Saturday, February 12, 2000
West Hi clinches 1st league title since '80s
BY CAREY HOFFMAN
Enquirer contributor
Will Starks scored all 14 of his points in the second quarter, fueling a rally that set up Western Hills' 80-57 victory over visiting Withrow on Friday night.
The victory clinched the Queen City Conference Metro title for Western Hills (15-3, 12-0 QCCM), the No.3-ranked Division I team in the Enquirer's coaches poll. It's the first outright league title for West Hi since the early '80s, prompting net-cutting ceremonies after West Hi's last home game of the year.
Withrow, No.7 in the Division I poll, is now 12-6 and 8-4 in the QCCM.
“This is a great feeling,” Starks, one of only two seniors on the Western Hills roster, said after stepping down off a table being used for the net-cutting. “I'm happy we won it and did it in my last year. Now we need to take it on to the big time, up to state.”
Western Hills coach Lannis Timmons said Starks, who averages about nine points, was overly excited at the beginning of the game.
“He had too much energy. Then he came back in and settled down and did a little bit of everything,” Timmons said. “He got it together at a good time.”
Withrow was hanging in and had the game tied 18-18 with about 5:30 left before halftime. Then West Hi picked up the pressure on defense and went on a 10-2 run, with Starks scoring five points.
Withrow regained its composure momentarily, but West Hi closed the quarter with another 6-0 run in the final 47 seconds, including two more Starks baskets.
Western Hills flexed more muscle at the start of the second half, opening with an 11-2 run to go up 47-26. Junior for ward Darryl Peterson, who was Western Hills' most consistent threat throughout the game, scored 10 in the quarter and 24 on the night.
Withrow used two 3-pointers from Lenny Love at the end of the third quarter to pull back within 55-44. But the Tigers struggled on offense.
“We're a 70 percent shooting free-throw team and we shoot 9-of-19 tonight,” Withrow coach George Jackson said. “We couldn't make foul shots, we couldn't make layups.”
WITHROW (57) — Love 3 2 10, Pilgrim 1 0 2, Simpson 2 0 4, Orr 3 0 6, Washington 3 1 7, Jeffries 7 4 18, Darden 0 2 2, Garth 4 0 8. Totals: 23 9 57.
WESTERN HILLS (80) — Andrews 0 1 1, Piening 0 1 1, Peterson 11 1 24, Horace 6 6 18, Starks 6 0 14, Smith 2 4 10, Hadnot 3 0 6, Taylor 0 2 2. Totals: 30 12 80.
Withrow ....... 14 10 18 13—57
Western Hills ....... 11 24 19 24—80
3-pointers: Withrow-Love 2, WH-Starks 2, Peterson 1. Records: Withrow 11-7 (8-4 QCCM), WH 15-3 (12-0 QCCM).
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