Westminster crushes Calvary Christian
FORT LAUDERDALE — Westminster Academy dominated from the opening tip and won a battle of reigning Broward County state champions, 92-68, on Thursday night at Calvary Christian.
The Lions’ exceptional guard play proved too much as they got up and down the floor finding fast-break opportunities and also shot well from the outside.
Dudley Blackwell led Westminster with 25 points. FGCU signee Zach Scott had 19 with five steals. Chase Johnston also scored 19 – on 4-of-5 shooting from 3 – with six rebounds, six assists and four steals, and Sam Griffin added 18.
“We were really backtracking to last year because they came to our [house] and beat us there,” Scott said. “We wanted to get payback.”
The Lions (10-4) won their sixth consecutive game. The Eagles (9-5) had won four of their previous five entering Thursday.
Westminster, which last year won the state’s Class 4A state title, jumped out to a fast 8-0 run to start Thursday’s action and never looked back, leading 29-12 at the end of the first quarter.
“We knew if we got a big lead and an early start, they’ll shut down later on,” said Blackwell, a 6-foot-6 sophomore with offers from FGCU and Oklahoma State.
Added coach Ehren Wallhoff: “The start was indicative of what we’re trying to accomplish. We’re trying to come out hard, show we can play some D, get after people, get stops and then push the ball.”
Calvary scrapped in the second quarter but never got the deficit under 12. Westminster went into the half leading 45-26 and expanded on that lead in the second half, up by as many as 29.
The Lions lost three in a row early this season – to University School, Northeast and Pennsylvania’s Monsignor Bonner in the Kreul Classic. They have since won eight of nine with ensuing wins against defending Class 2A state champs Miami Christian and New Jersey’s Patrick School in the Kreul. Their only other loss came against Rockledge in the Kingdom of the Sun tournament.
Calvary was down two starting guards, senior Mick Lynott and junior Dexter Hamilton.