Slow start, big finish again for West Side

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Updated: March 23, 2012 8:21AM

GARY — On Tuesday, West Side’s win over Roosevelt — a 58-36 dismantling on the Panthers’ home court — had the elements of a comeback story. Just not one that head coach Winston Garland enjoyed.

“We got to be the aggressor,” Garland said, “instead of the counter-punched.”

Behind strong work on the glass and free throw shooting, West Side rallied from a 12-point deficit. This could go either way for Garland — he might focus on the fact that he has a team full of fighters or a squad that far too often takes the first strike.

“That’s what’s bugging me about this group here,” he said. “There’s got to be a sense of urgency to start the game.”

West Side’s slow beginning then steady ascent — just six first-quarter points, then 17 in the second and 19 in the third — was matched by Roosevelt’s offensive decline.

Senior point guard Brandon Hollingsworth had the touch early, scoring 10 of Roosevelt’s 16 first-quarter points. The Panthers’ trapping defense also flustered the West Side backcourt.

West Side began climbing back by working Roosevelt into foul trouble. If not for seven missed free throws, the Cougars would have taken the halftime lead. Instead West Side trailed 25-23 but the chorus of Roosevelt whistles had only just begun and the Cougars took over.

With less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter, forward Regan Atkins best exemplified West Side’s free throw and rebounding advantage when he went inside with back-to-back offensive putback scores while absorbing a foul. Atkins cleaned up a miss from the right block, got fouled and missed the free throw, but snatched yet another rebound and scored through yet another foul.

West Side senior Rashaad Armstrong also noticed the lack of Roosevelt rebounding in the final seconds when he drove down the middle, tossed up a wild shot but recovered his own miss off the glass and laid it in for a 42-33 lead.

“That broke momentum right there,” said Roosevelt coach Larry McKissack who also cited his team’s 10 fouls called in the quarter as a back-breaker. “The second half we got into foul trouble. They’re shooting double bonus to start the fourth quarter.”

Beyond the foul trouble, Roosevelt went ice cold from the floor, scoring just 11 points through the second half.