For one half, it looked like Anderson’s game of survival might surmount a lackadaisical Chap bunch.

But then Westlake heated up their gym and cooled the Trojans postseason hopes.

The Chaps scored 50 second-half points while snapping a halftime tie in a 78-52 District 25-5A Tuesday win at Westlake High School. The result kept Westlake (25-6 overall, 10-2 in district) in the thick of the first-place race with two games remaining but hampered the chances for Anderson (11-16, 5-7) of seizing the fourth and final playoff spot.

According to Westlake coach Keith Smith, a familiar cause created the second-half effect.

“In that third and fourth quarter, our defense was phenomenal,” he said. “Like defense usually does, it really got our offense rolling. We got some easy baskets.”

Westlake’s stunning second-half numbers stood in stark contrast to the halftime statistics:

• At the break, the Chaps had made one three-pointer, compared to five for Anderson; Westlake outscored Anderson 12-9 from three-point range in the second half.

• At halftime, the Trojans held a one-rebound edge on Westlake; in the second half, the Chaps outrebounded Anderson 28-7.

• Westlake had 11 turnovers by halftime; the Chaps committed three turnovers in the second half.

• The Trojans had 10 field goals in the first half; after the break, the Trojans shot 4-of-20 from the field.

Chap point guard Cherrell Mays said Westlake’s halftime adjustments proved more psychological that strategic.

“Finally at halftime, we said ‘We have to win this game,’ ” she said. “We realized they were fighting for that fourth position, and we had to step it up.”

Plenty of Chaps stepped up as Westlake came within a free throw of matching its season-high in points. Ten Chaps scored, led by Kayla Ball (14 points on 6-of-9 shooting) and Mays (13 points on 4-of-6 shooting).

Mays also led Westlake with seven rebounds and drew the unenviable task of minding Anderson’s Kelly Gramlich in Westlake’s man-to-man defense.

Gramlich, the district’s leading scorer with 23.1 points per game, did produce a game-high 28 points. However, she shot just 6-of-18 from the field and had eight of her points before Smith switched Mays over as her defender.

Mays said fighting through Anderson’s array of screens determines any stops against Gramlich.

“They try to get her coming off screens, and you have to be right in her face when she gets the ball,” Mays said. “If you don’t do that, she’ll shoot it in your face.”

Rose Minutaglio added 12 points and three assists for Westlake, and Lindsay Harris chipped in seven points and five rebounds.

As a team, Westlake made 21 of 24 free throws.

Box
Westlake 78, Anderson 52

Anderson 19 8 6 18 – 52
Westlake 14 14 24 26 – 78

Anderson (11-16, 5-7) – Cannary 1-2 0-0 2, Gramlich 7-18 10-12 28, Kriessel-Bigler 4-13 0-0 11, Pollard 1-7 1-2 4, Nielsen 2-5 2-4 6, Zieler 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 0-1 1-2 1, Sweeney 0-0 0-0 0, Reed 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-46 15-22 52.

Westlake (25-6, 10-2) – Ambrose 0-2 2-2 2, Mays 4-6 4-4 13, Coley 3-5 2-2 9, Ball 6-9 2-3 14, Duever 3-9 0-0 6, Bell 2-7 0-0 5, Grace 0-0 0-0 0, Minutaglio 2-4 7-7 12, Harris 2-5, 2-2 7, Davis 2-2 2-4 6, Manzano 2-3 0-0 4, Wright 0-0 0-0 0, Roberts 0-0 0-0 0 . Totals 25-52 21-24 78.

3-Point goals: Anderson 8-21 (Gramlich 4-11, Kriessel-Bigler 3-8, Pollard 1-2), Westlake 5-13 ( Bell 1-2, Mays 1-2, Minutaglio 1-2, Harris 1-2, Coley 1-3). Rebounds: Anderson 22 (Nielsen 6), Westlake 42 (Mays 7). Assists: Anderson 5 (Kriessel-Bigler 3), Westlake 10 (Minutaglio 3). Steals: Anderson 6 (Gramlich 5), Westlake 8 (Minutaglio 3). Blocks: Anderson 3 (Gramlich 3), Westlake 4 (Duever 4). Turnovers: Anderson 16, Westlake 14. Total fouls: Anderson 17, Westlake 19.