John Jay basketball’s season ends after Westlake's late push

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Friday, Feb. 20, John Jay opened the Sectionals at Westlake, battling in a back-and-forth contest for nearly the entire game. But after falling behind 46-43 with five minutes remaining, the Wolves were unable to keep pace as the Wildcats forced turnovers and capitalized on their opportunities to secure a 59-51 victory.

John Jay came out strong. Will Green fed Marc Fein inside for a layup, and Braydon Gates knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Wolves a 5-0 lead.

Westlake responded with a post move by Anthony Nigrelli and a coast-to-coast layup from Liam Hannon. Gates answered right back. After crisp ball movement around the perimeter, the junior drained another 3 to put John Jay ahead 8-5.

Hannon kept the Wildcats close, scoring twice inside to give the home team its first lead. Westlake extended it to 14-10 when Eoin Lynch connected from beyond the arc with 1:46 left in the opening quarter.

Still, Gates stayed hot. He buried another 3-pointer to send the Wolves into the second quarter trailing by just one.

Early in the second, Marcus Jackette capped a 7-2 run with a 3-pointer and a backdoor finish. But John Jay responded. Nate Summer hit from long range, and later, off a baseline feed from Green, the freshman knocked down a jumper to regain the lead.

With the score tied at 22-22, Gates again delivered. He scored on a pull-up jumper in the lane and then hit from deep to give the Wolves a 27-23 halftime advantage.

John Jay carried that momentum into the second half. Alex Palacio grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the putback to stretch the lead to six. Timmy Pastore followed with a turnaround jumper to maintain the cushion.

Westlake refused to fold. Gianluca Persampieri scored inside, and Lynch added another 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one. John Jay answered once more, as Summer found Palacio alone under the basket before Palacio returned the favor. Summer drove baseline and finished to make it 35-32.

Another Gates 3-pointer kept the Wolves in front, but three Westlake steals helped narrow the margin to 38-36 heading into the fourth quarter. The Wildcats quickly tied the game, though Pastore briefly restored the lead with a tough basket in the paint while falling to the floor.

It would be John Jay’s final lead.

Westlake scored eight straight points to seize control. Summer momentarily halted the run with a 3-pointer that cut the deficit in half with 4:30 to play, but the Wildcats answered immediately with a 3 of their own.

Pastore appeared poised to swing momentum back, but his shot rattled in and out. Westlake capitalized, extending the lead to eight. After Pastore converted a floater, defensive pressure sealed the outcome. Two late turnovers proved costly, and the Wolves’ season came to an end.