WESTLAKE - Everyone knows about Anthony Hitchens skills on the football field, but Saturday night against Bay in the Division II Westlake District Final he let his skills on the hardwood do the talking.

Hitchens led the Clippers with 21 points, but it was his play in the first half that proved to be the difference.

He scored 10 points in the first quarter when the team struggled and only scored three points as the Clippers led 13-12.

Hitchens scored in a variety of ways. He hit jumpers, got offensive rebounds and putbacks and scored on layups.

"Most teams try to slack off on me and try to force me to be a jump shooter," Hitchens said. "I've worked on my shot during the summer because I didn't have one last season.

"If teams are going to slack off on me I'm going to keep taking that shot. Coach (John) Szalay has faith in me and I have faith in myself and I'm going to keep taking that shot."

Szalay said the team really fed off of Hitchens and that carried over to the second quarter, where the Clippers outscored the Rockets 17-3 and took a 30-15 at halftime.

"He stepped up and we followed his lead," said Szalay about Hitchens play in the first quarter.

Bay coach Jason Frolo said his team just didn't have an answer for Hitchens.

"We told our guys to give him a little bit of a cushion, because he loves to attack the hoop and knows how to finish strong," Frolo said. "He hit two mid-range jumpers which were big for him."

The Clippers went on to defeat Bay 61-29 and advance to the Region 6 semifinal against Celina, at Bowling Green State University, on March, 18.