This season of Varsity Boys Basketball will go down in Westlake history! With a record of 16-4, the team of 15, led by head coach Chad Charney and team captains, Marcus Jackette, Anthony Nigrelli, and Gjorge Krasnici, crushed their competition throughout the winter.

 

At the beginning of the season, the team had little chemistry due to new players, one even being 8th grader, Liam Hannon. However, with experiences like a trip to Springfield, MA and beating their rival, Pleasantville, the team bonded and grew together. Each player knew the value he brought, and because of added effort and grown relationships, the 25-26 season was perhaps one of the most special.

 

Jackette himself has also proven to make Westlake history. During his senior season, he became the single-highest scorer throughout the school’s lifetime, surpassing the previous record of 1,365 points set in 1984. Jackette also proved himself by being nominated for Class A Player of the Year. While this year set a record for the school, the 24-25 season was also notable for Jackette as he scored his 1,000th point. 

 

While Jackette deserves all of the accolades, all seniors were able to receive their well-deserved spotlight in January. At senior night, Anthony Nigrelli and Gianluca Persampieri received praise for leaving their mark on Westlake after beating Valhalla 70-33. Each senior’s family accompanied them to middle court to acknowledge their accomplishments and contributions to Westlake basketball. 

 

Soon enough, they will be able to push the bar even higher during playoff season, between February 19 through March 6. 

 

In hopes that the Varsity team will take home the Gold Ball from the sectional championship game, the team is preparing with even more effort, team bonding and reflecting on last year’s heartbreak. 

 

Regardless of the playoff outcome, the 2025-2026 Boys Varsity Basketball team has truly been able to make the Westlake community proud.