In a grand season closer, JV boys basketball doubled the Vista Ridge Rangers 55-28 on Tuesday, Jan. 11.

By starting with a close first quarter as both teams went back and forth, making layups and two-point shots to stay in the game. Their rebounds helped aid the Warriors’ offense, however through the quarter, the Rangers were breaking through the Warriors’ defense. The Rangers ended up taking the lead as the first quarter ended with the Warriors down 13-11.

”It felt nice to help get my team further on the lead,” Jaxon Covin ‘27 said.

Rolling into the second quarter, The Warriors evened out the score to 13-13 as the Rangers used their continued speed to strengthen their offense, which overall, didn’t prove to be effective as the Warriors stole the lead at the end of the first half.

“I think the first half was pretty good. I think we didn’t do too well defensively in the first quarter but in the second quarter we stepped it up,” Liam Beekman ‘27 said. “That allowed us to do better in the second half.” 

 The Warriors entered the third quarter far up at 30-16 after the Warriors shut down the Rangers at the end of the last half. Their individual talent shone through in the second half of the game as Covin went on a stealing streak, not allowing the Rangers to reach the key as well as give his offense the opportunity at the basket. The Rangers’ defense was not as effective as in the first quarter, but they still faced the Warriors more determined than ever.

“We dominated with good teamwork in the second half,” Dylan Joyner ‘28 said.

By the time the fourth quarter came around, the gap had greatly expanded, as the Warriors racked up 26 points on the Rangers through the duration of the game. The Rangers could feel the pressure and started playing more aggressively. However, the Warriors used their unfaltering determination to deliver a crushing 55-28 win to end the season. 

“I think [the game] was pretty fun, and it was our last game, so we all felt really good, we all wanted to do good,” Beekman said. “We all got playing time and scored a bit.”

The JV boys had a successful season, ending it with a 23-4 record. They look to the offseason where they hopefully will earn their place on the varsity team next year.

Ending their final game of the season, the freshman boys orange basketball team played against the Vista Ridge Rangers on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The Rangers maintained an aggressive game, but the Warriors came out on top with a final score of 42-36 despite the close match throughout. The game culminated with a tie in the fourth quarter that was only conquered within the last two minutes of the match.

The game had a quick start, as Avery Hilton ‘28 immediately popped in a layup. Spirits soared as the Warriors took the lead and brought the game to 6-4. The Rangers continued attempting to score, but consistently failed on their approach, deepening the desperation of both the players and the coaches. Crushing the Ranger hopes, Thomas Story ‘28 made a clutch steal and ran downcourt, aiming to score. But a Vista foul cut him short, giving the Warriors two free throws.

“It was aggressive, it was physical, but our guys played through it,” Coach Dezmunn Williams said. “Early on we kinda figured out that they’re gonna let us play physical, [so] just buckle down.”

The second and third quarters followed the same pattern, with hostile fouls and slow pacing.  Vista Ridge took a small lead of 21-18, which they maintained until halftime. After some strategizing, the third quarter picked up as Owen Kim ‘28 and Bryan Li ‘28 sank back-to-back three-pointers. Jumping off of this speed, the Warriors went on a roll as the third quarter was finalized with a skillful play from Kim that ended in a breakaway shot, bringing the Warriors ahead 30-27. 

“They were all really aggressive, so that made us all play better and we were more motivated,” Kim said. 

The fourth quarter gave a momentous finale to an eventful match, as a rejuvenated Vista Ridge took a quick lead of 35-32. The Warriors fought back, but the Rangers remained persistent, tying the game at 35. Vista Ridge’s aggressiveness came back to bite them as the Warriors won two free throws that were quickly sunk by Brandon Lloyd ‘28. As the clock ticked on, the Warriors beat down the Rangers’ victory as Kim made two more free throws and Hilton scored another layup, setting the final score 42-36 over the Rangers.

“I just told our guys [to] stay calm in a crisis, don’t get flustered, remain composed, and finish the game the way we know how to finish,” Coach Williams said. 

The Warriors rounded out their season with a final score of eight wins and nine losses, including impressive victories over the Round Rock Dragons and the Manor Mustangs.

After a series of Senior Night announcements and group photos to celebrate the senior team members’ hard work and future aspirations, the varsity girls basketball team gathered to play against the Round Rock Dragons on Friday, Jan. 31. Although the team’s performance improved throughout the game, they were unable to make up for frequent scoring from the Dragons, eventually losing the game 52-22.

“Towards the end, [the Warriors] started to relax a little bit more, which allowed them to start taking more shots,” Head Coach Kelli Payton said. “I think they just kind of realized at one point that they had nothing to lose, so they just started playing relaxed, which gave them more confidence. We just have to start games like that, and complete games like that, instead of just playing like that at the end.”

The game started off with strong defense from both teams, preventing either team from scoring for the first two minutes. Ending the Warriors’ defensive streak, Round Rock scored a three-pointer and followed it up with a free throw and a series of 2-pointers that brought them up 15 over the Warriors by the end of the first quarter. Evading the opposing team’s defense, Ava Sartor ‘25 was able to pop in a layup with just 30 seconds left in the quarter, but the Warriors remained behind.

“We just have a hard time handling defensive pressure right now,” Coach Payton said. “We kind of get flustered, so I’d say [we have to work on] keeping our composure [and] we have got to do a better job of staying poised in pressure situations.”

Ten seconds into the second quarter, Sartor came close to scoring again before the Dragons’ defense cut her off. After this offensive attempt, the Warriors fell back and blocked their opponents’ attempts until Round Rock sank another three at with 5:30 left in the half. Throughout the rest of the half, the Warriors were only able to score five more points, ending the quarter at 32-9.

“We started hustling after the ball a lot more and giving more effort in the second quarter than the first quarter,” Lola Proano-Montana ‘26 said.

The game resumed after a performance from Warrior Pride during halftime, and the Warriors returned to the court with newfound vigor. Overall, the third quarter was defined by heavy defense and missed shots from both teams. Round Rock eventually scored a series of two-pointers, while Caroline Dougherty ‘25 broke through the Dragons’ resistance for another two midway through. In the last 20 seconds, Sartor made a free-throw and brought the score to 38-12.

“I think we still play hard — we still dive on the floor after balls and we sprint everywhere,” Coach Payton said. “It only takes you so far, but I always think they give their 100% effort every day. We were missing a key player, but we did have other kids step up.”

The fourth quarter began with a series of points from the Warriors, with Proano-Montana jamming a two-pointer less than 30 seconds after the clock started. Continuing to push back, Emily Graham ‘25 scored again at 5:32, setting up Hapka to net more points as the game came to a close, but it was not enough as the Warriors lost 52-22. And as the Warriors began to wrap up their season, the team reflected on their learning and bonding — as well as the bittersweet implications of a journey’s end.

“We never quit,” Lee said. “I am so proud of our team, because we’ve been coming off to pretty rough seasons and [seeing] our growth throughout the season and our chemistry really starting to bond. We’re all like sisters. This game was a pretty emotional one, because a lot of them are leaving. But I think this is still a great way to end, because we know how far we’ve come.”

The Warriors will finish off the season on the road against Stony Point on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m.

 The JV boys basketball team faced the Hutto Hippos on Friday, Jan. 24, toppling them 80-36. In this energetic matchup, the Warriors showcased their skills with a sweeping, and decisive victory.

“Our team was down at the start and then we were able to win,” Blaine Mitchell ‘26 said.

Rolling into the game, the Warriors entered with an energetic offense, almost instantly getting on the board. Their sharp passes and quick transitions presented a challenge to the Hippos as they tried to break through the defense.  Despite this, Hutto managed to hold their own. After a long stretch of Warrior lead domination, the end of the second quarter saw a 35-21 lead.

“Dishing the ball to teammates is one of my favorite things to do [as well as] getting people wide open shots,” Jake LaPenta ‘26 said. 

The Warriors’ performance was defined through key players who delivered outstanding performances through both halves, keeping the Warriors in the lead. The Warriors’ scoring spree continued throughout the game, even while facing tough opposition from the Hippos after some newfound courage.

 The Hippos, struggling to keep up, quickly fell further behind as the Warriors started the fourth quarter up double, in a 60-29 lead. During the entire game, the Warriors’ combined offensive and defensive efforts limited the Hippos’ scoring opportunities and allowed the Warriors to drop 20 points in the final quarter which ended the game 80-36.

“I think we played really well all together as a team [and] as a unit,” LaPenta said. 

This decisive win further solidifies the Warriors’ winning streak. JV Basketball will play their next game against the Round Rock Dragons on Friday, Jan. 31, at Round Rock.

In an extraordinarily close game, the dominating freshman orange basketball team faltered in the second half and let up, giving the Raiders the chance to fight back and win 58-47.

“We were playing well,” Aarav Karumanchi ‘28 said, “but they had [more] momentum and made good plays. In the end we couldn’t catch up and made turnovers. We didn’t have the energy and we lost the intensity [we had]. We just gave up in the end, which is why we couldn’t make that comeback.

Westwood came out strong, starting the game 10-2 within the first few minutes of the match. They continued this dominance through halftime, but Cedar Ridge was soon catching up, slowly outscoring the Warriors and catching up. At halftime, the Warriors were up 33-28 however no less than two minutes after halftime, Cedar Ridge scored a few key three-pointers and sank three free throws, setting the game 40-36 with 5:26 left in the quarter with Cedar Ridge in the lead. It was made clear that Westwood’s morale was low as they struggled to even get across the half court line. The Warriors, in a final attempt to fight back with a few key substitutions, the Warriors had a sense of newfound energy and tied up the game 42-42 with one minute left in the third. But with just less than 16 seconds to go, two free throws set Cedar Ridge up 44-42, putting the final nail in the Warriors’ morale. With the demoralizing deficit, the Warriors were only able to respond to half of the Raiders’ points in the final quarter, ending the game 58-47.

The freshmen orange team will play their next game at 5:00 pm., on Friday, Jan. 24 at Westwood High School against the Hutto Hippos.

Facing the Cedar Ridge Raiders, The JV Boys Basketball team played to victory, demolishing the Raiders 60-34 on Friday, Jan. 17. 

Playing swiftly, the Warriors were up by 9 points by the end of the first quarter and didn’t let up going into the second. Keeping up with the momentum, Jaxson Covin ‘27 blocked a shot from under the rim, which the Warriors turned into an easy three-pointer. Continuing their offensive streak, the Warriors strategically moved the ball up the court with a fast break by Patrick Jeng ‘26. After a foul and two made free throws, Covin reached a double digit points by the end of the half. The Warriors additionally kept up a strong defense only letting in 3 points through the entire second quarter, ending the half at 29-11. 

“I was excited to play but I wanted to gauge how we would perform. I think once we got the momentum, it really helped me keep playing better” Marshall Sjariffudin ‘27 said.  

At the start of the 3rd quarter, Raiders fouled on a layup resulting in an ‘and one’ by Jeng to continue their offensive streak. Furthering the Warriors’ lead, Jeng secured another layup and a 3 point shot by Drew Davis ‘28. Going into the last quarter, doubling the Raiders’ score, Evan Richards ‘27 pushed through the Cedar Ridge defense, scoring in the paint. Finally, to end the game, the Warriors continued to play smart defense as Dylan Joyner ‘28 secured a rebound and passed the ball down the court to Sjariffudin for the layup. Coming to a close, the Warriors ultimately played with an unrelenting offense and a strong defense ending the game 60-34. 

The JV Boys will play their next game at 5:30 p.m. on  Friday, Jan. 24 at Westwood High School against the Hutto Hippos. 

Despite losing the opening tip, the Warriors quickly made their presence felt, stopping Cedar Ridges’ first offensive attempt which was followed by a layup from Thomas Burke ‘25. Next, demonstrating the Warriors’ range, Landyn Vallery ‘26 held a tight defense, forcing a jump ball, and a series of passes between Summer Holland ‘26 and Indy McBrearty ‘25 that resulted in an easy layup. Losing many opportunities to score, Cedar Ridge began to struggle to find power, missing many shots and allowing the Warriors to press forward with ease.  Continuing throughout the quarter, Luke Carpenter ‘26 stepped up defensively, making impressive blocks to prevent any Raider layups. On the offensive side, it was a similar story. With quick steals by McBrearty chained by threes from Burke, the end of the first quarter came quick as the Warriors led 14-5. Despite the foul on his final shot of the first quarter, he missed both free throws, but Warriors’ defensive pressure ensured Cedar Ridge couldn’t close the gap.

“We [had] a lot of passionate defense. We take defense really seriously, because defense wins games,” Dillon Garza ‘25 said. “We got a lot of stops, and that led to a lot of fast breaks and a lot of buckets.”

The Warriors dominance continued as Cedar Ridge started the second quarter with possession but failed to convert it into anything. Vallery intercepted a pass and passed to McBreatry, who nailed another three-pointer, keeping the Warriors far ahead of the competition. The defensive effort, supported by Vallery, kept Cedar Ridge on their heels, leading to more offensive dominance. Cedar Ridge managed a brief rally, leading to a three-pointer, but Burke answered with another layup, setting the warriors 33-9 at the half.

“All we had to do was just slow the ball, play at our pace,” Garza said. “Don’t let them in our head or anything like that. During the beginning we were already up by a lot, so no need to rush.” 

The Warriors started the second half strong, with Burke sinking two free throws and Tyson Woods ‘25 locking down the net. Soon, despite a few missed shots, the team remained strong, as McBrearty spun through defenders to set up Burke for another easy layup. Cedar Ridge’s frustration showed as their shot selection worsened, allowing Westwood to maximize possession as the Raiders continued to panic.

“I think we just played well from the start, so we kinda just cruised through the game,” McBrearty said.

The final quarter saw Cedar Ridge’s efforts to fall short, again. Burke’s defensive pressure and Carpenter’s rebounds kept the Warriors in control. Delivering a dunk from a fast break, Carpenter kept the crowd vibrant. Wilson and Henry Bell ‘25 worked effectively, as Wilson sank a three-pointer to cap off the game 70-29 . “[Since the beginning of the season] I think we’ve [improved on] principles: defense, passing, taking charges, getting rebounds, and we’ve just gotten better throughout the season,” McBrearty said. “I’m just looking forward to each game.”

The Warriors will next face off against the Manor Mustangs, on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.

In the Warriors’ return to the court after their Winter Break, the girls varsity basketball team lost to the Vista Ridge Ranger 57-33. Throughout the game, the Warriors repeatedly missed rebounds, losing opportunities to score, and failing to keep up with the Rangers’ offensive skills.

“I thought we just came in, not thinking about our win-loss record, not thinking about our end score, but just going out there and playing really hard, so I’m really proud,” Isabella D’Alessandro ‘25 said.

The Warriors started the first quarter ahead, as Claire Lee ‘26 made the first shot of the game and soon after, Vivian Hapka ‘26 was fouled, giving the Warriors another chance to widen their lead. Unfortunately, this was where Westwood’s lead began to slip. With 5:42 left in the first quarter, Vista Ridge sank a three, bringing the score to 4-3. Vista Ridge only continued to make more buckets, easily maneuvering the Warrior defense and stealing the ball from Westwood’s possession and with less than three minutes left in the first quarter, Vista Ridge had a considerable lead at 10-4. Just when it was needed, Lee drove the ball past the Ranger defense and scored a layup, bringing the score, back into fighting distance at 13-6. With 30 seconds left, the Warriors failed to keep up with the Rangers’ speed, with many of their opportunities to score foiled when the ball was stolen. The first quarter ended with Vista Ridge leading by more than double, at 17-8.

“We kind of predetermined our passes, so the other team [could] view our eyes pretty easily to know where those passes were going,” Ava Sartor ‘25 said. “I think our defense was a lot better this game. We have struggled in the past week keeping girls in front of us, and I think our posts especially did a better job keeping guards in front and other girls in front.”

The second quarter started with more energy from the Warriors. Only two minutes into the quarter, Co-Captain Theresa Bell ‘26 sank a three bringing the score to 17-11. After the Rangers scored again, the Warriors called a timeout with 3:35 left in the first half. However, this break to strategize made little difference as after more lapses in the Warriors’ defense the Rangers only continued to widen the gap in the score. With 3:14 left and the score at 29-15, Lee was fouled. As she drained the two free throws and set the score 29-17, but sadly, the Rangers responded quickly to the Warriors’ improved performance, continuing to steal the ball and rack up their points. The first half ended with the score at 37-18, the Warrior defense faltering yet again.

“I think our first half was really good, [but] our turnovers led to points for [Vista Ridge],” Co-Captain Caroline Doughtery ‘25 said. “We communicated really well and we were confident with the ball. In the tournaments, we gained confidence and the ability to work together, and our defense has gotten way better.”

Determined to close the 19-point gap in the scores in the second half, the Warriors came out of the locker room with energy. And like the first half, the Warriors scored the first shot of the second half after snatching a rebound. Continuing with the improvements, the Warriors were also quicker on defense, with D’Alessandro stealing the ball. With six minutes left, allowing Dougherty to make a bucket which brought the score to 39-24. However, despite their improved communication, the Warriors again began to lose their aggressive edge that was present in their defense. The Rangers only upped their score, continuously scoring threes and stealing the ball and by the end of the third quarter, Vista Ridge had a 20 point lead at 45-25.

“I would say we’ve really improved on talking with each other and trusting each other,” Dougherty said. “I think that comes over time, with team building and just hanging out with each other. I think we have a lot more trust in each other and just a lot more comfortability and chemistry with each other.”

The start of the fourth quarter wasn’t looking good for the Warriors, with the Rangers sinking a three in the first 30 seconds of the fourth quarter. Not long after, Iman Xu ‘28 was fouled, allowing her to increase the score to 27-48 with six minutes left in the game. After the Rangers scored multiple times, D’Alessandro pushed past Vista Ridge’s tough defense to make a layup, bringing the score to 53-29.

Sadly, in the last five minutes, the Warriors’  defense continued to falter and their offense couldn’t keep up with the Rangers’ speed. With 1:07 left, Xu scored another layup that was quickly followed by a foul, allowing Xu to score more points. In the last 20 seconds, Hapka was fouled, allowing her to bring the score to 57-33. But soon, the final buzzer rang with Westwood still in possession, unable to score again.

“[For the rest of the season] I want to win out every single game,” D’Alessandro said. “I know it’s my last year, and a lot of other girls’, so I just want us to do really well, and I’m really excited for the rest.”

The Warriors will next face off against their rivals, the McNeil Mavericks, at home on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.