The Wellington High School boys basketball team routed West Boca High School 75-43 on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at home in a non-district game. The four-time district champions dominated the Bulls, nearly scoring at will. With the win, Wellington remained unbeaten at 3-0 early in the season.
Wellington wasted little time at the start. Guard Bryan Williams dropped in two points within a couple of seconds of the first whistle. The Wolverines continued to press the action, taking a 27-12 lead by the end of the first period.
Wellington coach Matt Colin seized the opportunity to introduce his second lineup to get them some experience. “They’ve got to improve, because we only scored two points in the fourth quarter,” he said after the game.
Wellington’s defense was relentless on the Bulls, limiting them to just 20 points in the first half. The Wolverines had racked up 55 points before the end of the first half, with Williams sinking dual three-pointers.
The second half started with similar momentum for the Wolverines, adding another 18 points to take a 73-27 lead, while holding West Boca to single digits in the third period.
“I think we’re improving, but obviously some things we’ve got to correct,” Colin said. “Defensively, I think we need to do a better job of rotating, but I like the way we’re rebounding.”
The Wolverines continued to rotate some of the younger players into play with a running clock, due to the heavy advantage. In the fourth period, West Boca outscored Wellington 16-2, but the Wolverines had put the game far out of reach for the Bulls. Wellington did enough in the second half to secure the 75-43 victory.
Wellington continues its quest to return to the state finals, which the Wolverines won in 2015. They made it as far as the semifinals last season, where they fell 52-50 to eventual Class 9A state champion Osceola.
Williams totaled 16 points on the night with the two three-point baskets, and Linton Brown had 15 points, one three-point basket and was four-for-four at the free-throw line.
“They share the ball; they do a good job of that,” Colin added. “They’re an unselfish group.”
The Wolverines defeated district foe John I. Leonard High School 72-54 on Friday, Dec. 8 to go 4-0 on the season. Wellington continued district play against Palm Beach Gardens High School on Tuesday, but results were not available by press time.
