It didn’t take long for the Chaps to make a statement regarding their worthiness as the No. 5 team in the state.

Ten seconds into the season opener against Schertz Clements, 6-foot-9-inch post Gus Leeper took a pass from 6-6 teammate Conner Kemper and slammed home a dunk for the year’s first points. Clements, a Class 4A playoff team a year ago, answered with a three-pointer, but that lone lead lasted just a few tick as the Chaps raced to a 93-52 win Tuesday at Westlake High School.

“That may be the first time in Westlake history that we started with a dunk,” point guard Cody Doolin said. “We have to share the ball this season, and we did a good job of that tonight. It’s a great way to start.”

Doolin led Westlake with 21 points and added five steals and six rebounds, but the Chaps didn’t need him in the fourth period as Coach Tres Ellis emptied the bench. Every Chap scored as the team shot 41-of-63 from the field and accumulated 21 assists.

Westlake’s massive size advantage in the paint took its toll on Clements from the opening tip. Leeper and 6-5 forward Carl Meyertons scored 11 and 14 points, respectively, on a combined 11-of-12 shooting and helped Westlake grab a 28-15 lead after the first period.

Leeper also blocked five shots while drawing praise from his point guard.

“I’m proud of Gus for scoring, because he does a lot of things that people usually don’t notice,” Doolin said. “He sets screens, rebounds and blocks shots. If I let a guy get by me, he cleans it up. He’s just a really good teammate.”

The Chaps also showed good balance, getting 10 points from reserve guard Hagen Fell and five assists and four steals from backcourt mate Keaton Lancashire.

Overall, said Ellis, the performance provided early affirmation of the Chaps’ lofty ranking from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.

“There’s a lot of polls out there, but I’ll take it [the ranking],” he said. “I think the kids value the ranking, and they don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. It means something to them. But we have a long way to go.”

The journey takes its next step at this weekend’s Texas Invitational in Pasadena, one of the state’s premiere tournaments.

“We’ll see what we’re made of this weekend,” Doolin said.

News and notes
Jason Powell scored 14 points off the bench for Westlake. … The Chaps forced 23 Buffalo turnovers and had 19 steals. … Guard Kyle Tokunaga and wing Terrence Coleman led Clements with 19 points each.