(Braden Smith pictured in the spring of 2021)

 

Westfield and Carmel met for the Sectional 8 title at Noblesville High School, and the packed house saw everything that it wanted as the Rocks and Greyhounds battled till the final possession.

 

Carmel led early before the Rocks went on a 10-0 run late in the first quarter behind a three from Cam Haffner and a three-point play by Alex Romack. But, of course, Purdue signee Braden Smith played a big hand in it as well. He had six points, two assists, and two rebounds in the opening period.

 

Bellarmine commitment Pete Suder did not score until late in the quarter to break Westfield’s 10-0 run. Sam Orme started the game well for the Greyhounds as he contributed four points and three rebounds.

 

Westfield continued to play well early in the second quarter as Smith hit a three-pointer, then set Romack up for an easy bucket inside. As a result, the Rocks held a 23-12 lead a couple of minutes into the period.

 

Carmel bounced back to make it a six-point game behind three-pointers from Josh Whack and Spencer White, but the Greyhounds had no answer for Smith. He scored 14 first-half points to put Westfield up 33-23 at the half.

 

Smith came out of the locker room to nail a three-pointer for Westfield. The 13-point advantage was the largest of the game, but Ryan Osborn started Garwey Dual in the second half, and it paid off. The junior wing defended Smith well and created offense for Carmel in transition. Charlie Williams, who sat with two fouls in the first half, scored six points to get the Greyhounds back in it.

 

Carmel rode Dual and Williams to a 44-43 lead going to the fourth.

 

Orme scored to open the fourth, which put Carmel up 46-43, but then Haffner took over for Westfield. He buried two threes then scored in transition to give the Rocks a 51-46 lead. Haffner scored ten points in the quarter.

 

Westfield did not substitute all game, but it did not look to bother the Rocks. Nic DePasquale, Romack, and Haffner played their best in the final quarter.

 

Down six with a minute to go, Carmel leaned on Suder. He knocked down a three-pointer before Orme back-tipped a steal from DePasquale. On the ensuing possession, Jared Bonds scored at the basket to cut Westfield’s lead to 55-54.

 

Suder had a look to tie the game with 15 seconds left, but it was off the mark. Westfield made all four free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the game.

 

Westfield captured its first boys’ basketball sectional title with the 59-54 win.

 

Smith did not score in the fourth but finished with 22 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Behind the big fourth, Haffner tallied 18 points, while Romack scored 13. DePasquale collected six points and four rebounds. Trey Dorton had three rebounds and two assists.

 

Suder, suffering his first postseason loss, led Carmel with 14 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Williams scored 11 points in just 16 minutes. Orme finished with seven points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal. Dual played a great second half for seven points, five rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and a steal in 18 minutes. Bonds tallied six points and ten rebounds.

 

Westfield plays Homestead in the Logansport regional next Saturday.