Purcellville, Va. — With first place in the Catoctin District up for grabs, the Woodgrove High School boys basketball team knew they would need to spread the ball around if they wanted to take down their athletic Broad Run adversaries.
Led offensively by senior shooting guard Colin Fuller, the Wolverines had three guys in double figures as they fended off the Spartans, 64-62, on January 23 in Purcellville.
“We have 4-6 guys who can score double figures for us on any given night. Tonight, it was just about keeping the ball hot,” Woodgrove head coach Konstantine Papastergiou said. “We moved the ball really well and were really unselfish. In crunch time, defenses can’t key on one guy, because you never know who’s going to hurt them.”
Having led since early in the second quarter, the Wolverine defense was challenged late in the fourth when Broad Run capped off a 7-0 scoring run, highlighted by a Brayden Lee three to take a 53-50 lead.
“We’ve had games where we’ve been in these moments,” Papastergiou said. “I knew when they made a little run there, we were going to be alright.”
A pair of free throws by Woodgrove senior guard Joey Marcheschi and a bucket by Fuller temporarily gave the lead back to the Wolverines, however an ensuing three and quick layup by Broad Run sophomore guard Adam Perdue gave the Spartans their second biggest lead of the night at 58-54.
“Everyone comes into their games with Broad Run saying they’re going to stop Adam, but they never do,” Papastergiou said. “He’s a deceptively quick superstar.”
Luckily for the Wolverines, they also have some quick players, as senior guard Jack Hill found an opening and finished at the rim to cut the lead to 58-56.
Following a Woodgrove time out, Broad Run sophomore guard Benjamin Bolle collected a rebound and made a long outlet pass to senior guard James Wasikye, who finished with ease to re-extend the Spartan lead to four.
After trading baskets to make it 62-58 Broad Run, Woodgrove junior center Dane Marsh grabbed a big offensive rebound and finished on a putback to cut the lead to two.
On the other end, Woodgrove junior guard Kenny Chicas picked off a pass then took his man off the dribble for two points to tie the game up at 62-62.
On the next Broad Run possession, it was Hill who swiped a steal to give the Wolverines the ball with about 30 seconds left in a tie game. Following a Woodgrove timeout, the Wolverines chewed some clock before Hill saw a slight gap in the defense and made his way to the basket for two points and the lead.
During a timeout of their own, Broad Run drew up a play, but with 2.3 seconds left, Woodgrove senior forward Jimmy Marsh made a slight deflection on the inbound pass to eat up half a second.
“Props to Jimmy, who didn’t play a second of the entire game until there was 2.3 seconds left there at the end,” Papastergiou said. “He came in and was able to get a deflection on that ball. It was a great, late-game defensive execution.”
With 1.8 seconds left, the Spartans sent up a heave from half court, but the shot fell short as the Wolverines secured sole possession of first place in the Catoctin District with their 64-62 win.
Woodgrove (3-0, 13-2) will look to hold onto sole possession of first place when they host John Champe on January 26. Broad Run (3-1, 9-4) will have non-district games against Heritage and Tuscarora before they look to get back on track in the district with a game against Park View on January 29.
“We relish in the fact that we have a target on our backs,” Papastergiou said. “Look where we are now compared to where we were last year. The slogan has always been ‘Believe in us.’ That’s gotten us to where we are, and it’s going to get us to where we’re going.”
Katey Jackson captured 200+ photos at the game!
Woodgrove Stats
| Woodgrove | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | FT |
| Colin Fuller | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Jack Hill | 14 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2-for-2 |
| Kenny Chicas | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2-for-2 |
| Dane Marsh | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0-for-0 |
| Joey Marcheschi | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2-for-2 |
| David Richards | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2-for-2 |
| Caleb Roach | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Jimmy Marsh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Totals | 64 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8-for-8 |
Broad Run Stats
| Broad Run | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | FT |
| Adam Perdue | 20 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4-for-4 |
| Benny Nketia | 12 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2-for-2 |
| Brayden Lee | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| James Wasikye | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1-for-4 |
| Benjamin Bolle | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2-for-2 |
| Darnell Bennett | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Zorawer Ghotra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Totals | 62 | 27 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 9-for-12 |