Sports
Webster Enjoys Sweet Senior Night Win Over Oakville
Senior night for the Webster Groves boys' basketball team turns into a memorable evening as the Statesmen win their 70th straight league game.
Senior Night is twice as sweet when your team is romping its way through the late-season schedule, assembling victories not only in support of a 70-game conference winning streak, but also against rival programs.
is enjoying the extra sweetness following a resounding 67-40 nonconference defeat of the Oakville Tigers on Wednesday, which added to a lovely Senior Night ceremony highlighting senior players and their parents.
Prior to the game, Webster announced its seniors: Edgar Giles, James Kenner, Gabe Smith, Jason Meehan, Kendal Shell, and Joe Henderson. The players escorted their families to half court amid flowers and balloons.
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“All our seniors played well tonight, but Gabe coming in at the end of the game and hitting a pair of 3-pointers, that was something…so we get to enjoy the night and then get ready for on Friday,” Webster coach Jay Blossom said following the game.
Smith, who sees limited playing time as a reserve, has a knack for striking from beyond the 3-point line, and enjoyed the chance to show off his ability on Senior Night.
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“It was awesome,” Smith said. “It felt really good. I’ve loved being a part of the tradition here. It’s been a real blessing to be able to play for these coaches, and this team.”
Everything went Webster’s way on the night. Rayshawn Simmons, who, as a junior, did not assume his customary starting role, arrived on court minutes into the game and knocked down a jumper, and then struck for a 3-pointer, as the Statesmen booked a 17-7 lead midway through the first quarter.
Simmons led all scorers on the night with 18 points.
Oakville’s superb senior duo of Javier Duren and Danny Zehner fought to keep their squad in the contest, but the Tigers left too many opportunities on the court to keep up with Webster.
“We missed at least 10 layups, and we missed 14 free throws, so we left over 30 points on the floor because we didn’t execute, and you cannot do that against Webster and win,” Oakville coach Nick Traxler said.
The Statesmen opened the second half with a 32-21 lead, but Oakville came out pumped up and cut the deficit to seven points on a pair of short-range baskets from freshman Austin Gillmann.
When Duren picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter and required a replacement, the Statesmen seized the chance to pour it on. Meehan delivered a pair of layups as Webster went on a 13-3 run and opened up the contest.
Leading 53-31 to start the fourth quarter, Webster got its bench involved and Blossom yielded to the fans chanting, “We want Gabe," and brought in Smith along with sophomore Kielan Jones.
Several players enjoyed great moments with family before and after the game, including Shell, who contributed 15 points in the win, and played the National Anthem by trumpet prior to the contest.
Kendal's mother, Gloria Shell, expressed pride in her son and noted that though Kendal's dad was unavailable due to his role as a basketball referee at another contest, she never misses a game.
"I've never missed a game since Kendal went up to varsity in ninth grade, which was the year they won State, and I guess I'm like the team Mom...though I am happy for all the kids' success and that the seniors are moving on in this way; it's also kind of tough because it went by too fast," Gloria Shell said.
But, it's not over yet, and with Webster racking up victories and district competition looming, Mrs. Shell may have plenty of opportunities to see her son and the Statesmen continue playing.