The Westside boys basketball team finished as the runner-up in the annual Metro Holiday Tournament, but it didn’t come without a little late game magic propelling Westside to a 63- 61 win over Creighton Prep in the semi-finals.
Westside’s Carson Healy inbounded the ball to Lee Robinson with two seconds remaining. The pass set him up for a game winning shot from just beyond half court. Head coach Jim Simons describes the play they ran.
“It’s the same play that we ran against Millard North in District five or six years ago,” Simons said. “Prep took the first option away, which is who was just trying to get into Tyson [Odvody], and one of our shooters running down the sideline, in Emre [Gedik] and London [Dada]. And the second option is Lee [Robinson] running underneath and trying to get it to him on the run. And, you know, two seconds he’s got probably two or three dribbles and tries to make a play. And he made a play.”
The Warriors were led in scoring by Emre Gedik with 20 points. Sophomore London Dada added 11 more in the Warriors win. Robinson had only six points including the game winner, but did facilitate the ball well totaling seven assists. Despite Robinson only having three points before the shot, he was ready to make the play.
“Coach asked can you catch the ball, can you make a basket and make an open shot,” Robinson said. “We were expecting a three for one of our shooters but it happened to be me and I had to make the play.”
Creighton Prep and Westside is a rivalry spanning back all the way to the 1950’s. The Warriors have won six of the last ten including three straight against the Junior Jays. Other than the matchup in the Metro Holiday tournament, the last matchup between the two rivals was an overtime thriller the Warriors won 74-70 in 2024. Robinson says it’s game by game and all about the prep work in the gym.
“We just got to be in the gym,” Robinson said. “Get back working for every game.”
Creighton Prep and Westside will continue the annual rivalry this week at the Birdcage, as the Junior Jays come into the matchup with a record of 8-2. The team is led by forward Trinell Parker. The senior averages 16.8 points per game with a season high of 24 against Norfolk. The Warriors head to Creighton Prep on Friday, Jan. 10 to take on the Junior Jays.
