Energized St. X basketball gets it done with defense

SPRINGFIELD TWP. – St. Xavier High School has been pleasantly surprised early on this basketball season.

Coming into the year, the Bombers weren’t sure what they would have. They lost a lot of from the year before. What they found, this year, is a team that can play pretty well together. They’re still gathering information and learning about one another. But, at 6-2, they seem to be gelling nicely.

“We didn’t know what to expect from anybody because we lost so many guys from last year,” said St. Xavier coach Scott Martin.

The Bombers had just one returning starter back this season, 6-foot-1 senior guard Jack Westerfield.

The difference, so far, with a fresh group has been energy and unselfishness.

“The guys have really come along, they’re sharing the basketball and playing unselfish” Martin said. “They play really hard. They put a lot of energy out there and try to get everything they can.”

For the most part, they’ve done it with defense, lacking a true scorer offensively. Westerfield leads St. X with 8.5 points per game.

“That (scoring) is a major challenge for us,” Martin said. “We’re more of a team trying to go to the guy that’s hot in that game.”

Without a real threat, St. X has spread the points among James Heskett (8.3 ppg), Sam Martin (7.5 ppg), Josh Theis (6.8 ppg) and Joe Schroeder (5.6 ppg), whom coach Martin said has been a real nice surprise.

The process of learning about each other and the team has been a positive for the Bombers.

“We’re kind of learning which combinations are best for us and what positions guys can play,” said Martin. “We’ve been doing that and gradually finding out what we do well and what we need to work.”

Throughout the process, St. X has won three close games. Martin likes that. The coach said that being able to win close games is something that can’t be coached. It’s a sign that a team is mentally tough and has confidence.

Martin knows those close games mostly resemble the type of games that remain on the schedule.

The Bombers are about to being the treacherous part of their schedule, Greater Catholic League South action. Currently, the GCL South is a combined 28-8 and St. X opened league play hosting La Salle on Jan. 9.

“We know we’re getting into that part of the schedule where we’re playing top-10 teams in the city and maybe the state,” Martin said. “It’s good to see where we stand. I think we’re up there but we’re not consistent enough in the scoring.”