Shorthanded Paulsboro stops Westampton

Paulsboro was short on seniors and short on experience.

But the Red Raiders had a couple of precocious freshmen and plenty of determination.

They also had Xavier Lundy.

Lundy, a 6-foot-5 junior forward, scored 24 points and was 6 for 6 from the foul line in the final 32 seconds as Paulsboro beat Westampton Tech, 70-67, Saturday in a clash of Top 10 teams at the Jeff Coney Memorial Tournament at Rancocas Valley.

"We just couldn't handle him," Westampton Tech coach Mike Williams said of Lundy.

Paulsboro (14-0), the No. 9 team in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings, was missing three starters who were taking their SATs: senior guards Calvin Johnson and Donald Childress and 6-8 junior center Julien Davenport.

But the Red Raiders received a big lift from freshman forwards Theo Holloway (14 points) and Saleem Little (9 points) and solid work from junior guard Derrick Burgess (10 points) and senior guard Juwan Alford (8 points).

"It was, 'Next man up,' " Paulsboro coach Sean Collins said. "I told the kids, 'Just go out and play hard.' In high school basketball, that will keep you in it, and these kids always play hard."

Senior forward Bazil Jackson scored 16 points and junior guard Shaun Russell added 14 for No. 8 Westampton Tech (13-2).

The Panthers were hurt by Russell's absence for more than eight minutes of the second half with foul trouble, and also by 5-for-13 shooting on free throws in the second half.

"That's been our Achilles heel," Williams said of free-throw shooting.

Paulsboro jumped out to a 40-28 lead at halftime as Lundy scored 12, including a pair of three-point jumpers.

Lundy also made an impact at the defensive end, especially in the second half. He blocked four shots in the third quarter.

"This game lets everybody know how good we are," Lundy said. "I knew we could win because I knew our young guys would step up."

Thanks to pressure defense and offensive rebounding, Westampton Tech rallied in the second half, twice cutting Paulsboro's lead to one point.

But the Red Raiders responded both times. Burgess made a big basket off a feed from Lundy to help blunt one rally, and Alford drove and dished to Lundy for a three-point play to stave off another.

Paulsboro also was steady from the foul line, going 11 for 12 in the fourth quarter. Little went 4 for 4, and Lundy held off Westampton Tech's last charge by making six in the row down the stretch.

"Our kids have answered every challenge all year," Collins said.

Paulsboro   22 18 11 19 – 70

Westampton Tech   17 11 16 23 – 67

P: Derrick Burgess 10, Juwan Alford 8, Xavier Lundy 24, Theo Holloway 14, Saleem Little 9, Cassius Carter 5.

WT: Awwall Reid 3, Marcus Stewart 5, Shaun Russell 14, Bazil Jackson 16, Jazmin Miller 3, Marquel Davis 13, Chad Davis 7, Tyshon Davis 3, Andrew Whittington 3.