In the first half, the Blue Pirates struggled to either finish chances from the field or at the free throw line, while the Bulldogs did the reverse. That helped them build a nine-point lead.

However, once the second half began, the roles reversed as the Pirates matched what they scored in the first half, and then flipped the script for good after that.

The Blue Pirates forced the Bulldogs into serious foul trouble during the second half — including two players fouling out — and made their opportunities from the field count as they wrapped up a 50-43 victory on their home floor.

During the first quarter alone, Williamsburg was 1-for-6 at the free throw line, and the Bulldogs made the Pirates pay as Brayden Haney drew the bonus free throw as he scored eight of his 10 points.

12/11/25 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Claysburg-Kimmel's Cole Walter denies a shot by Williamsburg's Ethan Reffner.

Late in the opening stanza, Gavin Treon drained a hook shot as he finished with 10 points of his own to give Claysburg a 14-8 lead through the first quarter.

The Bulldogs’ hot start continued as Christian Treon knocked down a 3-pointer as he scored a team-high 14 points to take a 25-16 lead to the intermission.

“It seems like there’s been a lid on the basket for us the first couple of games,” Williamsburg coach Jeff Detwiler said. “We just kept playing and kept our heads on straight, and the shots started to fall. They shot more with confidence in the second half and we kept attacking the basket and we had some shots go in. Sometimes, that can snowball for you.”

That’s when things began to change, as Konner Harker drained a putback which helped cut the Pirate deficit down to five. He later added a layup which helped tie the game at 30.

Later in the third, Ethan Reffner’s putback gave the Pirates their first lead of the second half at 32-31 at the end of the frame.

The Bulldogs’ foul troubles started adding up in that frame as after being called for nine infractions during the first half. They matched that count during the third quarter alone before being called for 24 for the game.

“We got out-hustled, out-coached, out-worked tonight,” Claysburg-Kimmel coach Mike Harris said. “All the credit goes to Williamsburg. They were mentally prepared and they beat us. We fell apart.”

Williamsburg was called for 18 infractions.

Preston Isenberg, however, found his groove as he buried a pair of 3s on his way to 12 of his game-high 15 points. Those efforts included converting all four of his free throws during that final frame.

“We started playing as a team (in the second half), started playing harder than in the first half,” Isenberg said. “We knew we had to, and that’s how we were able to win this.”

Detwiler couldn’t have been prouder of the senior in his efforts to finish off the rally.

“Preston’s put a ton of time into his craft and developing his skills,” he said. “He’s a gym rat, he loves being in the gym and I was just so happy to see him go off in the second half. We need that out of him and we know he can do it.”

The Blue Pirates overcame a tough night at the free-throw line as they converted 12-out of-26 attempts while the Bulldogs were 7-for-15.

CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL (43): Haney 4 2-3 10, C. Treon 5 2-3 14, Co. Walter 4 1-1 9, Kulick 0 0-0 0, Co. Walter 0 0-0 0, Knisely 0 0-2 0, G. Treon 4 2-6 10. Totals: 17 7-15 43.

WILLIAMSBURG (50): Isenberg 4 5-6 15, Reffner 3 1-4 8, Zehner 3 2-6 8, Harker 2 4-6 8, Uplinger 3 0-0 8, Mock 1 0-2 3, Clark 0 0-2 0. Totals: 16 12-26 50.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Claysburg-Kimmel 14 11 6 12 – 43

Williamsburg 8 8 16 18 – 50

3-point field goals: Claysburg-Kimmel 2 (C. Treon 2), Williamsburg 6 (Isenberg 2, Reffner, Uplinger 2, Mock)

Records: Claysburg-Kimmel (3-2), Williamsburg (2-1).

Officials: Ray Klinger, Jim Rivello, Chris Walter

JV: Williamsburg, 31-18. High scorers: Bass, CK, 6; Brumbaugh, W, 12.