Western Boone Jr. - Sr. High School

It could have been a sucker punch for the Western Boone boys basketball team. After leading for the entire game, the Stars were seconds away from victory over North Montgomery when the Chargers' Cameron Enlow hit a desperation heave from three-quarter court to force overtime. But rather than letting the shock linger, the Stars got back to work and pulled out an 82-77 victory. "Our guys were stunned by the shot, but they came to the bench ready to go," Western Boone Head Coach Dustin Oakley said. "They knew (Kelby) Harwood fouled out, and they knew it was a four minutes we were going to get. They were really positive, we talked about what we wanted to do defensive with Harwood out, and they were locked in." The win improved the Stars to 4-10 and was their second win in the last three games. While the results haven't always gone their way over the past couple of weeks, Oakley said he has seen a lot of positive growth over the past few weeks. "We've been a different team," Oakley said. "The last couple weeks of practice have been really solid and we are playing like we practice. The whole 36 minutes tonight, and our last couple of games, we are doing things a lot easier. It's about sharing the basketball, we are trusting each other on defense and I am really pleased with where we are headed." A big sign of that improvement was the game on Friday. The Stars faced the Chargers on Jan. 10 in the Sugar Creek Classic and lost a 33-28 defensive struggle. Three weeks later they scored 67 points in regulation against an improved Chargers team that came in with close losses to Lebanon (12-4) and West Lafayette (14-3) in recent games. "I honestly think this is the best North team I have seen in four years," Oakley said. "They really have bought in to Harwood running the show and they are a physical and a really good defensive team. I think they are really good and getting better. For us to get a gutsy win - I thought our guys were pretty tough for 36 minutes." The Stars led by eight at the quarter and nine at the half. They increased the lead to 10 by the end of the third quarter at 51-41, and then held off the late Charger charge. freestar Quinn Westerfeld had 29 for the Stars, with Gavin Hawkins adding 25 and Tristyn Faulk 13. Marcus Fortner had eight points in his first game back in a month. Oakley said Beau Sawyer and Luke Adkins also had key shots and that "everyone did their job and did something positive." The 29 points was Westerfeld's career high, the second time in three games he set his new standard. Over the past three weeks he has seen his scoring average improve from 11 to 13.4. freestar "It's a mental thing with him, only being a sophomore and finding out what he can do," Oakley said. "Last year he was averaging just under 5 a game and now he is one of our leading scorers. I have seen it since second grade, being in my son's class, he has always been the guy hitting big shots. We know he can do it, but it's about him not forcing things. Tonight he used his teammates, let them get involved and then when he needed to make plays, he did." The win was extra special for the Stars, who played the game in the newly renovated Thorntown Gymnasium. Moving forward, the Stars want to have a game a year in either the Granville Wells or Thorntown gym. Oakley said it was a good experience for his team. "It was a really good experience for them and our community," he said. "It was packed midway through the girls game and it was a great atmosphere. We told them earlier in the week it was going to be an amazing night for everyone involved and for our athletic department to put it on was great. I really think they could sense it once we did our pregame talk and they were locked in and wanted to put on a good performance. And I'm glad we pulled it out." The Stars have eight games left in the regular season, with five of the next six at home. Oakley said if the team can continue to improve like they have been, they could go on a nice little run. "We just have to keep doing what we are doing," Oakley said. "We have six of nine at home (counting Friday) and you have to protect home court to be a good team. Faith Christian comes in Monday, and we have just have to stay positive and keep working. It's unreal that we can be 4-10 and our guys act like we are 10-4. They come and work hard in practice, they are focused and play hard every night and want to win. I have never been around a group of kids that does this, and it's been this way the last couple of years. We have to come out Monday ready to compete, tweak a few things and hopefully we can pull out some more wins." Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.