West Creek High boys’ basketball clinch first district championship since 2011

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Shortly after being hired as the West Creek High boys’ basketball coach this past summer, Matthew Hardaway sat down with Clarksville Now and laid out his expectations for the team.

In the interview, Hardaway said he wanted to see the Coyotes compete right away and didn’t want to settle for appearances in district and regional tournaments, rather, he wanted to compete for a chance to travel to Murfreesboro, according to previous reports.

Fast forward to today, and the West Creek High boys’ basketball team is coming off a district championship victory over Kenwood High on Tuesday night. With the victory, West Creek clinched their first district championship title since 2011.

“We’re trying to make a name for ourselves,” Hardaway said. “I think our team wanted to be different; they wanted something new; they wanted to show that they can compete.

“During the district championship I saw my team play with effort and heart… When they are playing on the same page, we’re a pretty tough team to beat, because we’re able to share the ball and trust each other. Also, they’ve come a long way with their defense. They’re starting to hold each other accountable, while holding themselves accountable too.”

West Creek sophomore guard Kameron Bowers led the team in the district championship with 17 points scored. Meanwhile, senior guard Amaree Lafortune finished with 13 points scored.

As the Coyotes postseason push continues, West Creek enters regional play ranked number one in their region. With that being said, West Creek is scheduled to face off with the fourth overall seed in the region, the Springfield High Yellow Jackets, on Saturday, Feb. 24 at West Creek High School.

When asked about his message to his players entering the next round of playoffs, Hardaway said he wants his team to take it one game at a time. “Everyone is going to try to knock us down, especially since were the number one team in our region. It feels like we have a target on our back, but that gives us a reason to play even harder.”