It’s a fierce rivalry that never fails to disappoint, and in their latest battle this past Friday, Jan. 4, the Westport boys’ varsity basketball team was able to defeat West Bridgewater 62-53.

“When the two Wildcats come together, it’s always a very intense matchup,” said Head Coach Scot Boudria.

Friday’s game proved to be no exception. Though both Division 4 teams started off in sluggish fashion, failing to sink shots and win rebounds, Westport entered the second half with a renewed sense of determination, amping up the physicality out on the court. Coming into the third quarter just barely leading their opponent by a one-point margin, the boys in brown-and-gold quickly began nailing the baskets they had been missing during the first 16 minutes of play, distancing themselves from West Bridgewater.

“We just wanted it more than the other team,” said junior Conor Lecomte.

Lecomte, Mr. Boudria said, played a critical role in their win. In addition to scoring eight points for his team, Lecomte’s ability to dictate the pace, allowing his teammates to feed off his energy, was a crucial asset.

“Conor is a junior, but he is ahead of his years,” Mr. Boudria said.

Also finishing the night off strong for Westport was Domanick Vitorino, who led his team in scoring with 12 points. Aidan Viveiros, Aidan Rock and Nick Payne each added nine points to the total, with Roberto Ferreira following close behind with an additional eight. Connor Strangis contributed four, while Darian Machado closed out with three of his own.

Though Friday’s win boosted Westport to an overall 4-1 record, Coach Boudria has no intention of easing up in practice. With such a young team, he knows that the time spent working on the fundamentals and exposing his players to different scenarios will only allow them to grow more confident out on the court.

“They have a lot to learn about the game,” Mr. Boudria said.

Westport’s next home game will be on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 6:30 pm against the Southeastern RVT Hawks.