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MOUNT PLEASANT, N.Y. Multiple teams will look to start their season on the right foot with some new faces as they open the year up by participating in the annual Westlake High School Holiday Basketball Tournament this weekend.
The Westlake Tournament has always provided a challenge, Valhalla boys basketball head coach David Grenier said
This year, both the boys and girls teams from Westlake, Valhalla, Hastings and Henry Hudson high school will all be participating. On Thursday night, the teams from Valhalla and Hastings squared off, and on Friday night, the teams from Westlake and Henry Hudson will play each other. The tournament concludes on Saturday when the winners from Thursdays and Fridays games will play in the championship. A consolation game will also be played between the losers.
Grenier and his Valhalla team graduated 11 seniors from last year, including the entire starting five. Despite the major team change, the philosophy that brought them to a combined 51-14 record over the past three seasons remains the same.
The boys know all about the success that we have had over the last three seasons and they are up to the challenge, Grenier said. Ive told them that we want to be playing our best basketball come February. If we accomplish that goal, it will be the mark of a successful season.
Sean Mayer, head coach of the Westlake girls basketball team, will head into this season having graduated four starters from last years team and the defending champions of last years tournament. Mayer said this years team features seven seniors that he hopes can step up into a bigger role. However, the bigger issue for this weekend may be to not get caught up in some of the distractions that go into hosting a tournament.
Its good to start the season off at home and it should be a good environment, Mayer said. But with everything going on and the parents getting involved its all fun but we need to make sure we stay focused and that were ready to play.
All games will be played in Westlake High Schools gymnasium in Thornwood. For more information on the scheduling of the tournament, visit the Westlake Athletic Booster Club website.
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