The Rams’ boys’ basketball team tipped off against neighbor Westbrook for the first time this season inside a packed gymnasium at Old Saybrook High School on Jan. 8. The Shoreline Conference rivals both came in with winning records and something to prove, but in the end, it was Old Saybrook that emerged triumphant by holding off the pesky Knights for the 62-55 victory. Westbrook held a 40-39 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the Rams won the final frame 23-15 to come away with the win.

The game began with a star performance from Rams’ junior Vin Baker, Jr., who went off for 14 first quarter points to help his club establish an 18-10 advantage. Teammate Connel Henderson, a 5-foot-6 junior point guard, was also instrumental in the run as he used his quickness to penetrate and kick to his shooters—mainly Baker, Jr., who got hot from three-point range and buried 4-of-5 in the frame to stretch the Westbrook defense and open up things inside for Old Saybrook later in the game. Baker finished the game with 16 points.

“They always play us hard and [Westbrook coach Jeff Beeman] does a great job with his team,” said Old Saybrook Head Coach Tim Arsenault, whose team improved to 6-1 overall and 6-0 in the Shoreline Conference. “Vin got off to a great start which opened up the inside, then got into some foul trouble. We had some other guys step up and that group we had out there did a great job.”

As it did all game long, Westbrook fought back. With his squad down 23-16 late in the second quarter, the Knights’ Cory Muckle (20 points) matched the first quarter heat from Baker, Jr., by stealing the ball and burying a three to halt Old Saybrook’s momentum. Muckle would nail two more before the end of the half to pull Westbrook to within one at 27-26.

“I thought our energy level was good, our toughness was good, and I thought we out worked them a bunch on the offensive glass. But Baker shot unbelievable in the first half and [Owen] Greene hit those huge late threes to put a dagger in us, but we were right there,” said Coach Beeman, whose Knights are 2-2 overall and in the conference. “We had our opportunities. They went really big in the third and got some easy buckets and got us out of sync a bit on offense, but I’m proud of our effort level and we’re right on the cusp of where we need to be.”

Out of the break, Coach Arsenault went with a big lineup and used the space created by the first-half daggers by Baker, Jr., to pound the ball in the paint with his twin towers in 6-5 center Greene and 6-4 Jake Tully.

“We went big and that got us a couple easy, well, relatively easy hoops inside,” Coach Arsenault said. “They came back, though. We told the kids before the game Westbrook is a streaky team, so we knew it would be a back-and-forth game. Connel really knows how to play the game. He’s smart with the ball and got everybody involved against a tough defense that they play and Greene has opened up his game and improved his range, which makes him even more versatile.”

After Old Saybrook used its size and strength to expand the lead they switched to speed when Henderson drove into the paint and used a nasty ball fake to trick the defense and lay one in for a 35-29 advantage. Once again, however, Westbrook battled back. This time, the Knights’ run was spurred by junior Liam Bell (game high 27 points), who hit a pull-up jumper at the top of the key for two, then drove hard to the basket, forcing a foul. The two free throws gave Westbrook its first lead at 40-39 and the Knights took that lead into the fourth quarter.

Now down 42-39, the Rams moved Greene to the perimeter, where he drained a three to knot the game at 42. Greene later did more damage from the outside to give Old Saybrook a 45-42 advantage. Greene had 19 points in the contest and 12 of them came in the fourth quarter.

“My teammates did a good job of finding me in the corner and we did a great job of moving the ball and we got the win, which was all that counts,” Greene said.

Coming off the bench, Rams’ senior guard Aidan Reid sneaked into the paint for a layup and then did so again to draw the foul. Reid hit both free throws to put Old Saybrook’s command at 49-42. Still, Westbrook wouldn’t go away. Trailing 55-47 with 1:39 to play, Muckle drained a three to cut the lead to five. After a turnover, Bell drove to the hoop off an Austin Herzy feed to trim the score to 55-52. Westbrook then went to a full-court press, but Henderson broke it and sent a pass near the basket to Greene, who was fouled. Greene swished both from the charity stripe and, following a Westbrook miss at the other end, Henderson made a pair of free throws as Old Saybrook finally put away the Knights 62-55.

“On defense, we knew they had two really good players, so we tried to limit them as much as possible,” said Henderson who scored 12 points in the game. “On offense, our strategy was to try to get everybody involved and wear them down.”

Earlier in the week on Jan. 4, Old Saybrook defeated Hyde on the road 65-52. Greene led the way with 17 points, Baker, Jr., and Henderson had 12 each, plus freshman Shane Henderson had 11. Off the bench, sophomore guard Anthony Karg and forward Victor Pascoe played key roles at the start of the fourth quarter to help expand a six-point lead to 13.

Westbrook had previously earned its second win of the season on Jan. 5 at home versus Coginchaug with a 65-48 victory. Westbrook was led by Bell with 25 points and six assists, Muckle added 17, Brad Cates had 14 points and 13 rebounds, Sean Antonson finished with eight rebounds, and Phil Hartzell had three assists.

“Expectations were for a very difficult game start to finish, but we were able to open up a lead by hal time and expand it in the second half,” said Coach Beeman. “We shot exceptionally well from the field and their coaches said to me following the game was that we were just tougher than them. I was very proud of that observation. It has not always been the case with Westbrook team.”

From the Sidelines

Old Saybrook’s captains this season are seniors Owen Greene and guard Scott Cabral.

Westbrook’s captains this year are senior Brad Cates, plus juniors Liam Bell and Cory Muckle.

Vin Baker, Jr., is the son of Old Saybrook native and former NBA and University of Hartford star Vin Baker.