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Ogden • Westlake has been on high alert for the past two weeks. After spending several weeks ranked in the top five in the 5A classification this season, the Thunder tumbled with four consecutive setbacks.
Suddenly, the season appeared grim. Westlake needed to win out in the regular season and escape a play-in game to even qualify for the postseason.
It did.
And on Tuesday, the Thunder showcased exactly how deep Region 4 is with a 70-51 shellacking of Region 1's top-seeded Weber in the Class 4A boys' basketball first round at the Dee Events Center for the program's first playoff win in its seven-year history.
"Throw all that stuff out the window. It's a new season," said Westlake coach Nate Carling on Wednesday. "We're playing our best basketball right now. We feel the last three or four games things are starting to come together. We went through some adversity, learned from it, and I think we're better because of it."
Both teams stood in the center of the ring, feeling each other out, in the first half. It was a rocky start. Weber's Conner Shaw was one of the lone players unaffected by the postseason nerves, as he knocked down two 3-pointers to build an early 10-6 for the Warriors (19-4).
But it slowly began to unravel for Weber from that point forward after Michael Nelson brought the Thunder (18-6) back to within one point when he rattled in his own triple after his defender bit on the pump fake.
The Thunder claimed a four-point advantage at intermission behind Asa McCord, who chipped in nine first-half points and ultimately finished with a game-high 19 points and nine rebounds.
Westlake opened the floodgates in the third quarter. Maizen Fausett's long jumper paired with Shamon Willis' pull-up and two McCord freebies extended the cushion to 40-30 midway through the third. The Thunder led by 20 points in the fourth quarter.
"We've been playing with confidence," said Fausett, who finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, five blocks, four steals and three assists. "If we play the way we have been, then we can beat anybody."
Michael Nelson added 14 points in the win for the Thunder, who shot 73 percent (14 of 19) in the second half, and 57 percent for the game.
The Warriors, who easily claimed the Region 1 title, were flustered by Westlake's length. Though the Thunder technically play without a true post, their lineup features several 6-foot-5 guards.
Weber shot 33 percent from the field and was 5 of 20 from beyond the arc. Leading-scorer Grant Ellison, who Carling said "had our full attention," was limited to 10 points, while Spencer Campbell notched a team-high 13 points.
Region 4 has largely been considered the premier region for boys' basketball this season, and with the thorough domination from its fourth-seeded program, that conversation was intensified.
"I know our league is very good. It prepared us for this," Carling said. "Maybe what helped us the most — is we had to win the last three games just to get here. We've been in the playoff mentality, survive and advance, for the last couple of weeks."
Twitter: @trevorphibbs —
Storylines
• Westlake heats up in the second half to knock off Region 1's top-seeded Weber.
• Asa McCord and Maizen Fausett combined for 36 points and 16 rebounds in the win.
• The Thunder earn their first playoff win in school history.