“Dom and I play big. This is one of the smallest teams that we’ve had in years. Coach has us playing the four and five and I think it works great honestly.””

Aidan Rock

Senior forwards Dom Vitorino and Aidan Rock combined for 29 rebounds and junior guard Hunter Brodeur scored 21 points as the Westport High School basketball team beat up Bishop Connolly 72-59 in a physical and furious Mayflower Athletic Conference game in Fall River on Wednesday night. The victory boosted the Wildcats overall record to 13-1.

“We give it all we got, 24-7 in practice,” said Rock. “We treat practice like it’s a game. We don’t go out and hurt anyone, but we are going to out rebound our teammates and make everyone better, to be the best we can.” 

The Wildcats brought down rebounds, rebounds and more rebounds. Twenty boards came on defense and led to fast break points, especially in the second half.  

“Tonight we had the upper hand with the boards and it really helped us,” Vitorino said. “We know we are a smaller team, so we go hard at practice to make us tougher. When we come into games like this we’re prepared.”

Vitorino and Rock, the team’s senior captains, aren’t the tallest or largest gents in the Mayflower league, but they may well be the toughest. 

“Dom and I play big,” said Rock. “This is one of the smallest teams that we’ve had in years. Coach has us playing the four and five and I think it works great honestly.”

Both seniors had double-doubles against Bishop Connolly. Vitorino sporting bright yellow sneakers, grabbed 17 boards and scored 11 points and Rock pulled down 12 boards and netted 16 points. 

“I got a pair of white shoes, but their traction is really bad,” Vitorino said after the game. He found a new pair of yellow Adidas shoes on line. With the Wildcats wearing their brown away uniforms the new sneakers really stood out. “I saw those and said, we are going to go different senior year.”

Poitras scored six in the first quarter

Westport led just 18-17 after the first quarter. Ben Poitras came off the bench and scored six points and pulled down 5 rebounds during the game. Brodeur scored five points with a three pointer.  Owen Boudria sank a three and Rock added a bucket.

Vitorino caught fire in the second quarter and netted three jumpers and a foul shot. Rock added four points and Brodeur sank a jumper as the Wildcats led 31-28 at halftime.

Wildcats blistering pace tramples Cougars in second half

Westport turned up the physicality on defense, ran a series of presses and traps and played at a blistering pace in the second half which resulted in Cougars turnovers and Wildcats points. 

Ben Boudria started the scoring in the third quarter when he jumped in front of a Cougars pass and quickly sped up court for a right handed layup. Rock took a pass from Brodeur and drove in for a left handed layup to give Westport a 35-32 lead. On the Wildcats next possession, they passed the ball vigorously around the perimeter. Ben Boudria found Brodeur alone in the corner, near the Wildcats bench. Brodeur took advantage and drained a three to increase the lead to 38-32. 

Vitorino grabbed a defensive rebound and threw a Tom Brady-like pass to Rock who was sprinting up the left side. Rock drove to the hoop for another lefty layup to increase the lead to 40-33. Ben Boudria dribbling at the top of the key, rifled a pass to Brodeur on the left side of the arch and he sank another three to give Westport a 43-33 lead.

“I was getting in open spots,” Brodeur said. “My teammates were just finding me.”  

Ben Boudria flew down the court on a fast break and crashed into a Bishop Connolly defender. He flipped the ball up over the top and drew a foul. Boudria sank both free throws to make it 45-33. 

Owen Boudria attempted a short range jumper and it banged off the rim. Rock jumped over the throng, grabbed the rebound and put it back up, to give Westport a 47-37 lead. 

Poitras and Jayden Zuber entered the game towards the end of the third. Zuber grabbed a defensive rebound and fired a pass to Ben Boudria sprinting down court on a fast break. He drove in for a right handed layup to extend the Westport lead to 53-39 with 1:19 left in the quarter. The Cougars called a time out and the Wildcats bench and fans celebrated as the players walked off the court to huddle. Rock scored six points in the quarter, Vitorino added a bucket and Zuber sank a free throw.

“We work on our stamina in practice,” said Rock. “What we do in practice, the drills that we are doing limit our fatigue in the game. Ben and Zuber did a great job coming off the bench.” 

Brodeur heats up in the fourth quarter

Brodeur with patented sleeveless jersey, scored eight fourth quarter points with a variety of layups and an end-to-end fast break that resulted with another layup and gave Westport a 62-54 lead.

“That part of the game comes from practice,” Brodeur said about his ability to score. “When I’m driving to the basket during practice, my teammates all jump up and try to block me. So when we get into games, it’s realistic and I’m used to it, so I’m able to finish through the contract.”

The strong, filthy quick guard also made a number of steals in the fourth quarter. After stealing the ball in front of the Cougars bench, he tossed the ball across the court to Rock who netted a right handed layup to give Westport a 64-54 lead with 3:14 to play in the game. Rock scored four points in the quarter as did Owen Boudria who had a pair of layups off fast breaks. 

Vitorino ended Westport’s scoring sinking two free throws to put the Wildcats up 72-59 with 1:18 to play. 

“It was a hard fought win,” said Vitorino. “A shout out to these guys (Bishop Connolly) for being tough. They gave us a really hard game.”

Next up: The Wildcats host West Bridgewater on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. and play at Holbrook on Friday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m.

Westport scoring: Hunter Brodeur scored 21 points, Aidan Rock scored 16 points, Dom Vitorino scored 11 points, Owen Boudria scored 11, Ben Poitras scored 6 points, Ben Boudria scored 4 and Jayden Zuber scored 3 points. 

Holden nets 13 as Wildcats subdue Cougars at home

Sophomore guard Korynne Holden scored 13 points as the Westport girls basketball team subdued Bishop Connolly 33-24 in a Mayflower Athletic Conference home game on Wednesday afternoon. Holden also collected three rebounds, four steals and two assists during the game. Leah Sylvain netted seven points with six rebounds, nine steals and two assists. Zoey Sylvain, Lily Pichette, Julia Geoge and Lacey Chaunt each scored three points and Sarah Perry added a foul shot.  After the  girls finished their game, many traveled to Fall River to cheer on the boys  on Wednesday night.

Next up: the Wildcats play at West Bridgewater on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. and host Holbrook on Friday, Feb. 11, at 5 p.m.