Westlake Boys Didn’t Waste Extra Time Worrying

The Westlake High boys’ basketball team upset Thousand Oaks, 71-69, in overtime on Wednesday night in its first game since Coach Gary Grayson was suspended from his job.

Guard Kole Anderson said theWarriors weren’t focused on that during the game.

“We just came in and played hard,” he said after scoring all eight of Westlake’s points in overtime.

Westlake, 10-7 and 1-2 in Marmonte League play heading into a game at Royal Friday night, made 13 three-point shots against Thousand Oaks, including two by Anderson in overtime, and one by Dan Dehner that tied the score with two seconds left in regulation.

The Warriors benefited from poor free-throw shooting by the Lancers, who were 16 of 28 in the game (57%), and three for nine in the final 4:34.

Thousand Oaks (10-7, 2-2) missed the front end of three one-and-one opportunities in the last 34 seconds of the fourth quarter.

Tim Chevalier made two free throws with 7.5 seconds left to give the Lancers a 63-60 lead, but Dehner hit the three-pointer to send the game into overtime.

“That play gave them a lot of confidence,” said interim Coach Rich Sanders. “The kids felt there was no way they were going to lose after that.”