Warriors Remain Perfect: Varsity and JV Boys Sweep Fairfield on Mega Night

Featured Photo Caption: Varsity Warrior Jack Julius connects from long range during Casey-Westfield’s 48-40 victory over Fairfield. —photo by Terri Cox

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CASEY — It was a clean sweep for the Casey-Westfield boys’ basketball program on Friday, as both the Varsity and JV squads picked up wins over Fairfield during the Mega Night festivities at Bob Durham Court.

The Varsity Warriors improved to a perfect 8-0 on the season with a 48-40 victory, while the JV team fought through a gritty contest to win 44-38, improving their record to 5-1.

Varsity Boys: CW 48, Fairfield 40
The Varsity Warriors remained unbeaten in a game that featured a glimpse into the future, as both teams agreed to use a shot clock—a rule set to be implemented next season.

Fairfield opened the scoring, but Casey-Westfield answered quickly when Nolan Clement found Jackson High for an open deuce. After the Mules reclaimed a 4-2 lead, Jack Julius stole the ball and assisted Leighton Jones to knot the score at 4-4 midway through the first quarter.

Fairfield swung momentum with five unanswered points, but the Warriors chipped away. Jones scored on an offensive put-back and hit free throws to pull CW within one. High drew a defensive charge, setting up another Jones basket to give the Warriors an 11-8 lead after one.

Senior Daryn Hupp opened the second quarter with a three-pointer. While the offense slowed for a three-minute stretch, Clement eventually found High in the paint to push the score to 15-10. Fairfield utilized the free-throw line to cut the lead to two, but Julius drained a three off a Landon Justice assist to give CW an 18-13 halftime lead.

The Warriors found their rhythm in the third. Jones hit a three off a Julius feed, and despite Fairfield answering with four points, Will Moore converted a Clement assist to keep CW ahead 25-19. Clement then grabbed a defensive board and launched a pass to a hot-handed Jones, who connected from deep to expand the lead to nine.

The defense continued to fuel the offense as Clement swiped a steal and found Jones, who was fouled and sank both free throws. Hupp capped the quarter with a three-pointer off a Julius assist, sending the Warriors into the fourth with a 33-24 cushion.

Fairfield saved their best offense for the final frame, but the Warriors matched them nearly point-for-point. Jones hit another three to push the lead to 15 before Fairfield called a timeout. Out of the break, Julius found Clement cutting to the basket for a soft layup, making it 41-26.

The Mules fought back with free throws and a bucket to cut the deficit to single digits, 41-31, with 3:47 remaining. Julius responded with a crucial offensive rebound that set up Jones for a bucket, pushing the lead back to 11. Despite Fairfield capitalizing on a turnover to cut the lead to 43-36 with just over a minute left, the Warriors held firm. Julius calmly sank free throws, and later added a basket off a feed from Jones.

Clement secured the win by grabbing a rebound off a missed Fairfield free throw as time expired.

Leighton Jones led all scorers with 21 points. Jack Julius added 10 points and dished out five assists. Jackson High finished with seven points, Daryn Hupp had six, and Nolan Clement and Will Moore added two each.

JV Boys: CW 44, Fairfield 38
In the middle game of the night, the Young Warriors battled a scrappy Mules squad to earn a hard-fought win.

The Purple and Gold struck first after Will Moore grabbed a defensive board and fired a downcourt pass to Landon Justice for a quick bucket. Fairfield responded, swinging the lead to 4-2 before Drake Worby found Moore in the paint to tie the game.

After Fairfield went on a 7-0 run, another Worby-to-Moore connection broke the drought. Moore added a three-pointer late in the first, but CW trailed 13-9 at the quarter break.

Justice sparked the offense in the second, and Moore assisted Blake Burkybile to tie the game at 13-13. After a scoreless drought, Worby set up Garrett Short for a three-pointer. Short then found Justice for another triple, widening the margin to 19-13. Justice closed out the half with another bucket, giving CW a 21-17 lead at the break.

The third quarter saw the teams trading blows. Fairfield briefly reclaimed the lead with back-to-back threes, but a Justice basket tied it at 25-25. Moore scored off a Worby assist to give the Warriors a slim 29-28 lead heading into the fourth.

The final quarter began with a Worby three-pointer courtesy of Burkybile. Fairfield answered with a three of their own, but Worby kept the pressure on, grabbing an offensive board and finding Burkybile for a 34-31 lead. Worby then drained another three off a Justice feed.

With the game tight at 37-36, Justice hit a clutch basket off a Burkybile assist. As the clock ticked under a minute, Justice drilled a massive three-pointer to secure a 42-36 lead. Fairfield struggled from the line down the stretch, and Short sealed the 44-38 final with a bucket off a Worby assist.

Landon Justice led the way with 18 points, while Will Moore added 11. Moore also posted seven rebounds and three blocks. Drake Worby finished with six points, seven assists, and six rebounds.

Varsity Game Summary

Score by Quarters

Scoring Drives

• 1st Quarter: Jackson High scores off Nolan Clement assist; Leighton Jones ties game off Jack Julius assist; Jones scores on put-back and free throws; Jones hits jumper for 11-8 lead.

• 2nd Quarter: Daryn Hupp hits 3-pointer; Clement assists High in paint; Julius hits 3-pointer off Landon Justice assist.

• 3rd Quarter: Jones hits 3-pointer off Julius assist; Will Moore scores off Clement assist; Jones hits another 3 and two free throws; Hupp hits 3-pointer.

• 4th Quarter: Jones hits 3-pointer; Clement scores layup; Jones scores off Julius offensive board; Julius hits clutch free throws and final bucket.

Individual Statistics

• SCORING: Leighton Jones 21, Jack Julius 10, Jackson High 7, Daryn Hupp 6, Nolan Clement 2, Will Moore 2.

• REBOUNDING: Nolan Clement 5, Jack Julius 4, Will Moore 4, Jackson High 4, Daryn Hupp 3, Fred Thomas 3, Leighton Jones 2, Landon Justice 1.

• ASSISTS: Jack Julius 5, Nolan Clement 4.

JV Game Summary

Score by Quarters

Scoring Drives

• 1st Quarter: Landon Justice scores off Will Moore pass; Moore scores inside off Drake Worby pass; Moore hits 3-pointer.

• 2nd Quarter: Justice scores; Moore assists Blake Burkybile; Garrett Short hits 3-pointer; Short assists Justice for 3-pointer.

• 3rd Quarter: Moore scores off Justice assist; Justice ties game at 25; Moore scores off Worby assist.

• 4th Quarter: Worby hits 3-pointer; Worby assists Burkybile inside; Worby hits 3-pointer; Justice hits clutch late 3-pointer; Short scores final bucket.

Individual Statistics

• SCORING: Landon Justice 18, Will Moore 11, Drake Worby 6, Garrett Short 5, Blake Burkybile 4.

• REBOUNDING: Will Moore 7, Drake Worby 6, Landon Justice 6, Blake Burkybile 1, Garrett Short 1, Riley Phillips 1.

• ASSISTS: Drake Worby 7, Blake Burkybile 2, Landon Justice 2.

• BLOCKS: Will Moore 3, Landon Justice 2.