Hazelbaker throws a haymaker
Webb guard keys win over Catholic
All the factors were there: a packed crowd, teams filled with high-profile recruits and plenty of notable attendees. In other words, it was the basketball version of a heavyweight bout.
And Webb guard Brayden Hazelbaker threw the biggest punches of the night.
The Maryville transfer poured in 35 points, 18 in the first quarter alone, to lead the Spartans in a 78-73 win over the Irish on Jan. 22. In the process, he kept Webb atop the statewide standings in Division II-AA.
“Just the confidence he played with,” Webb boys coach Ricky Norris said when asked about Hazelbaker. “He was with us his freshman year and then came back, and he has done a great job in figuring out how to fit in with his teammates. He found his offense and we started feeding him.”
After trailing by as many as 10 in the second half, Catholic cut Webb’s lead to one three different times in the final four minutes.
Eastern Kentucky signee Cade Murphy was the catalyst, hitting two layups with a pair of free-throws in-between to electrify the audience. He wound up finishing with 19 points, leading an Irish team that also saw 18 from Michigan signee Malachi Brown.
Together, they delivered Catholic’s best response — and the Spartans answered.
Hazelbaker matched Murphy’s first layup with one of his own, then connected on a jumper off an in-bounds pass while drawing a foul. Finally, South Dakota State signee Cam Swearengen (19 points) hit a pair of free-throws to make the score 76-73, and Webb’s Alex Leeth jammed a two-handed dunk at the buzzer for good measure.
“Just a heck of a high school basketball game,” Norris said. “Two really good teams going at it for four quarters, laying it all on the line. I’m sure their coaching staff is proud of them, and I’m really proud of our guys for hanging in there. If you paid the $8, that was well worth it.”
Green leads Webb past Catholic
In the girls game, things were a bit more lopsided in a 68-45 result in favor of Webb.
Clemson signee and reigning Division II-AA Miss Basketball winner Meeyah Green led the Spartans with 20 points, including three second-half 3-pointers as the visitors pulled away. Teammate Ivy Napier added 14, while Zariyah Rocket scored 13 points as Webb’s final double-digit scorer.
Ariana Swain had a notable highlight for Catholic when she hit a buzzer-beating, half-court heave to bring the Irish within seven at the break. But that was as close as Catholic came, as Swain finished with 17 points while Euleesha Mitchell totaled 10.
Part II
This is not the final meeting between Catholic and Webb this season, as they will face off again on Feb. 6 at Webb.
And if either matchup is as good as the boys game was last Thursday, it will mark another entertaining matchup between schools that sit just two miles apart.
“Man, I wish every game we played was like that,” noted Norris in summation. “It was special. One of those games you’ll remember the rest of your life.”
