For the second time in recent weeks, Westside head coach Jerry Hunter went to the old Spider Man adage – “with great power comes great responsibility” – during a text exchange Friday night after his team defeated Butler 75-64 on the road to improve to 12-5 overall and 6-0 in Class 2A, Region 4 action. The game was a rematch from last season’s state championship game, and Westside’s victory was the team’s fifth straight, and the seventh in its last eight outings. Almost halfway through the fourteen-game region slate, the No. 1 ranked Patriots stand one game ahead of No. 9 Putnam County, two in front of No. 4 Thomson, and three ahead of both Washington County and Butler.
The “great power” part of Coach Hunter’s most recent slogan for the team no doubt pertains to the fact that Westside returned the best four players from last season’s state championship team. The Patriots have been flexing their muscles during region play by winning all six of their games by more than ten points and sporting an average margin of victory of 29 points.
Hunter, who led Laney to a state title in 2012 before repeating the feat last season with Westside, showered praise on all five of his starters during our exchange. Let’s start with 6’5” senior Khalon Hudson, last season’s class 2A player of the year, who led the way in Friday’s win with 30 points and 20 rebounds, including 12 on offense.
“K was a monster,” Hunter texted. “His will alone dominated the boards. And I was impressed by the way he played through the fouls.”
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Hudson made 7 of his 8 free throw attempts, and his “monster” game against the returning state runner up was the third standout performance in a high profile region game in three tries already for Hudson this season. Khalon scored 17 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in a 66-50 win over No. 4 Thomson on December 16. And he dropped 30 points on No. 9 Putnam County on January 3rd.
“Marco did a heck of a job regulating the tempo and controlling the pace,” Hunter said, referring to junior point guard Demarco Middleton.
Middleton, three-year starter who leads the team in assists at 5 per game, scored 15 points Friday and dished 5 dimes.
Then there’s senior Jalexs Ewing, or, since we’re referencing Spider Man when it comes to Westside recently, I should call him “the amazing Jalexs Ewing,” as I often do when he does things like this…
“Jalexs, of course, was Jalexs,” Hunter messaged, keeping it simple.
I know what he means. Of Ewing’s six field goals for the game, five were dunks. And they were “amazing.” But that’s just what you expect from Jalexs when you get familiar with Westside basketball.
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Hunter then noted the contributions from senior AuMauri Tillman and junior Xavier Goss. And he concluded by answering my final question about whether he thinks his squad is hitting its stride after a 5-4 start to the season.
“AuMauri had his tooth pulled earlier, but he still found the courage to play,” Hunter texted. “And Goss as usual is our baby Charles Oakley. Oak Dog brought the physicality needed to control the aggression on defense.”
“As for finding our stride,” Hunter texted. “We’re playing together and trusting each other. With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility! Whole Team Offense, and Whole Team Defense!!!”
Butler (7-8, 3-3) was led by Willie Taylor and Jashaun Belton, who scored 16 points each. Latrell Rainey added 13 points and Zy Grant dished a team high 5 assists.
Follow Chad Cook’s coverage of local sports on Facebook and Instagram at @AugustaPressSports, and on Twitter at @AugPressSports.
