CALABASAS —Westlake’s Devin Feiereisen has fallen in love with basketball again, and on Wednesday night, the sport loved her back.
A relentless Calabasas girls basketball team had grinded its way to a three-point lead with two minutes left to play against Westlake in a Marmonte League game.
Feiereisen, who found herself shooting more than usual, let a 3-pointer fly with 1:42 remaining on the clock to tie the game at 55-all and send her teammates into a frenzy.
“I was wide open and we were losing,” said Feiereisen, who was breathless after the game. “I was going crazy. I was jumping up and down. It was so good.”
Final: Westlake 57, Calabasas 55
Devin Feiereisen’s 3-pointer tied it with 1:44 left in the game. pic.twitter.com/Fg5dMEGBjn
— Haley Sawyer (@haleymsawyer) January 25, 2024
Mathis Dritz went in for a layup with 15 seconds left to finish the job and beat Calabasas 57-55 at Calabasas High.
The Warriors (14-6 overall, 7-0 Marmonte League) remain unbeaten in league play and have secured at least a share of the Marmonte League title.
Calabasas vs. Westlake: The Marmonte League rematch we’ve been waiting for.
These teams were warming up to Migos’ Fight Night, which tells you all you need to know 👀 pic.twitter.com/27Bhp5vriV
— Haley Sawyer (@haleymsawyer) January 25, 2024
Westlake gained a slight lead early on, starting when Dritz made a layup and the and-one shot afterward.
Dritz and Feiereisen each scored 17 points in the game. Dritz, a sophomore, was reliable for points in the paint but is one of the most heavily guarded players on the team. That can allow for players like Feiereisen to step in and score.
“For her to keep stepping up has been huge in league,” Westlake coach Josh Budde said of Feiereisen. “She went through a stretch where basketball wasn’t fun, but now she’s having fun again and she’s been humongous.”
Maddy Tauro (15 points) gave the Coyotes (9-12, 4-3) their first lead of the evening at 13-10 when she pulled up for a jumper and an and-one shot. The Warriors immediately responded when Taylor Swanson sank a 3-pointer to tie the game.
Westlake used free throws to pull ahead, then Dritz made a layup to secure a lead for the Warriors at the end of the first quarter. They struck first in the second frame, too, with a 3-pointer from Emma Ange.
Creating turnovers kept Calabasas within reach of the lead. Tauro, a Cal State Fullerton commit, grabbed a steal and dished the ball to Hendelman for a layup, a pattern that was repeated with slight variations.
“I’m proud of them,” Calabasas coach Destiny Melton said. “It could have been a historic night, but it was still historic because that’s the best they’ve ever played against that team.”
Hendelman hit a 3-pointer with 40 seconds until halftime to bring the score to 36-30 at the break. She made five 3s to finish the game with 18 points.
Each team scored 12 points in an evenly-matched third quarter. Tauro’s Euro step basket seconds before the buzzer sounded got the excitement going for the Coyotes.
“She’s finally able to slow it down and still get the soft touch,” Melton said. “The one thing I’ll say about Maddy is there’s so much stuff in that girl (that) people haven’t even seen.”
Calabasas made timely 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to keep the game close, but Feiereisen’s 3, followed by Dritz’s layup, was the ultimate dagger.
The game adds another chapter to the growing rivalry between Calabasas and Westlake and followed the first competitive Marmonte League matchup of the season, which Westlake won 55-52.
“We have a huge rivalry with Calabasas,” Feiereisen said. “Our goal was to kick their butt, so we’re very proud.”