The Old Westbury Panthers delivered an exhilarating victory on Senior Night, securing a hard-fought 71-68 win over St. Joseph’s University Brooklyn on February 15th. Before the game started there were tributes to seniors Michael “Ocho” Obi, Amadi Lee-Kane, and the team manager Cameron Harewood.
The game started with high energy, as the Panthers quickly grabbed the lead. Joel Ofori won the opening jump ball, and Amadi Lee-Kane followed with a smooth floater to put Old Westbury on the scoreboard. By the 6-minute mark, the Panthers were up 13-4, displaying their dominance on both ends of the court. However, St. Joseph’s didn’t back down and with 8 minutes to go in the first half the score was 26-22. The Panthers had a late surge that extended their lead to 43-34 at the end of the half.
At halftime, Old Westbury’s offense was firing on all cylinders. Freshman Zion Williams led the charge with 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists, shooting 5-9 from the field. Jamari Williams (#0) chipped in 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, while Kellen Leake contributed 11 points, going 3-4 from beyond the arc. Old Westbury’s shooting was impressive, hitting 53.1% of their field goals (17-32) and 45.5% from three-point range (5-11).
Brooklyn had a balanced attack, with Collin Mills leading the charge with 9 points. Chris Williams (9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists) and Jaylen Gordon (6 points, 3 rebounds) kept the game within reach.
Brooklyn came out the break on fire starting with a 15-5 run to tie the game at 49-49. With 14 minutes left, the Panthers faced the pressure of needing a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive. Despite regaining some rhythm, Old Westbury found themselves down 58-59 with 10 minutes to go.
As the clock ticked down, the game’s intensity rose. Kellen Leake’s clutch free throws put the Panthers back on top at 65-63 with 6 minutes remaining. With Brooklyn still within striking distance, Amadi Lee-Kane delivered two critical free throws to push the lead to 71-68 with 30 seconds left. Brooklyn had one last chance to force overtime but was unable to hit a contested three-pointer with 5 seconds on the clock, thanks to stellar defense from Old Westbury.
The Panthers have now won two straight games, building momentum as they head into the final stretch of the regular season. Their next challenge will be against their rivals, Farmingdale, in a must-win game at home on Wednesday February 19th at 5 PM. With only two games left, the Panthers are determined to finish strong and secure a playoff berth.
Photo Credit: Old Westbury Athletic Communications
