Westside wins a WILD one at Lakeside to improve to 3-0

People who follow my AugBball stuff know I watch a lot of games. I see my share of good ones. I try not to overreact after an exciting contest and over exaggerate when I describe it. But I am confident in saying Westside's 63-62 road win at Lakeside Saturday was the most exciting high school basketball game of this young season.

The action in the third quarter sent a current through Lakeside's gym as Westside erased a 31-22 Panther lead in less than 90 seconds. The span included 7 consecutive Christian Robinson points on Westside's first three third quarter possessions. The Patriots would go on to score 27 in the quarter and claim a 49-46 lead going into the final 8 minutes.

Robinson scored 17 second half points in Saturday's win.

Despite Westside's third quarter offensive explosion, I couldn't stop shaking my head at the performance of Lakeside's freshman sensation Kalen Williams. With his late second quarter spurt fresh in my mind, I marveled at his eagerness to get the ball, take, and make huge shots, and to create easy shots for others to keep his team from being steamrolled by Westside's offensive machine.

Freshman Kalen Williams has burst onto the high school scene.

The freshman made 3 second half threes, the third tying the game at 49 on the first possession of the final quarter. But the fireworks were only beginning.

Robinson's finish in transition with 3:20 remaining gave the Patriots a 55-54 lead. But after an Elijah Brown putback gave Westside a three point advantage, Kre'sean Hall put Lakeside ahead 58-57 with the flick of the wrist as he buried a three off the dribble from the top of the key while being fouled, and converted the free throw with 2:24 left.

The lead would change hands three more times in the next 100 seconds as Robinson made two free throws (59-58 Westside, 2:10 remaining); Jalen Nealious banked in a runner (60-59 Lakeside, 1:20 left); Trez Hawes netted a jump hook (61-60 Westside, 1:00 to go); and Williams made two technical free throws (62-61 Lakeside, :27 remaining).

But Robinson's two made free throws with 14.7 seconds left in the game provided the final margin in this instant AugBball classic.

Robinson led Westside with 18 points, all but 1 coming after halftime. Justin Phillips scored 16, nailing 4 threes. Hawes tallied 14.

Williams led the Panthers with 18, including 4 threes. Nealious scored 16, and Hall added 11.