Westover won its first Virginia Association of Christian Athletics South regional title since 2012

Westover senior Noah Burton and junior Josh Lewis made certain Patterson and the Bulldogs received their want as they took over within the fourth quarter to assist Westover cruise previous Christian Heritage Academy 64-51 for the South program's first regional title since 2012 .

The Bulldogs entered the body clinging to a two-point lead, however made fast work of extending it, opening the fourth quarter with 11 straight factors to take a 52-39 lead on Burton's 3-pointer.

Burton began the drive with a layup and Lewis adopted with a steal and a layup that prolonged Westover's result in 45-39 with 7:13 left within the sport. Burton got here by way of once more with one other layup that pushed the Bulldogs' result in eight, then adopted with a steal and feed to Lewis, who hammered house a monster dunk that gave Westover a 10-point lead.

Burton capped the drive with a 3-pointer to make it a 13-point sport with lower than six minutes remaining.

Whereas it was the Bulldogs' run that turned the sport on its head, Lewis credited the gang for altering the tempo.

“Nicely, I believe the gang actually helped us, that's what modified the momentum,” Lewis mentioned.

Burton agreed, including: “The gang actually began cheering loudly and it actually received us going.”

Mixed, Westover (17-4) opened the ultimate body on a 13-5 run. Whereas it was the offense that scored the key factors, the Bulldogs' protection was chargeable for altering the momentum as Westover had 4 steals in 4 minutes for six turnover factors.

“That 2-3 helped us quite a bit, helped us shut them down,” Lewis mentioned.

Burton added: “That quantity 10.” [Evan Lawrence] he can shoot very well and we simply shut him down for some time. He hit just a few 3s, so we began specializing in stopping him.''

Understanding its regional title shot was on the road, Christian Heritage (11-7) responded with six straight factors of its personal to chop its deficit to 56-49 with 2:08 left within the sport. Ethan Craig began it off with back-to-back layups and Malachi Hoyle adopted with a bucket of his personal to make it a seven-point sport.

Burton and Lewis have been key within the Bulldogs' fourth quarter efficiency. Burton scored 9 of his 18 factors within the body, whereas Lewis scored eight of his game-high 25 within the closing eight minutes.

The final minute and a half of the third quarter was an absolute swing, when the moods of the squad modified a number of instances. Lewis' free throws gave Westover a 38-30 lead with 1:46 left within the interval, however Lawrence determined to show the tide and knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to place the Knights inside two, 38-36, with 39 seconds left.

Heritage Christian wasn't finished from the skin as Matthew Craighead knocked down the Knights' third straight triple to provide them a 39-38 lead with 9 seconds on the clock.

As he had all afternoon, Burton got here by way of and calmly knocked down a 3 from the center of the important thing that introduced the house crowd to its toes and gave the Bulldogs a 41-39 lead heading into the ultimate quarter.

“It was similar to another day, it was simply one other shot,” Burton mentioned. “For those who work arduous sufficient and sustain along with your reps, it's simply one other rep.”

The primary half was a good affair that ended with the Bulldogs holding a 25-22 lead.

Westover wasted no time breaking the sport open, going 9-0 within the opening two minutes of the interval to take a double-digit benefit. Lewis received issues going together with his steal and monster dunk, and junior Isaac Von Eime stored the run going when he took a giant swing and located Lewis for one more dunk to make it a seven-point sport.

It was Burton's flip to knock down the primary of three 3-pointers within the half that prolonged the Bulldogs' benefit to 32-22, and Lewis made it a 12-point sport with a layup with 6:08 left.

“Nicely, I believe the momentum got here within the third quarter,” Lewis mentioned. “Coach gave us quite a bit, and I believe the momentum got here when everybody erupted, then No-ah hit a 3 and everybody jumped.

“You then had these two dunks,” Burton mentioned, reminding Lewis of his boisterous homes.

Heritage Christian didn't go quietly into the evening, responding with an 8-0 run of its personal to drag inside 4. Craig began the run with a layup and Lawrence adopted with a pair of jumpers to drag the Knights inside six, 34-28, with 4:32 left.

Lawrence capped the run with a layup that made it 34-30 with just below three minutes remaining.

Lewis led Westover with a game-high 25 factors, whereas Burton completed shut behind with 19. Von Eime and Aaron Salmon every added seven factors for the Bulldogs.

Craighead led Heritage Christian with 14, Craig completed shut behind with 13 and Lawrence rounded out the trio in double figures with 12.