BY JOHN CONLEY

Associate Editor

Pressure defense proved to be good for what ailed Westside.

The Renegades' press fueled a 30-7 third quarter as the blistered Liberty, 88-48, at Clear Fork last Thursday.

It snapped a four-game losing streak for WHS and marked the healthiest the team has been in some time. Travis Whitten, who had been out with an ankle injury, and Matt Brewster. who missed the first half of the season, are both back in the rotation.

"We're starting to get healthy," said Westside coach Nick Cook. "I was talking to Jesse (Lester, the Wyoming East coach) and said If you put both teams together, I don't know if you could come up with a full roster (of healthy players)."

After going into the dressing room with a 33-24 lead, Cook decided to go to the press.

"In the first half, we were unfocused and undisciplined on defense," he explained. "If you're in the press and there's a lack of effort, it really shows. Coming out in the press seemed to give us some energy."

At 33-26, the Renegades went on a 24-1 spurt which turned a competitive game into a 30-point rout.

Eric Bailey had nine points in the run, including an inbound play where he bounced the ball off a Raider player's back and laid it in for the easy two—in effect, getting an assist from an opposing player.

The lead reached 57-27 on a Dannie Hicks put back, and it was 63-31 heading into the fourth quarter.

Zach Helmandollar, who had a season-high 15 points, drained a three to start the final period, and the lead swelled to as much as 42.

"The regular season means a little more now (because of sectional seeding), you still want to be playing your best at the end of the season, when tournaments start."

Bailey had 22 for WHS, and Helmandollar and Hicks added 15 each. Nathan Ameling scored 11.

Nathan Miller (8), Whitten (7), Justin Tilley (4), Dakota Toler (3) and Jordan Walker (3) also entered the score book.

Seth Wimbish managed 11 for the Raiders, and Justin Wills had 10.

Capital 62, WHS 42

Class AAA Capital topped Westside, 62-42, last Saturday at the LBT Shootout Classic at Willie Akers Arena in Logan.

The Renegades, 7-8, visit Logan on Thursday and travel to Independence on Feb. 10.