Almaden Resident

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Photograph by Vicki Thompson

Up for Two: Leland's David Janes goes up for two points in the consolation championship game at the Westmont Invitational. The Chargers lost a 50-49 heartbreaker to Willow Glen in the consolation title game.

Weimer leads Westmont to tourney title

By Kevin Sparrer

There is no greater feeling than winning your own tournament, except maybe scoring 29 points and pulling down 12 rebounds in the championship game of your own tournament.

Senior Michael Weimer did just that, playing a dominant role for Westmont in the final game of the 40th annual Westmont Invitational Basketball Tournament Fremont.

Weimer's 29 points included four three-pointers and seven points from the free-throw line, and his total accounted for nearly half of his team's offense and almost more than Fremont scored as a team in the 65-36 loss to Westmont on Dec. 1.

Not only that, but Weimer had 12 of the 18 points in the first quarter and then 12 of the 14 points scored for the Warriors in the second quarter.

By beating Fremont in the finals, Westmont posted its fourth championship in its own tournament. The first three times were in 1978, 1990 and 1995.

With the championship, Westmont earned four spots on the all-tournament team. Winning all-tourney honors for the Warriors were Weimer, Darrien Broadnax, Max Schneider and Spencer Smith. Joining them on the tourney dream team were Jeremy Allen and Sam Kesten of Fremont, Bo Nielsen and Steven Walker of Saratoga and Steven Skavdahl and Kyle Schroeder of Willow Glen.

The Firebirds had a small edge that lasted only a few minutes into the game before the dominant Westmont offense of Weimer and Smith ran away with the lead. Smith was also a big contributor to the Warrior win, scoring 15 points with 12 points coming from outside the three-point line and one coming on a free throw.

But as impressive as the offensive effort was for the Warriors, their defense was equally as solid.

"Something is going on with the defense," said Westmont head coach Bill Gerth. "We're holding teams in the 30s with the exception of Prospect, who scored 40. This team is very coachable and they're playing pretty hard, but it's early and all teams go in cycles. Hopefully this won't be our peak."

The defense did such a good job stopping the Fremont offense that in the second half Westmont held the Firebirds to only seven points in each quarter.

To reach the final round of the tournament, Westmont downed Prospect 56-40 with M. Weimer again leading the attack with 29 points. He hit four from three-point land and seven from the line.

In the first game of the tournament, Westmont defeated Leland 66-30 with Broadnax leading the attack. Broadnax hit five from outside the arc, two from the line and totaled 23 points in the win. Schneider also hit a three and finished the game with nine points, along with Smith who hit a trio of threes for nine. M. Weimer had eight with two at the line.

For the Chargers it was junior Drew Marino who headed the attack. Marino scored 11 points with three at the line and one from beyond the arc. Senior Patric Calhoun added seven with one at the line, senior David Janes had five with one free one, junior Ryan Hall had three, all at the line, and junior Ryan Selness had three with one from the line. Senior Kevin Stenn also had one.

Fremont had a more successful first two rounds of the tournament. In the second round, the Firebirds defeated Saratoga 56-46. Fremont's first game in the tourney was a win over Willow Glen 54-42.

Willow Glen fought back in the tournament after the first-round loss to Fremont to win the consolation bracket by defeating Leland in the last game 50-49.

For the Chargers, two players split the duties of scoring with Marino putting up 17, including five threes and two from the line, and junior Cody Tyson scoring 16 with four threes and two at the line. Sophomore Greg Hipwell added eight points, Selness had five, sophomore Adam Mackey had two and senior David Janes had one from the line.

The Rams' first win came over Piedmont Hills 49-44 in overtime.

Leland defeated Live Oak in the second round of the tournament 49-32 after the loss to Westmont.

Marino did the majority of the scoring for the Chargers, putting up 22 points with two threes and eight free throws. Hipwell scored nine including a three and a free throw, Selness added six, Mackey scored four with two from the line, senior Adam Munoz had four from the line, senior David Janes had two and senior Kevin Stenn had one free throw.

Leland was to take on Saratoga in the first round of the Los Gatos Wildcat Shootout on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.