George Washington senior forward — and Division B Most Valuable Player — Charles Brown and his Eagles teammates will have one more shot to extend their season on Thursday, taking on La Salle at Southern High School at 7:30 p.m. The winner gets the final District XII Class AAAA spot in the upcoming state tournament. TIMES FILE PHOTO
George Washington basketball came up short in the program’s quest for its first-ever Public League title.
Luckily for the Eagles, their season isn’t over just yet. They still have the ability to accomplish something the team has never done before; however, the questions remain: how effective will they be after a long layoff, and where will the team’s focus be after being eliminated by Martin Luther King in the Class AAAA title game on Feb. 13?
These are the things Washington head coach John Creighton continues to ask himself as the Eagles prepare for Thursday night’s clash against La Salle (at Southern High School, 7:30 p.m.). The game will determine the third and final District 12 Class AAAA participant for the upcoming state tournament.
“It’s such a long time in between games that I worry we’re not as prepared as I’d like to be,” Creighton said on Monday night. “We had the weekend off after we lost to King, then Presidents Day, then a snow day, so we’ve really only had three days of work to watch film and prepare for La Salle. I like the match-ups and I think we can do some things on offense, but they have a ton of talent and are senior-heavy, just like us.”
One of the things Creighton is trying to impart on to his players is that La Salle was in this same game a year ago, fighting just to be the third team from AAAA included in the field. Once in, the Explorers marched all the way to the state final in Hershey before losing. He believes his team has the same talent and ability, especially on the heels of the recent All-Public announcements.
Creighton was Division B’s Coach of the Year, while Washington senior forward Charles Brown was named the division’s Most Valuable Player. Senior guard Elmange Watson was also a First Team selection for the second consecutive year, while senior forward Jerome Blume earned Third Team honors. Not only that, but Washington went 2–0 against Catholic League competition this season, knocking off both St. Joseph’s Prep and Archbishop Ryan.
“Last year, La Salle didn’t win their league and went on a run in states … same for Constitution in the Public League,” Creighton said. “It shows you how good some of the teams in our area are. And you look at other great AAAA teams like Wood and the Prep who won’t even have the chance that we do. We get an extra shot.”
Creighton said the state tournament opens more doors for his players, with the chance to travel to unfamiliar places to face excellent intra-state competition. This could give any of his talented players a previously unforeseen opportunity to be seen by a college coach or scout.
“We try to tell them that when we play at these neutral sites, you never know who might be watching,” Creighton said. “The opportunities are endless once you get into the state tournament. Even after we lost to King, there’s still a new goal to set. GW has never been there, so it’d be a step in the right direction for our program. They deserve it, because they’ve worked their butts off. ”
In La Salle, the Eagles certainly won’t be running into a pushover. The Explorers went 18–6 overall and 9–4 in the rugged Catholic League, advancing all the way to the league semifinals before being ousted by eventual runner-up Neumann-Goretti. Senior guards Najee Walls and Shawn Witherspoon are excellent scorers, and forward Dave Krmpotich has verbally committed to play Division I ball at Colgate. Unlike Washington, they are battle tested, having been to this stage before, and their eight-day layoff in between games is not as long as the Eagles’.
In the end, Washington is still playing with a chance to advance, which is more than most teams can say at this point.
“These kids have done some great things, and I’m so proud of them for that,” he said. “It’s been a nonstop whirlwind, but it’s been nice to see the individual recognition for some of them. Hopefully on Thursday, we’re successful in taking that next step.” ••
For a Washington-La Salle game story, visit www.northeasttimes.com/sports on Friday.
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