Season ends in 2A South final at Gwynn Park for Westlake boys basketball By AJ MASON ajmason@somdnews.com Updated Mar 5, 2016 BRANDYWINE – Each of the past two seasons the Westlake boys basketball program had captured regional championships in the Class 3A South en route to two straight state final appearances. Despite a whole new starting lineup this season, the Wolverines found themselves back in the regional championship game, this time in the 2A South bracket on Friday night at Gwynn Park of Prince George's County. However, Westlake's playoff run came to an abrupt end at the hands of the Yellow Jackets, who used a balanced offensive attack and aggressive defense en route to a 79-69 victory in front of a packed home crowd. Gwynn Park (24-2 overall), which came off a 68-65 comeback victory over county foe Douglass two nights prior, punched its ticket to the 2A state tournament March 11 where it will take on Baltimore County's New Town. “First off, all our league in the county prepared us for this moment,” said Gwynn Park head coach Mike Glick, whose lone losses were to county opponents Douglass and Largo. “So we've been through every case scenario possible. We are the definition of a team and our kids believed and a different player steps up tonight.” Gwynn Park had four players in double figures as junior guard Justin Faison led all scorers with 27 points, scoring 18 in the second half. Senior guard Marlon White finished with 18 points, scoring 14 points in the first half. Seniors Isaiah Miles and Kollin Mitchell finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively, in the victory. “When [Westlake] went up one point in the third quarter, coach just told me to take over just like the Douglass game,” Faison said. “He believes in me to take over at the point guard position, so that is what I did. This is my first time on varsity this year and I'm already going to a state tournament. I will never forget this moment.” Trailing 39-31 at halftime, Westlake gave the Yellow Jackets all it could handle, starting the third quarter on a 14-5 run to go up 46-45 with 4 minutes 50 seconds left. However, Gwynn Park delivered with a run of its own, outscoring the Wolverines 12-1 to take a 58-46 lead with two minutes left, forcing several Westlake turnovers that led to easy baskets in transition. Gwynn Park went on to take a 62-52 lead entering the fourth quarter. In the final period, the Yellow Jackets went up by as many as 16 points to pull away. Junior guard Everett Mouton collected a team-high 18 points to lead Westlake. After Mouton hit one of his six threes to bring the Wolverines to within 41-39 with six minutes to go in the third, Glick and the Yellow Jackets went to a box-and-one defense to slow down the sharpshooting Mouton. “I think what it did was get him [Mouton] out of the flow of the offense,” Glick said. “We knew he was the primary scorer and we got him out of the game in terms of good looks.” Westlake was also led by juniors Amir Lawrence with 17 points and Jeff Simmons with 15 in the losing effort. On the difference in the game, head coach Edward Mouton Sr. said, “We got stagnant on offense and got cold in the third and fourth quarter and couldn't get the ball in the basket. “[Gwynn Park] got a lot of leak-outs and easy baskets. Once they went box-and-one on Everett and didn't let him see the ball that was the difference.” Gwynn Park jumped out to a 15-4 lead in the first quarter, but Westlake went on a 10-0 run to come to within one point entering the second. The Wolverines finished with a 19-5 record on the season. Westlake senior forward Jamal Murphy blocks a shot attempt by Gwynn Park senior guard Aaron Parker in Friday night's Class 2A South Region championship game at Gwynn Park High School in Brandywine. Gwynn Park won the contest 79-69. Gwynn Park junior guard Justin Faison is trapped in the corner by Westlake's Amir Lawrence, left, and Everett Mouton in Friday night's Class 2A South Region championship game at Gwynn Park High School in Brandywine. Gwynn Park won the contest 79-69 Westlake junior forward Amir Lawrence drives to the basket as Gwynn Park's Kollin Mitchell trails from behind in Friday night's Class 2A South Region championship game at Gwynn Park in Brandywine. Gwynn Park won the contest 79-69.