MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Throughout the opening half of Monday’s game, both Washington and Martinsburg struggled to generate offensive rhythm.
As the Bulldogs ramped up their defensive pressure in the second half, the Patriots got more aggressive offensively and found success attacking consistently and playing at a quicker pace. In turn, Washington made 19-of-31 field-goal attempts over a 45-point second half that paved the way in a 66-54 victory against the Bulldogs.
“If someone pressures us, I don’t want to be passive,” Washington head coach Ryan Miller said. “If someone is going to guard us 94 feet, we have to attack that pressure. So then we can beat one guy, force help and play 4-on-3. That’s what we wanted to do and you saw a little bit of that in the second half.”
Washington (11-4) evened the season series with Martinsburg (10-3) after the Bulldogs won the first matchup in overtime.
Despite missing starting guard Kris Doleman and 6-foot-7 center George Welti to injury, the Patriots got significant contributions from six players, including DJ Boardley, who matched the game-high scoring total with 23 points.
WHS led 21-20 at halftime and never trailed again as Boardley opened the second half scoring with a layup and followed it with one of his team’s six three-pointers.
“We talk to him about how to find his shot. He’s so slippery when he gets going downhill and at the rim that it opens up his three-point shot,” Miller said. “I love that he hit the layup and then hit a three. That was big and something we’ve been working on with him.”
Martinsburg’s Keshaun Cheek, who matched Boardley for game-high scoring honors, countered with a triple to cut the Bulldogs’ deficit in half, but Boardley countered with a bucket in the paint.
When Patriots’ guard Jasiah King made a trey with 1:30 remaining in the third, it allowed the visitors to lead 35-25 for the first double-figure margin of the matchup.
Creek helped keep his team competitive and scored on a drive to the basket for the final points of the third, cutting his team’s deficit to 38-31 with 8 minutes remaining.
“Jasiah King is a great point guard, but he can’t go 1-on-5,” Miller said. “At times, we were standing and watching him and we had to get other guys involved, moving and flashing to the middle. They really responded and did what I asked them to do.”
The Bulldogs’ Garrett Hite accounted for five straight points early into the fourth, including one of his three treys that trimmed the Washington lead to 40-36.
Boardley answered with a 10-foot pull-up jumper, before Keyan Proctore converted a layup off a steal.
Although Jaeshaun Dirting banked in a three to bring MHS to within 44-39, Washington got a Ja’kel Watkins three combined with Boardley’s transition layup and Proctor’s corner triple to go on top by a dozen.
“It shouldn’t have, but it happened,” Martinsburg head coach Dave Rogers said. “Give Washington credit. They shot the ball well, rebounded the ball well and did some good things.”
Washington maintained separation from there, thanks in large part to Watkins, who added two more field goals down the stretch and scored all nine of his points in the final frame.
The Patriots shot almost 50 percent (28 for 57) and had a significant rebounding advantage (39-23) thanks to Michael Thompson’s game-best 15 boards.
Boardley made 11-of-20 shots and scored 17 second-half points.
King added 11 points and a game-high six assists, while Thompson and Proctor scored eight apiece and Chet Gore contributed seven.
“I told our team everyone has to pick it up a little bit. We’re not going to replace Kris Doleman with one other guy,” Miller said. “It has to be five, six or seven guys that chip in. DJ led us, but a couple guys right around double digits. Everyone stepped up and it was a total team effort.”
Hite scored 12 to give the Bulldogs a second double-figure scorer.
It took Martinsburg more than 4 minutes to score, and the Bulldogs dug themselves a 7-0 hole as a result.
The Bulldogs got 16 bench points from five reserves.
“We’ve talked for the last two weeks about effort and energy not being there,” Rogers said. “You saw when we put the kids off the bench in, we got some effort and got back in the game. That’s happened a couple times.”
Despite the Bulldogs having won four straight before Monday’s loss, Rogers recognized the potential importance of the result making Martinsburg’s road in the postseason tougher.
“That would’ve maybe secured the second spot in the area,” he said. “Now we’re probably going to be in that bottom 4 and have to win on the road, and then probably a second one on the road. It makes our life tougher. Sad to say we didn’t get it done.”