By Jacob Norling
January 21, 2023
 
(GLENDALE, Ariz.) In perhaps their most intense game of the season, Westmont Men's Basketball (12-8, 5-6 GSAC) had their hearts broken at the hands of the #5 Arizona Christian Firestorm (17-4, 8-3). Westmont's two most dependable big men fouled out with more than 10 minutes remaining, their hottest shooter fouled out with less than three minutes remaining, and the club trailed by as many as 13 down the stretch.
 
In one of their most resilient displays of the season, the group rallied to take the lead, and led by as many as five in the final minutes. However, a last-minute game-tying three, a go-ahead free throw, and a missed game-winner at the buzzer led to a gut-wrenching 69-68 loss in the desert.
 
"If Drew's last shot goes in, I'd be screaming praise and saying how proud I am of them," began Westmont head coach Landon Boucher, "and the reality is, that last shot not falling doesn't change anything. I am extremely proud of our effort today.
 
"That was the biggest fight we've shown all season, by far.
 
Westmont began the day slow offensively, scoring only two points across the first six minutes of the contest. Following Westmont's slow start, ACU took their first double-digit lead at 17-6 with 12:50 remaining in the half.
 
For the Warriors, while their offense was late to the party, their defense remained tough, buying them time to find their offensive footing.. With 4:30 remaining in the half, Anthony McIntyre drained Westmont's first 3-pointer of the day, making the contest a one-possession game at 23-21.
 
The Firestorm reclaimed a four point lead in the final minute, but a highly-contested fade away jumper from Drew Ramirez bounced its way into the basket as time expired. Ramirez' basket sent Westmont into the locker room trailing only 30-28 despite shooting just nine of 26 from the field and making just one of five 3-pointers.
 
In the second half, foul trouble quickly took the wind out the Warriors' sails. Less than one minute into the period, starting forward Amir Davis was called for his fourth foul, necessitating his absence from the floor for several minutes. Two minutes following Davis' fourth foul, the Firestorm drilled back-to-back 3-pointers and then finished a dunk in transition, sending Westmont into a timeout down 40-31.
 
At the 15:40 mark, Cade Roth knocked down his first shot of the day, a 3-pointer, pulling Westmont back within two possessions at 40-34. However, a minute later, Tone Patton Sr. was called for his fourth foul as well, leading to his absence from the floor. Needing the presence of a big, the Warriors called upon Davis to re-enter the game, but at the 12:15 mark, Davis was called for a foul in transition, his fifth and final of the afternoon.
 
Patton was the next to foul out, less than two minutes after Davis, and Westmont's depleted lineup quickly fell behind 13 at 49-36. However, while appearing to be down and out, the Warriors refused to let it be that simple.
 
"When one of your main players, like Amir, fouls out early, it can be easy to be deflated," said Boucher. "Then, when Tone goes out, it's almost a given that you get deflated. Instead, Cly came in and played one of his best games all season."
 
Following a timeout, a tenacious Cly Griffith Jr. converted both ends of an and-one on back-to-back possessions, breathing life into the Westmont bench with under 10 minutes to play. Following Griffith's heroics, Westmont trailed only 49-45 as the game entered its final 10 minutes.
 
At the eight-minute mark, Griffith converted another layup, keeping Westmont within four, and one possession later, Roth sank another three, making it a one-point game at 55-54.  
 
After lurking for more than 35 minutes, with 3:43 remaining in regulation, Griffith kicked a pass out to Jalen Townsell who was open beyond the arc. Then, Townsell hit Westmont's biggest shot of the day, giving them their first lead at 62-61. A minute after Townsell's three, Griffith was the next Warrior to foul out. Still, over the next three minutes, clutch free throw shooting allowed Westmont to lead by as many as five. Down the stretch, however, the Firestorm stayed right on Westmont's tail.
 
The Warriors held on by three as the game entered its 40th and final minute, but with 51 seconds to play, Dennis Flowers III knotted things at 68 with a deep 3-pointer, bringing momentum back into ACU's possession. Roth had a fair look at a 3-pointer on Westmont's next possession, but the shot would not fall, and the Firestorm held the ball until the final seconds.
 
With 4.4 seconds on the clock, McIntyre was whistled for one of the day's many foul calls, this time a reach-in, which proved to be the most costly of the afternoon. Flowers missed the first from the charity stripe, but converted the second, giving ACU a 69-68 advantage. Following a timeout, with 4.4 on the clock, Roth inbounded from the baseline and found McIntyre, who dribbled into traffic before dishing to an open Ramirez.
 
Well beyond the arc, Ramirez fired the final shot of the day as time expired, but it would not fall. The Firestorm flooded the floor in celebration as the Warriors were left with the numbing reality of a heart-breaking loss.
 
"We never felt like we gave up," assured Boucher. "There's room for improvement, but we've also made a lot of good improvements. We're learning how to play late in the game still, and figuring out how not to give up that last three like we did to Flowers.
 
"Regardless, I thought that it was a gutsy performance. Even though the outcome today was tough, our performance today is still very encouraging. At this point, it's still a lot about the process and not all on the result. I know our guys can bounce back, and I have no doubt we'll be ready for the next game."
 
Next Saturday, January 28, the Warriors return home to Santa Barbara for the most highly-anticipated home game of their season. At 7:30 p.m., for the final time as members of the GSAC, Westmont will host rival The Master's inside Murchison Gym.
 
Links to tickets and live coverage are available on the Westmont Athletics website.