Bowles leads Woodland Hills past Gateway in Section 1-5A opener

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, December 14, 2018 | 10:42 PM

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Keandre Bowles doesn’t shy away from responsibility.

Woodland Hills’ 6-foot-3 senior guard felt he was passed a torch from Amante Britt, who moved on to Slippery Rock University after graduating as the Wolverines’ all-time leading scorer.

During Woodland Hills’ Section 1-5A opener Friday night at home, Bowles showed he was more than capable of accepting the mantle. Bowles registered a game-high 25 points and helped the Wolverines topple Gateway, 77-53. .

Proving his worth isn’t a one-night goal for Bowles. He always wants to leave by making a statement.

“Yes, sir,” Bowles said. “Every night I try to prove a point. I need to lead the team. More scoring, more defense. Just leadership, really.”

Bowles — along with Tre’Mon Josey, who scored 13 points — is one of two starters returning from the Woodland Hills’ squad which reached the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals.

“Keandre has to lead us this year,” Wolverines coach Odell Miller said. “We are going to go as far as he can take us. … We are trying to develop some of our biggest kids because we aren’t that tall. I’m expecting Keandre to play like this every night.”

Bowles’ most important outburst came late in the first half. Gateway’s Hunter Hicks, who scored a team-high 16 points, had cut Woodland Hills’ lead to 33-27 with a layup. Bowles responded with a three-point play and another layup which stretched Woodland Hills’ advantage to 38-27 at the half.

The Wolverines (3-1, 1-0) aggressively attacked the rim throughout the contest. Woodland Hills registered 56 points in the paint and only made three 3-pointers.

Gateway coach Alvis Rogers said the Gators need to shore up their defense.

“It was more of a breakdown defensively,” Rogers said. “It’s not the offensive side, it was our defense. When you give up 56 points in the paint, that says it all. Defense has to travel.”

Gateway (1-2, 0-1) had three players reach double figures, but only scored 26 after halftime. RJ Stevenson (12 points) and William Kromka (10) each reached double figures.

Woodland Hills opened the half with a 18-5 run to pull away.

“We felt as those we were going to pressure them most of the game,” Miller said. “What we did in the first half, we didn’t change anything. We did the same thing in the second half.”

The Wolverines didn’t leave Bowles to do all the work alone.

Eleven different players for Woodland Hills registered points.

Bowles hopes this will help the Wolverines continue to prove their point all season.

“We came out here to prove a point,” Bowles said. “We had really been working this summer. We lost a couple pieces, but we’ve been working really hard.”

Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.

Tags: Gateway, Woodland Hills