Westwood’s Nathan Beckman reaches for the ball with teammate Taylor Dellangelo and Negaunee’s Drew DuShane on defense during the MHSAA Class C district tournament Wednesday evening, March 7, 2018 in Negaunee at Lakeview Elementary. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

ISHPEMING — If there’s one thing Westwood head coach Chad Hewitt wants his boys basketball team to do this season, it’s to win games before the final buzzer sounds.

The Patriots return the talent to do just that after a 12-10 record last season and a dramatic Blake Hewitt buzzer-beater to claim the Class C district championship 54-53 over Ishpeming before exiting to one-loss Iron Mountain in the regional round 49-33.

Westwood returns Hewitt as well as senior guards Nathan Beckman and Zach Niemi, senior forwards Jacob Adriano, Troy Anderson and Dakota Rodda, junior guard Taylor Dellangelo and five newcomers from last year’s junior varsity team.

Hewitt said chemistry won’t be a major issue for this year’s roster, most of who have been playing basketball together for quite some time.

“Things are going well,” he said. “Things are tight. This group has been playing together for a long time, since middle school, so I’m looking forward to a good year with those guys.”

While Hewitt wasn’t positive on a starting five just yet, players like Beckman, Adriano, Blake Hewitt, Dellangelo and others received a significant amount of time on the floor last year.

“There are a lot of guys from last year’s team that got a lot of minutes,” he said.

Hewitt was to the point as far as his team’s size this season as well with most players landing in the 6-foot range.

“We’ve got a lot of depth,” he said.

“We’re not big, we’re not short, we’re all about 6-foot-1 across the board. We’re really going to have to really defend well and get after people.”

Dellangelo, who has a height of 5-foot-10, was a late addition to the varsity squad last year.

“He came up for the last few games of the season and then districts and he was a good spark plug for us,” Hewitt said.

The five newcomers from the JV roster are Erik Anderson, Matthew Paavo, Fred Campfield, Mason Mariuzza and Ty Alderton, all who will be juniors this year.

“Ty is a big kid and he’s been working on his strength and playing with his back to the basket,” Hewitt said. “Erik is another junior who will have to give us minutes as well.”

Why should Patriots fans make their way to the WHS gym this season? New bleachers for one, but Hewitt said his team will always give their best effort.

“We’re not flashy,” he said. “We’re not the most exciting team to watch offensively, but we play hard and get after people. We don’t back down from anybody. We’re a defensive-predicated team who gave up 44 points a game last year.

“We’re looking to build off of that and maybe loosen our reigns a little offensively.”

As for more championship-clinching buzzer-beaters, Hewitt disagrees.

“It would be nice to finish them earlier because it’s taken years off of my life winning games that way,” he laughed.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.

Westwood boys

2018-19 schedule

All times Eastern

Tuesday — L’Anse, 7:15 p.m.

Friday — Houghton, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 3 — West Iron Co. 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 7 — Ishpeming, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 10 — at Hancock, 7:15 p.m.

Dec.. 13 — Kingsford, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 20 — Gwinn, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 3 — at Iron Mount., 7:45 p.m.

Jan. 8 — at Gladstone, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 11 — at Ishpeming, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 15 — at Escanaba, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Iron Mountain, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 29 — at Marquette., 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 1 — at Manistique, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 6 — Negaunee, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 8 — Manistique, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 12 — at Gwinn, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 14 — at Calumet, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 18 — Gladstone, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 20 — at Negaunee, 7:15 p.m.