Cats Outlast Dogs To Score Home Win
Forward Andrew Daniels was not only the game's leading scorer, he also sank three 3-pointers in the victory over the Bulldogs Friday night...
Photo By: Allie Berube / Oakton High School
Senior captain Kris McNeil helped the Cougars scratch by the Bulldogs by contributing 10 points and was 6-for-8 from the free throw line...
Photo By: Allie Berube / Oakton High School
The Bulldogs played tough all night and mounted a five-point advantage around the midpoint of the fourth. Their fans went wild behind their bench, smelling a potential road victory for their win-starved squad, but it was not to be had as the Cougars clawed past for a 4 point margin of victory...
Photo By: Allie Berube / Oakton High School
OAKTON, VA - The Oakton Cougars entered their meeting with the Westfield Bulldogs with five more victories than their opponents. At game's end, they left with merely four more points, escaping with a 60-56 home victory.
The contest's opening moments appeared to portend a Cougar blowout, as Oakton ran out to leads of 14-3 and 28-14. Senior big men David Larson, Adi Hajrovic and Nick Koutris consistently collapsed on Westfield's 6'9" sophomore Zach Elcano, holding him to zero first-half points.
Turnovers were the order of the first half. Westfield committed 12 before halftime, while Oakton did their part with 13 over the same period.
Oakton's lead might have been greater if Marty Walsh hadn't played inspired all-around offense for Westfield. Walsh's jumpers and driving layups helped him compile most of his 15 points in the first half.
And strike the Bulldogs did, finding paths to the basket in the waning minutes of the first half, going on an 8-0 run to cut the Cougar lead to six and build momentum into halftime.
Westfield carried their run into the third quarter, finally getting Elcano open for easy layups, taking the lead at 31-30.
The sides traded buckets throughout the 30s and 40s and into the fourth quarter, as the atmosphere built in the nearly full Cougar Den.
The Bulldogs mounted a five-point advantage around the midpoint of the fourth on the strength of four Mark Gibson free throws. Their fans went wild behind their bench, smelling a potential road victory for their win-starved squad.
But the Cougars and their vociferous supporters would soon have plenty to get loud about, as Steele Shemeld stole the game's remaining few minutes.
The junior guard drilled a long two-ball, then connected on a short jumper on which he was fouled. Then, with his team down two and with nary a minute showing on the clock, Shemeld got wide open for a 3-ball from the left wing.
He swished it, and the gym exploded.
Oakton played effective defense and senior captain Kris McNeil converted four free throws to emerge with the emotionally exhausting win against their valiant Concorde brethren from Westfield.
The Cougars' Andrew Daniels led all scorers with 23, including three 3-pointers. Fellow guards Shemeld and McNeil chipped in 12 and 10, respectively.
The Bulldogs were paced by Walsh's 15, while Marcellus Holley added 11 and Elcano rebounded for 10, all in the second half.
For their efforts, Walsh and Shemeld were selected as Gameday's PlaymakerRecruitingReport.com Playmakers Of the Game.
Oakton tacks on a Concorde District win to run their mark to 3-2, 9-6 overall. Westfield falls to 3-13, including a 1-4 Concorde record.
