Girls' and Boys' Playoff Basketball: Patriot District Championships

By Mike Austin
DigitalSports.com

Girls’ Championship Game
No. 1 T.C. Williams 51, No. 9 West Springfield 42

In a night that featured great energy by both teams, it was the steady offense of top-ranked T.C. Williams that prevailed as the Titans claimed their third consecutive Patriot District title and extending their unbeaten streak to 22 games.

West Springfield played well in the first half, exhibiting excellent patience and ball movement, but the Spartans’ jump shots caught iron and refused to fall. And in the second quarter, T.C. Williams tightened its defense, holding the Spartans to only four points.

The Titans, on the other hand, were a model of offensive consistency. Led by standout junior guard Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, T.C. Williams scored 13 points in the first quarter and 12 in the second. Ruffin-Pratt, named the tournament MVP, finished with a game-high 22 points.

The second half opened with a furious onslaught by West Springfield, which seemed renewed after the half-time break. The Spartans were led by senior swingman Lauren Massie, who scored a team-high 13 points.

And while West Springfield refused to fold — the Spartans closed within 45-41 with just over 3 minutes to play on a three-pointer by junior guard Pui Sham — T.C. Williams also failed to break. The Titans played tenacious defense of the final three minutes, limiting West Springfield to just one point.

And when the final buzzer finally sounded, it was the 22-0 Titans who celebrated not only their district championship but also a perfect season.

No. 1 T.C. Williams 13 12 13 13 — 51
No. 9 West Springfield 10 4 13 15 — 42

All-Tournament Team
T.C. Williams Sr. G Brittany Burts; West Springfield Jr. G Christen Gibson; T.C. Williams Sr. F Rachel James; West Springfield Jr. G Sam Landers; West Springfield Sr. F Lauren Massie; Annandale Sr. G/F Jenna McRae; Lee Jr. F Kristine Mial. Tournament MVP: T.C. Williams Jr. G Tierra Ruffin-Pratt.

Boys’ Championship Game
No. 1 T.C. Williams 81, West Potomac 47

T.C. Williams’ top-ranked boys’ team kept the Titans’ dominance intact in the second half of Saturday’s Patriot District championship double-header at Lake Braddock, smothering West Potomac, 81-47, to win its third straight district title.

With the win, the Titans improve to 51-0 in Patriot District play over the past three seasons.

Strong guard play by West Potomac senior Craig Gaylord, combined with the inside presence of senior big man Jimmy Bennett, put the Wolverines ahead in the game’s opening minutes. After trading baskets early, Gaylord sank a three pointer while Bennett recorded a pair of layups to give the Wolverines a 9-7 lead after three minutes of play. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, that was their last lead of the game.

Less than a minute later, the Titans knotted the score at 9 and began to exert control. T.C. Williams was led by senior guard Travis Berry, who scored seven points in the opening quarter and junior guard Gavin Peterson, who added five.

The second quarter continued the fast pace of play, with good ball handling by the guards and strong inside play by the big men for both teams. T.C. Williams senior center Joshua Jordan became more involved with the offense, scoring twice in the period while continuing to provide a strong defensive presence inside. Such balanced scoring from the Titans led to 15 second-quarter points and a more comfortable, 10-point lead at half time.

The start of the second half saw an offensive explosion by the Titans. T.C. Williams, benefiting from several steals, scored 20 in the period, led by senior center Anthony Winbush. Winbush scored 10 points in the frame, while junior guard Edward Jenkins contributed eight. West Potomac, meanwhile, struggled to put the ball in the basket. Senior guard Robert Byrd and Gaylord combined for seven of the Wolverines’ nine third-quarter points.

The fourth quarter proved more of the same, as the Titans extended their lead and, ultimately, claimed their third consecutive Patriot District title.

No. 1 T.C. Williams 18 15 20 28 — 81
West Potomac 13 10 9 15 — 47

All-Tournament Team
West Potomac Sr. C Jimmy Bennett; Annandale Sr. C Erik Etherly; West Potomac Sr. G Craig Gaylord; T.C. Williams Jr. G Edward Jenkins; Lake Braddock Jr. G Dominic Morra; West Potomac Sr. F William Sano; T.C. Williams Sr. C Anthony Winbush. Tournament MVP: T.C. Williams Sr. G Travis Berry.