Westfield’s Ryan White is heavily guarded by MCLA players underneath the basket. The Owls only shot 20 percent from the field in large part due to the Trailblazers’ strong defensive effort. (Photo by Mickey Curtis)
WESTFIELD – John Jones had team highs of 14 points and eight rebounds and Ramon Viches added 13 points as MCLA rolled to a resounding 64-43 victory over a cold-shooting Westfield State University in a key early season MASCAC game on Tuesday.
The surprising Trailblazers are 6-9 overall but are the lone unbeaten in the MASCAC at 3-0. MCLA has also posted statement victories over two other conference contenders – Salem State and Worcester State.
The Owls fell to 2-2 in the MASCAC and 12-4 overall. After taking an early 4-0 lead, Westfield went completely frigid for the remainder of the game. The Owls shot a dismal 20 percent from the field (15 for 73, including 0 for 12 from 3-point range) and 46 percent (13 for 38) from the foul line.
Westfield – which had scored 82 points in each of its previous two games – shot an identical 20 percent in both halves. The Owls did improve their free throw shooting the second half (10 for 15) after shooting 23 percent (3 for 13) from the charity stripe in the first half.
MCLA only shot 37 percent form the floor, but was 7 for 20 from 3-point range and 13 for 18 from the foul line.
Despite its shooting woes, Westfield only trailed by 12 points, 29-17, at halftime, as the Owls played tough interior defense with eight blocked shots in the opening 20 minutes, including five by 6-7 senior center Matt Devine.
Westfield freshman forward Brian Foley lays in one of the few baskets the Owls made in the paint.
But the Trailblazers scored 15 of their 27 first-half points on five 3-point baskets, including three consecutive treys by Viches that fueled a 12-2 run for a 22-8 MCLA lead.
In the second half, MCLA quickly erased any Westfield thoughts of a comeback. The Trailblazers continued to play a relentless defense and used a 13-3 spurt at the start of the half for an insurmountable 42-20 lead with 13:23 to play. MCLA’s lead grew as many as 25 points before the teams begin substituting freely in the final minutes.
Westfield high-scoring guard Lee Vazquez led all scorers with 16 points; however, he scored 12 of his points in the game’s final seven minutes. The 5-6 senior also had 10 rebounds, four assists and seven steals. Devine finished with eight points, 12 rebounds and six blocks.
Westfield outrebounded MCLA, 54-50, but it was a deceptive stat as 26 of the Owls rebounds were off the offensive glass after numerous missed shots underneath the basket.
Nine players scored for the depth-laden Trailblazers, including nine points from Vernon Cross.
