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Wash High starts fast, cruises over Charleroi

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CHARLEROI – Washington and Charleroi opened the 2020-21 boys basketball season Friday night with the Prexies picking up a 68-45 Section 4-AAA road win.

“We have some athleticism but have to work harder to put it all together,” said Washington coach Ron Faust. “We will have to by the time the playoffs come around.”

Down 3-0, the Prexies went on a 13-0 run to take control of the game and led 20-5 after the first quarter.

In the quarter, Brandon Patterson scored half of his game-high 22 points as the Prexies used a press to force eight first quarter turnovers.

Charleroi coach Bill Wiltz said his team’s effort on the glass was frustrating.

“I was really disappointed with our effort on the boards and I know we were outmanned giving up three or four inches at each position,” he said. “It is OK if we are getting outrebounded if we are boxing out. That is one thing, but if we are standing around watching, then I have a problem with that.”

“We don’t have size and have to live and die with the three, but tonight we shot maybe 15 percent.”

Up 34-18 late in the second quarter, Washington went on an 8-1 run to close the half and take a 42-19 lead into the third quarter.

“Athletically, we were superior and pressed but we had to pull it off,” Faust said. “Bill always does a good job having his team ready and but our understanding of some of the concepts we are trying to teach, we have to get back to workshop and get better at some things.”

Down 44-19 one possession into the second half, the Cougars went on a 10-0 run to make the score 44-29.

However, the Prexies closed the quarter on an 8-1 spurt to thwart any Charleroi comeback.

Tayshawn Levy joined Patterson in double figures for Washington with 20 points while Will Wagner (14) and Zach Usher (13) combined for 27 points to lead Charleroi.

Wagner and Usher, the only two Charleroi players with meaningful varsity experience, each had to sit for long stretches because of foul trouble.

As expected because of the lack of practice time, the game was sloppy with the Cougars having 20 turnovers and Washington 17.

Both teams return to section play Tuesday when the Prexies host Waynesburg and Charleroi heads to McGuffey.

“Having to play Wash High out of the gates in the section before playing an exhibition game isn’t ideal,” said Wiltz. “Then we head to McGuffey, so we open with the two toughest opponents in the section.”

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