Wildcats thrash Stang, 40-27, win three straight
Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr.
Posted 12/30/24
The Westport girls' basketball team thrash Bishop Stang 40-27 in a non-league home game on Friday night. The win is the Wildcats third in a row as they improved their record to 3-1.
“We are getting better,” said Senior center Jenna Egbe. “I feel like our team chemistry is getting so much better and we’re doing really good so far.”
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Wildcats thrash Stang, 40-27, win three straight
Zoey Sylvain drives to the hoop for two of her team high 13 points during Westport's 40-27 victory over Stang on Friday night.
Photos by Rich Dionne
Kylie Hazel drives in for a layup in the third quarter. She finished with 7 points.
Tess Silvia fights for a loose ball at midcourt.
Julia George dribbles by a defender as the Wildcats go on offense.
Jenna Egbe transfers to defense after a Stang rebound. The senior led Westport with 9 rebounds during the game.
Posted
The Westport girls' basketball team thrash Bishop Stang 40-27 in a non-league home game on Friday night. The win is the Wildcats third in a row as they improved their record to 3-1.
“We are getting better,” said Senior center Jenna Egbe. “I feel like our team chemistry is getting so much better and we’re doing really good so far.”
Egbe, who has been aggressive on the boards this season, pulled down 9 rebounds against Stang.
I’ve been giving it everything, she said. “I’ve been going hard at practice and setting goals for myself. It’s my last season.”
Red-hot Westport received scoring from all five starters. Coach Gargiulo’s team mantra is “Trust yourself and your teammates,” said senior guard Zoey Sylvain, who led Westport with 13 points. The senior guard netted them all in the second and third quarters as Westport pulled away from Stang after scoring just 3 points, a Julia George 3-pointer, in the first quarter.
Westport, down 7-3, scored 16 points in the second quarter and 15 more in the third, to take a 34-22 lead into the fourth quarter.
Sylvain buried a 3-pointer and made a layup in the second quarter. Senior center Jenna Egbe scored from underneath and added a foul shot. Senior guard Tess Sylvia and guard Kylie Hazel each scored 2 points as Westport took a 16-12 lead. George, also a senior guard, added a foul shot and hit a big 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to end the half and give Westport a 19-12 lead.
Sylvain heats up in the third quarter
Sylvain who pulled down 5 rebounds, most on the offensive boards, got hot and scored 8 points in the third quarter.
“It’s been like riding a bike,” said Sylvain, who came back to the team, after not playing her sophomore and junior seasons. She has a high basketball IQ and has been a catalyst for the team.
“I expected to be more rusty,” she said. “It kind of just came back.”
“I’m happy we beat Stang,” she said. “We lost our first game. I think that our team goal and a personal goal of mine, is to make that our only loss of the season.”
Hazel, a sophomore guard added a 3-pointer and a layup for 5 of her 7 points. Egbe who led Westport with 9 boards, added a layup as the Wildcats pulled away with a 34-22 lead.
Wildcats relied on their D in the fourth
Westport relied on their defense as their shooting cooled off in the fourth quarter. Stang cut the lead to 7 points with under two minutes to go. Head coach Jen Garguilo called a time out and seconds later, Tess Silvia promptly came through with a big 3-pointer.
“We needed it,” Silvia said. I kind of just locked in.”
Silvia, who has a high motor, is the team’s fiercest defender consistently diving after loose balls when needed. She plays at the top of the key and takes on the opponent’s point guard.
“I’m good to go the whole game, crawling on the floor if I have to,” she said.
On the Wildcats’ next possession, Sylvain inbounded the ball to Egbe, who cut across the paint and drained a right-handed hook shot.
The two back to back possessions, ended any hopes of a Stang comeback.
“We’re still trying to find what works for this set of five,” said George. “But we’ve been and working hard and having fun. We have our moments, but we’ve been finding ways to get the job done.”
Westport scoring:
Zoey Syvain scored 13, Julia George scored 8, Kylie Hazel scored 7, Jenna Egbe scored 7 and Tess Silvia scored 5.
