Faust frustrated despite Washington’s section-opening win
Luke Campbell/Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Zahmere Robinson goes up for a layup while being defending by Charleroi’s Legend Davis in the second half of Friday’s game.
By Luke Campbell
Washington’s Marlon Norris drives the lane for a layup during Friday’s game against Charleroi.
Luke Campbell/Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Zack Swartz prepares to go up for a layup while being defending by Charleroi’s Joe Caruso during Friday’s game.
CHARLEROI – There was no convincing Ron Faust of what he saw was good.
The longtime Washington High School boys basketball coach began listing the positives that transpired Friday night.
“We won,” Faust said.
That’s where his list abruptly stopped.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” Faust said. “I think if this would have been a game that was determined by effort that Charleroi would have beaten us by 30 or 40 points. Our effort was horrible. I’m not pleased with the way we played.”
Despite an effort thought questionable by their coach, the Prexies built a double-digit lead less seven minutes into the game and kept it nearly the entire game to defeat Charleroi 58-45 in the Section 4-AAA opener for both teams.
“There are two things you can always control, your effort and your attitude,” Faust said. “I’m not sure we are getting the best of all our players when it comes to those. Nothing that I saw out there tonight is what we practiced. Tonight was more than a few steps backward.”
Faust’s displeasure could have mirrored a more grim result for Washington (1-0, 2-0) if the Cougars were more efficient from the field in the first half. Charleroi (0-1, 2-2), which has lost two consecutive games, fell behind from the opening tip with poor shooting. The Cougars made just three field goals the entire first half.
“We didn’t shoot the ball for crap in the first half,” said Charleroi coach Bill Wiltz. “Everybody struggled. Shooting is contagious. The tone at halftime was to release that frustration. You could see frustration all over our face, in the shooting, in the passing and dribbling.”
Brandon Patterson first gave Washington its double-digit advantage with a six-point run of his own. Patterson made a layup, mid-range floater and grabbed an offensive rebound that led to a putback with 44 seconds left in the first quarter to give the Prexies a 14-2 lead.
Washington’s lead was never threatened behind the sharpshooting Ian Bredniak. After Charleroi trimmed the lead to nine points in the middle of the second quarter, Bredniak made back-to-back threes that put the Cougars down by double digits for good.
Bredniak led the Prexies with 19 points.
“We have been practicing hard for a long time,” Bredniak said. “It’s good to start out section play like this. It gives us a good boost.”
The lead for Washington reached 20 points four times in the second half, including three times in the third quarter. Patterson was the only other Prexie in double figures with 10 points. Zack Swartz had nine.
It was the 23rd consecutive game Washington has won against Charleroi, despite the Cougars playing better and making second-half shots.
Joe Caruso finished with 19 points for Charleroi. Zach User added 11.
“We have to be the team we were in the second half, not the one we were in the first half,” Wiltz said. “We just had to smile a little bit and go play the game.”
Washington will have an entire week to improve until its next section game.
“I like that we won, but that was the only thing,” Faust said. “The standards are high. We have talent. I just don’t know if we are going to be able to harness that talent. There is a certain way we need to play to be successful. If we don’t do that we aren’t going to go far in the playoffs.”