The Story of Two Halves - Westlake vs Copper Hills

<p>Last night in Saratoga Springs, two Region 2 teams went head-to-head in a matchup defined by momentum swings. Both rosters are capable but have shown stretches of inconsistency this season, and the question coming in was which version of each team would show up.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Quarter 1 - 13 to 8 (WHS)</h1>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Copper Hills - The Paint</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Mak was a factor from the opening tip, using her length to out-reach defenders and secure early touches in the paint. She controlled the glass, turning rebounds into efficient put-backs and consistently converting second-chance opportunities into points.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Westlake - The Perimeter</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Katie made it clear early that Westlake didn't need size to stretch the floor. She knocked down a quick-release three from well beyond the arc, setting the tone and solidifying Westlake's lead coming out of the first quarter.</p>    <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Quarter 2 - 31 to 20 (WHS)</h1>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Copper Hills - Length</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='922382' first='Ella' last='Creer'] showed her ability to extend and impact plays all over the floor, grabbing rebounds in traffic and creating deflections and disruptions throughout the night. Even when swarmed, she stayed composed, pulled the ball down, and kicked it out to the perimeter to keep the offense moving. Her steady presence and poise were consistent for most of the game.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Westlake - Speed</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Avery's speed and movement were on full display all night. Few defenders were able to stay in front of her, and she took advantage by scoring off the dribble, attacking the lane, and finding teammates on the drive-and-dish. On the defensive end, she was just as disruptive, coming from behind to poke the ball loose and create deflections.</p>    <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Second Half - Not the Same Ballgame </h1>   <p>After halftime, Copper Hills didn't come out with the same edge they showed in the first half. There were brief flashes of what they're capable of, highlighted by [player_tooltip player_id='952652' first='Riley' last='Greenwood']'s minutes for the Grizzlies. She was strong in the paint, held her ground through contact, finished around the rim, and drew fouls—an encouraging stretch for Copper Hills.</p>   <p>The second half, however, was largely dictated by Westlake's high-pressure defense. Copper struggled to initiate offense, move the ball cleanly, or handle pressure without turnovers. Westlake stayed composed and connected on both ends—[player_tooltip player_id='796486' first='Mia' last='Foster'] stood out with her floor awareness, while [player_tooltip player_id='1248783' first='Keira' last='Hester'] was active everywhere, impacting both the paint and the perimeter.</p>   <p>Westlake played like a group fully in sync, contesting every rebound, rotating defensively, and executing with purpose. Their discipline and defensive intensity wore Copper down, forcing mistakes. Westlake continues to look like a team that's difficult to disrupt, while Copper Hills will need to regroup and find ways to close games that remain within reach.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Score - 61 to 47 (WHS)</h2>   <p></p>

Last night in Saratoga Springs, two Region 2 teams went head-to-head in a matchup defined by momentum swings. Both rosters are capable but have shown stretches of inconsistency this season, and the question coming in was which version of each team would show up.