A fast start for Lobos basketball

December 21, 2024 1:30 am
Top, left to right: Glory Westervelt, Iris Ervin-McLean, Betty Burt (with ball) and Dani Arnot take off on a fast break against Cedar Park Christian. The Lobos won 33—24. Bottom, left to right: Tristan Buckallew (22), Jake Jonas (14) and Ethan Patrick (10) look on as Silas Gronley brings down a rebound against Cedar Park in the Lobos’ 59-43 victory at home. Photos by Gene Helfman.
Top, left to right: Glory Westervelt, Iris Ervin-McLean, Betty Burt (with ball) and Dani Arnot take off on a fast break against Cedar Park Christian. The Lobos won 33—24. Bottom, left to right: Tristan Buckallew (22), Jake Jonas (14) and Ethan Patrick (10) look on as Silas Gronley brings down a rebound against Cedar Park in the Lobos’ 59-43 victory at home. Photos by Gene Helfman.

By Gene Helfman

Lopez opened the 2024-2025 season with a home game against Cedar Park Christian on Dec. 4. The boisterous, standing-room-only crowd’s enjoyment was heightened by the stunning, life-size posters of all varsity athletes that circled the facility’s walls. The Lobos ladies’ game started slowly but favorably for Lopez, who held a 7-2 lead at the end of the first period. That lead expanded in the second quarter to 17-5 when, with perhaps three minutes left in the half, the Eagles went on a tear and tied the game at 17 apiece. Play was even in the second half, Cedar Park even leading 20-19 well into the third period. But Lopez then pulled out ahead, the score 25-20 after three periods. The Lobos’ defense stiffened and held the Eagles to only four more points, the game ending Lopez 33, Cedar Park 24. Lopez scoring was led by Glory Westervelt with nine points, followed closely by Betty Burt with seven and Ruby Ervin-McLean with six. Iris Ervin-McLean, Saskia Fischer, Evelyn Aguilar-Clavel and Dani Arnott also contributed points. Coach Karrie Warner encouraged her players to ignore the Eagles’ second-quarter surge and just stick with what we planned and “play our game. We came out of the locker room and did just that. We’re doing things a little different this year and I think it’s going to work well for us.”

Despite a slow start to the men’s game, the Lobos had a slim 11-8 lead after one quarter. The next period was marked by back-and-forth steals and fast breaks, the half ending knotted at 21 all. Something clicked at the start of the second half, the Lobos sinking five straight baskets and going on a 15-point run before the Eagles even scored. Lopez’s lead was never cut, the Lobos holding a 40-27 lead after three periods. Lopez continued to dominate in the final quarter, the game ending Lopez 59, Cedar Park 43. Ethan Patrick led scoring with 18 points, followed closely by Silas Gronley with 15 and Benji Stephenson with nine. Huck Henderson and Andris Meissner each had five points, and Tristan Buckallew, Nathan Kinney and Jake Jonas also scored. Afterward, Coach Shane Patrick felt the game started out a little sluggish, but the team started working on offense and playing good defense. “I was proud of everybody on the court.” When asked what he said at halftime that sparked the scoring explosion, Patrick said he just told them if they didn’t start playing right, he’d start yelling at them.

The Lobos next home games are Dec. 12 and 19.