CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Notre Dame boys basketball coach Jarrod West knows his team will see much tougher competition than what it faced in Tuesday’s season opener.
Still, West couldn’t help but smile after watching the Irish have their way with Parkersburg Catholic, 95-31.
Last season, NDHS played only 10 games, finishing 4-6 and failing to qualify for the state tournament when it season ended with a loss to Grafton at the buzzer in sectional play.
“We had good energy and it’s great to being playing high school basketball and have a 22-game schedule,” West said. “We played 10 games last year and two of those games were off of shutdowns. It’s good to see our kids in shape. We’re not a moral victory program. We have high expectations here. Last year, there’s no excuses and we didn’t do what we wanted to do. Everybody is hungry, has a chip on their shoulder and it was good to get out here and get the first one under our belt.”
The opener was never in doubt, as ND held the Crusaders scoreless in the opening quarter and built a 27-0 lead through 8 minutes.
Wade Britton threw down a dunk that made it 6-0, and five different ND players scored over the opening half of the first quarter. A conventional three-point play from Connor Sandreth extended the advantage to 20-0, while the youthful Crusaders struggled to break the Irish’s full-court pressure and had 13 first-quarter turnovers.
“We respected the game and we played the right way,” coach West said. “This group is unselfish. Defensively, we can kind of get after it how I like to get after it. We can press a little more and play a little faster.”
Blake Lewis’ leaner got PCHS on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, but did little to slow the Irish, who got 8 points in the frame from guard Jaidyn West after he scored 10 in the opening period.
West’s 18 first-half points helped ND enter halftime with a commanding 46-7 lead.
“We’ve changed up a lot of things from last year to this year to help alleviate some stress off of Jaidyn,” coach West said. “Connor Sandreth is going to be great for us, because he gives us some speed and penetration and the middle of the floor is spaced.”
West added five more points in the third quarter, while backcourt mate Trey Petitto connected on two of his three triples in the third, helping the Irish take a 76-14 lead into the fourth quarter.
ND emptied its bench for the entirety of the final period, which saw Parkersburg Catholic pour in three more points than it managed over the first three quarters.
“Last year, obviously with covid, it affected everybody,” coach West said. “But we were so out of shape last year and we couldn’t play fast. I looked at [assistant coach Steve Petitto] in the third quarter and was like, ‘we’re moving so much faster than we have in a long time.’”
West led all players with five 3s and 23 points, while adding five rebounds and six assists.
Petitto scored 11, while Britton and Brady Fagan contributed nine apiece. Sandreth and Dre’Mir Hausvater each scored eight in the win.
Dominic Zummo added six points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Irish.
Charley Sumney led Parkersburg Catholic with 12 points and Lewis scored 11 in defeat.
The Crusaders dressed only nine players and one senior.