Monday, February 17, 2025
It’s never easy being the defending Long Island champions. West Hempstead boys team is finding this out as it wears a target on its back amidst an 8-6 start.
West Hempstead lost three starters from the spectacular team that swept to the Nassau County Class B title, then captured the school’s first-ever Long Island crown.
Trying to repeat will be a tall order because West Hempstead was bumped up to Class A against larger schools.
Still there is hope. The still-talented Rams boast two premier senior scorers/future college players in shooting Evan Wilson and senior 6-4 power forward Isaiah Blunt, plus a true point guard in junior Jonathan Houston..
Firstly, West Hempstead is trying to win its conference title (League 8) and is tied with Carle Place at 6-1.
“It’s been very important that every game we play, it’s like our last,’’ said Wilson, who is averaging 18.9 points, 4 rebounds and 1.4 steals. “We have to play with grit and heart to show even though we won last year, we have a lot of potential for this year.”
In the Rams’ last game, on Jan. 16, West Hempstead lost to Locust Valley for its only conference loss. The wild Locust Valley celebration demonstrated how marked a team the Rams are.
“They were extremely pumped up and excited to get the win,’’ West Hempstead head coach Eric Rubin said. “I’m sure a big part of their intent was we were defending champs.’’
West Hempstead is amidst a 12-day gap in the schedule as a time to regroup. The Rams will resume Jan. 28 versus East Rockaway, leaving the Locust Valley loss with time to linger while the club struggles with its defense.
Wilson is playing through a knee injury and there are other bumps and bruises on a roster not known for depth.
“Our goal is to peak in February, during the playoffs’ Rubin said. “The last week or so, we took a step back. But I’m hoping it’s just nagging injuries because we’re not the deepest team.’’
But they are top-heavy with the elite Wilson and Blunt wrecking havoc. In its 66-58 win against Carle Place on Dec. 20, the duo combined to notch 43 points. The rematch is Feb. 1st and that will likely decide the conference championship.
Wilson, who averaged just 9 points last season, has improved his 3-point shooting and, as Rubin says, “is very quick going to the basket.’’
Wilson makes a daring pairing with Blunt, who is 6-4 but plays like a guard with his perimeter shooting. Blunt is averaging a team-high 22.1 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block and 1.5 steals. Blunt has a reliable 3-point shot and is dangerous in transition.
The glue is Houston, a floor general averaging 6 points, 4.8 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
“A pass-first point guard is nice to have when you have guys who can score,’’ Rubin said.
Two other key contributors are senior forward Riley Leddick and sophomore point guard Alex Davis. Leddick is the consummate role player. “He’s doing the dirty work and is one of our best defenders,’’ Rubin said of Leddick. “He’s a kid who helps us without having the ball in his hand.’’
In his third season, Rubin is thrilled at turning the Rams into a power. “Some kids come in around 6 a.m. before school and work on their shot,’’ Rubin said. “We went from a team when I got there two years ago who couldn’t hit the side of the barn to actually having some solid shooters because they worked at it a lot.’’
West Hempstead won its third-ever county crown in 2024. A fourth hinges on its ailing help defense that has struggled against tough non-league competition, including Farmingdale.
. “This year we have a guard-based team, a lot of smaller players and are not as big as last year,’’ Wilson said. “Our defense has been one of our weakest parts but every day we work at practice to get better.’’
