Slow-starting Wash High pulls away from B-C
Every game Washington High School’s boys basketball team has played this year, win, or lose, has been at least a little lopsided.
Coming into Tuesday night’s Class 3A Section 4 game against Beth-Center, the Prexies had four wins by a combined average of 35 points, and two losses by 16-point average.
Tuesday wasn’t much different.
The Prexies took care of the Bulldogs with a 64-26 win behind 20 points from Brandon Patterson and 17 from Ian Bredniak. Tayshawn Levy added 11.
“We played with more intensity tonight than we had in some of the previous games,” Wash High coach Ron Faust said. “We’re working very hard at both ends of the floor, it’s just that we have to improve our efficiency. We’re not getting out of the game what we’re putting into it right now.”
The Prexies (4-0, 5-2) got off to a slow start, only leading 12-10 early on, but outscored the Bulldogs 17-9 the rest of the way to take a 29-19 lead into halftime. It only got better in the second half, where the Prexies dominated Beth-Center 35-7- no, this isn’t football- and only allowed one point in the fourth quarter.
It was a humbling night for the Bulldogs (1-3, 4-3), who had some momentum coming in with consecutive wins over Waynesburg and Monessen. Beth-Center coach Bill Greco knew Wash High’s personnel would be difficult to handle.
“We’re not used to playing speed like this,” he said. “We can’t simulate in practice what we’re going to see against a team like Wash High. They’re quick and they’re long, and they’re aggressive, and they know how to go to the ball. So, it’s hard.”
Beth-Center has nowhere to go but up and will look to bounce back against McGuffey Friday night.
The Prexies have a big one coming up Friday at Brentwood, which is also undefeated in the section at 3-0 so first place will be on the line. For Faust, keeping up the energy from the victory over the Bulldogs will be key to getting a positive result Friday.
“We’re fortunate that we have talent,” Faust said. “We need to do a better job as coaches to make that talent turn us into a better team.”