Westover girls earn split at Monroe playdate

ALBANY — The Westover Lady Patriots flexed their offensive firepower in one game and battled to the final possession in another Tuesday afternoon, splitting a pair of summer basketball contests at Monroe High School’s final home playdate of the summer.

Westover stormed past Berrien 54-19 before seeing a late lead slip away in a one-point loss to Perry in the day’s final matchup.

The Lady Patriots wasted little time taking command against Berrien.

Rising sophomore Amarise Idlett buried an early 3-pointer to ignite a 7-0 run and set the tone for the afternoon. Westover attacked on both ends of the floor, forcing turnovers and turning defensive stops into easy scoring opportunities.

Idlett, fellow sophomore Ja’Niyah Brown and rising senior Sydney Donaldson spearheaded the charge as the Lady Patriots steadily widened the gap. By halftime, Westover had built a commanding 29-10 advantage.

Any hopes of a Berrien comeback quickly disappeared after the break.

Donaldson drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to push the lead to 37-10 as the Lady Patriots continued to overwhelm Berrien with their speed, defensive pressure and balanced scoring attack.

Westover never looked back, cruising to the 35-point victory.

The second game of the day proved far more challenging.

Facing a talented Perry squad, the Lady Patriots battled through a competitive contest and carried a lead into the closing stages before Perry rallied late to steal a one-point victory.

“We dwindled a lead late in the game,” Westover head coach Derek Pace said. “We missed a few easy opportunities, had unforced errors and poor defense late. We lost by one to a good, young, well-coached Perry team.”

While the loss was disappointing, Pace said the summer schedule has revealed encouraging signs about the development of his team.

The Lady Patriots have spent June building chemistry, gaining experience and learning how to compete together, and Pace believes those efforts are beginning to pay off.

“It has been exciting to see the growth,” Pace said. “This group has put in the work all summer and it’s starting to show. They’re playing harder, communicating better and gaining confidence. I can’t ask for more than that.”

As summer workouts continue, Westover hopes Tuesday’s combination of a dominant victory and a hard-fought loss will provide valuable lessons heading into the upcoming season.

The Lady Patriots showed they can overwhelm an opponent when everything is clicking. Against Perry, they were reminded how thin the margin can be between winning and losing when facing quality competition.