Defense measures up as Prexies stay unbeaten in 4-AAA
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High's Jordan Swart works between three Southmoreland defenders to take a shot during Friday's game at Wash High. The Prexies won, 65-55.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High's Matt popeck goes up for a basket in front of Southmorelan's Zac Leighty during Friday's game at Wash High. The Prexies won, 65-55.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High's Isaiah Robinson moves past Southmoreland's Brandon Stone (23) during Friday's game.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Washington's Isaiah Robinson and Dan Ethridge battle with Southmoreland's Tanner Schwartz and Brandon Stone for the rebound during the second half of Friday's game.
The message of defense leading to offense has been something Washington High School boys basketball head coach Ron Faust has relentlessly tried to instill in the Prexies.
As Southmoreland threw the ball to 6-11 Division I prospect Brandon Stone, Faust watched all five Prexies dressed in white and baby blue buy into that message.
The unrelenting defense for the Prexies, which forced six turnovers that led to an extensive 11-point first-quarter lead, continued for the remainder of the game as they defeated Southmoreland 65-55 in a Section 4-AAA game at the crowded Wash High gymnasium Friday night.
“Team defense is something we continue to preach,” Faust said. “It’s not typically important in the mind of most high school kids that defense can turn into offense. We have kids buying into that now.”
After trading baskets early in the first quarter, a jumper from Washington’s Tariq Wilson from the elbow at 5:38 sparked a 10-0 run in which four Prexies found the scoresheet, extending their lead to 15-4.
After the 10-0 run was broken up by Southmoreland’s Tommy Pisula, it only seemed to wake up Washington’s Matt Popeck. The senior forced a turnover and converted it into an easy layup and followed it with another layup on the next offensive possession, giving Washington a 19-8 lead after the first quarter.
“That start was so significant because we thought (Southmoreland) would be really fired up coming in here,” Faust said. “We didn’t want them to get out of the gate quicker than we did. It was important we were able to capture that lead early.”
The early lead was too much for the Scotties to overcome as their responses typically came with a Popeck answer as he finished with 29 points – 20 in the first half – to give the Prexies a 32-20 halftime lead.
“The slow start didn’t help,” Southmoreland head coach Frank Muccino said. “They were sagging the backside guy off of the wing. They came out and jumped on us right away. We were just way out of sorts offensively. We were just bogging down after a pass or two. Nobody was aggressive. In order to get them out of what they were doing, you have to be able to shoot them out of it.”
The lead for Washington (9-0, 14-3) was tested in the third quarter after a 12-5 Southmoreland run in the middle of the third quarter as Tanner Schwartz made his third three-pointer for the Scotties to cut the gap to 46-40.
It wasn’t a lead the Prexies ever felt like giving up as they continued to force turnovers – 15 in all – and spread the out the Southmoreland (7-2, 14-3) defense that turned its attention to just trying to slow down Popeck.
“He is a very good player,” Muccino said about Popeck, who scored his 1,000 point against the Southmoreland in the teams’ first matchup Jan. 3.
“He is quick and explosive. If you leave him open he will shoot it. Our goal tonight was to make him work for everything he got. He’s a good player and that’s what good players do.”
After drawing contact and connecting on another layup with 6:56 remaining, Popeck became the offensive facilitator that led to other Prexies finding success.
Also scoring in double digits for Washington was Jacob Swartz with 12 points and Isaiah Robinson with 10.
Southmoreland was paced by Stone’s 18-point, 10 rebound performance. Pisula and Zac Leighty also scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
“It’s extremely important,” Faust said recent progression of being able to use several bench players. “Hopefully we can go even deeper, which might sound a little contrary to what you normally do when you reach the playoffs. I still feel we have guys on the bench that can contribute on certain nights.”