In the closing moments of the first half of Gerstell’s showdown at Westminster on Monday, Grant Ray drove the baseline and dunked over three Owls defenders. Fans begged for a technical foul, believing Ray hung on the rim a second too long.
Call or no call, it was just on of many problems Ray caused Westminster on Monday night.
The dunk accounted for two of Ray’s game-high 22 points as he came off the bench to lead Gerstell to a wire-to-wire 66-56 victory over Westminster.
“Whether it’s getting out in transition, getting on the boards or being a playmaker out there, I just try to go out there and play hard.” Ray said.
By the time Ray checked in, point guard Emre Tari had already taken control, leading the Falcons on a 13-5 run to put their stamp on the game early.
“We put the ball in his hands a lot and he constantly makes good decisions,” Gerstell coach Jeff Cheevers said. “He’s been banged up early on, so it’s great to see him playing like this.”
A steady force for the Falcons, Tari has long been someone Cheevers trusts to run the offense. Whether serving as the perfect pick-and-roll partner for an all-county big man or forming one half of a dangerous guard duo with a former Player of the Year winner [Caleb Franze in 2024], Tari has embraced every role asked of him and consistently delivered.
“When I first got here, they trusted me and made me the point guard,” Tari, who finished with 17 points, said. “I know I can find my teammates in transition and make the right plays for my team. I’ve always known I can be that guy.”
Tari wasn’t just a steady force Monday night — he was a spark plug. After opening the game with nine first-quarter points, other Falcons followed his lead. Amari Bowman knocked down a shot, then shadowed Westminster’s Shae Greenwood from the opening tip, making him uncomfortable all night. Corey Graham took advantage of the attention paid to Ray and Tari, hitting open shots and battling on the boards.
Bebe Adetunji and Myron Thompson also made their presence felt, attacking the glass and forcing Westminster post players Greenwood and Charlie Mollman to think twice before challenging them inside. With the Falcons firing on all cylinders, the lead ballooned to 15 when Ray closed the third quarter by drilling a shot over Mollman, sending the Gerstell student section into a frenzy.
“They came out and took it to us,” Westminster coach Johnathan Forester said. “When you let a team come out, play with confidence and get hot, they stay hot.”
The Falcons were more physical while outscoring and outhustling the defending county co-champions. Paul Burgee led Westminster with 15 points, but it was too little, too late as Gerstell cruised to a victory that was dominant in every phase.
“Really proud of the way we came out and executed,” Cheevers said. “I thought they handled the moment and the environment really well.”
The win comes at the start of what Cheevers calls an important week for his squad. The Falcons have played just one MIAA B Conference game this season — a hard-fought loss to two-time defending champion Severn. If Gerstell wants another shot at the Admirals, strong performances against the rest of the conference will be essential.
Cheevers knows that beating a team like Westminster was a strong opening step toward what could become a season-defining run.
“We know how important this week is and what we need to do,” Cheevers said. “Beating a good, well-coached team like Westminster was a great start and hopefully we can keep it going.”
Westminster girls race past Falcons
Despite a game high 18 points from Gerstell’s Mackenzie Wilking The Lady Owls picked up a decisive 55-33 victory in the first half of Monday’s doubleheader. 12 Owls scored in what was an extraordinary collaborative effort from coach Dave Urban’s squad as they used a second quarter run and dominated the rest of the way.
The Owls were led by Xaviah Burgee’s 12 points while also getting key contributions from Brinley Boag (10) and Riley Bunting (9)
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Gerstell 66, Westminster 56
G- Grant Ray 22, Emre Tari 17, Corey Graham 15, Myron Thompson 8, Amari Bowman 3, Braden Moore 1
W- Paul Burgee 15, Shae Greenwood 10, Charlie Mollman 9, Brandon Barrett 5, Logan Hoot 5, Caron Stultz 5, Aidan Lavender 4, Tyler Anderson 3