinez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-80 17-25 63.

Westlake (25-7) – King 2-2 2-4 6, Houston 3-14 0-0 7, Kemper 9-21 3-4 22, Doolin 10-29 6-11 28, Leeper 1-3 0-0 2, Breedlove 3-4 2-2 9, Wikelius 4-4 2-2 10, Lancashire 0-2 1-5 1, Womack 0-0 0-0 0, Featherston 0-1 1-2 1, Powell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-80 17-30 86.

 

3-Point goals: Lee 4-20 (Pierce 1-3, garcia 1-5, garnica 1-6, Muro 0-4, McCracken 0-1, Perez 0-1), Westlake 5-19 (Doolin 2-6, Breedlove 1-1, Kemper 1-3, Houston 1-7, Lancashire 0-1). Rebounds: Lee 36 (Pierce 7), Westlake 65 (Houston 11, Kemper 11). Assists: Lee 5 (Muro 2), Westlake 15 (Doolin 10). Steals: Lee 9 (Pierce 3, Garnica 3), Westlake 7 (Doolin 2, King 2). Blocks: Lee 3 (Pierce 2), Westlake 3 (Leeper 2). Turnovers: Lee 12, Westlake 21. Total fouls: Lee 25, Westlake 18.