WESTFIELD – Westfield Technical Academy sophomore point guard Lia O’Brien made several electric plays in the early going and sophomore forward-center Amirah Brown dominated the low post in the second half of the Tigers’ latest effort.
Still, it wasn’t enough to quell the surge by their Springfield area opponent.
Topaz Green scored a team-high 25 points, exploding for 11 points in the fourth quarter as Commerce handed the Westfield Technical Academy girls basketball team its first loss of the season, defeating the Tigers, 44-37, on Tuesday evening.
Green and Jayleen Warren (15 points) combined for 40 points, scoring all but four points for Commerce. All of Warren’s field goals came from the low post, including three baskets late in the fourth quarter to help the Red Raiders hold off Westfield Tech.
“I think we lost this game on the boards today, offensively and defensively,” Westfield Technical Academy girls basketball coach Alvin Brown, Jr. said. “We left a lot of points in the post that we should have got.”
Green and Warren helped Commerce to the early lead until a 10-0 Westfield Tech run gave the Tigers a 12-5 advantage late in the first quarter. O’Brien (10 points) made a couple of short jump shots to get things started for the Tigers before slipping a pass to Keira Jaquier (nine points) in the paint. Jaquier finished off the play with a strong low post move. O’Brien made another short jumper, and Jacquier capped off the run with two made free throws.
Westfield Tech got into foul trouble in the second quarter and Commerce capitalized. The Red Raiders reeled off 11 straight points to take a 17-15 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Green scored three straight 2-point baskets to end the run with some aggressive drives to the hoop that often ended with a beautiful floater in the lane.
After going more than seven scoreless minutes, Westfield Tech finally got on the second quarter scoreboard with just over a minute remaining in the half with a Brown putback. The Tigers trailed 19-17 at the break.
Brown (17 points) took over in the third quarter, scoring all eight of her team’s points during an 8-0 run that gave Westfield Tech a 27-23 lead late in the frame. Brown sank two free throws around the midway point of the quarter, followed that up with a mid-range jump shot, and then converted a pair of low post attempts.
Green countered with a strong drive to the basket in transition for two and Brown beat the buzzer with another interior basket that tied the game at 27 heading into the final quarter.
Green continued to excel in the fourth quarter, zipping past defenders before they could get set (especially in transition) and boosting Commerce’s lead to six, 33-27.
Jaquier halted Commerce’s 10-0 run when she stole a rebound under her team’s basket and put the ball up and in with 5:13 showing on the fourth quarter clock. Westfield Tech’s defense held the Red Raiders scoreless on their next possession, and Brown scored to pull the Tigers within two, 33-31.
Warren responded with another two in the paint. Brown drew a foul for Westfield Tech and made the second of two free throw attempts with 4:02 remaining. Warren scored two more inside. Brown followed with a tough, contested two-point jumper.
“Amirah is working hard in her second year of basketball ever,” coach Brown said in describing his daughter. “I feel once she learns her position and learns how to control the paint, she will be a force to be reckoned with.”
After Brown’s made field goal, Warren made yet another low post move for two.
Commerce made a defensive stop and turned that into points when Green drove the lane for another quick transition bucket. Westfield Tech drew a foul and went to the line with 1:59 left in the game but missed both free throws.
Green hit the dagger for Commerce at the 1:51 mark, nailing a 3-pointer to go up by 10. Westfield Tech ran out of time.
“Any team that loses their starting point guard kind of loses their whole offense at one point,” coach Brown said regarding O’Brien, who fouled out early in the second half. “We have a lot of young players so I still look forward to the future and seeing what else everybody off the bench can do. … Now we have things to practice, back to the drawing board.”
Westfield Tech continues its four-game homestand to begin the season Friday against McCann Tech, tipping off at 6 p.m. After that game, the Tigers are off until Fri., Jan. 2 when they host Gateway at 3 p.m.
