BV Southwest’s first ever victory over Aquinas puts Timberwolves in 5A girls state title game
When Blue Valley Southwest senior Taylor Westrom drilled a three-pointer just before halftime that tied the game, there were signs that No. 1 seed St. Thomas Aquinas was in trouble.
The Timberwolves sustained that momentum in the second half and came away with a 42-31 victory Friday in a Kansas 5A girls state semifinal at the Kansas Expocentre. It was BV Southwest’s first victory over Aquinas in 12 games.
“There is no better feeling, especially in the state tournament,” said BV Southwest junior Cooper Courtney, who finished with a game-high 15 points. “This was the perfect time to beat them.”
BV Southwest, making its first state tournament appearance in girls basketball in its five-year history, will play for a state title at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Westrom’s first three-pointer of the game loosened up the Timberwolves. Before her shot, BV Southwest only had two points in the second quarter. As the clock was running down, junior Rilynne Like drove inside and then kicked the ball out to Westrom, whose trey sent the game into halftime tied 12-12.
“It was a great pass by Rilynne,” said Westrom, who finished with 13 points. “We were kind of struggling a little bit at the end of the second quarter. I think it really pumped us up and let us believe we could win.”
The only offense Aquinas got in the third quarter came from senior center Claire Ferguson, who scored seven points.
BV Southwest was able to take a 23-19 lead into the fourth quarter because of five points each from Like and Westrom.
The Timberwolves remained hot early in the fourth quarter. Westrom made her third three-pointer of the game. Courtney joined the three-point party and also added a couple of two-point field goals.
With so many players scoring, BV Southwest quickly expanded its lead to 28-21, and then to 35-23.
“Rilynne hit a couple of shots at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth, and it really helped get us going,” Westrom said. “It was a whole team effort. The players on the bench were cheering us on. Lauren York played great defense on Claire. It was just a great win.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2015 at 5:39 PM with the headline "BV Southwest’s first ever victory over Aquinas puts Timberwolves in 5A girls state title game."