Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Williamsburg's Evan Becker is cornered by McConnellsburg's Hoyt Glenn (left) and Kohen Hall.

By Michael Boytim

mboytim@altoonamirror.com

WILLIAMSBURG — Williamsburg cut its deficit against a one-loss McConnellsburg team to a single point on an Ethan Reffner runner with 6:30 to play in the third quarter Wednesday night.

Unfortunately for the Blue Pirates, they didn’t score again until Reffner hit a 3-pointer with 6:30 to play in the fourth quarter.

By that time, the Spartans had reeled off 19 consecutive points and put the game away in an eventual 54-40 triumph.

“We had a little bit of momentum going there,” Williamsburg coach Jeff Detwiler said. “We closed the gap, and then all of a sudden, we kind of stopped playing. I think it was a 19-0 run or something close to that they went on. At times, we play with energy, and then at times we look timid. I don’t know why that is. When we play with energy and are talking on defense, we can be a pretty good basketball team. We need our senior leaders to step up with February right around the corner.”

Reffner, only a sophomore, was at times the most impressive player on the floor in the first half and finished with solid numbers — 15 points and 12 rebounds.

He is one of several players that have stepped up to replace the production of the graduated Rowan Gorsuch, who led the Blue Pirates to the PIAA playoffs last season.

“At the beginning of the season, that’s what we wanted,” Detwiler said. “We wanted a collective group to step up and fill that. We have gotten that at times, and it’s been good. We just have to put a complete game together, and for whatever reason, we have struggled with putting four quarters together.”

McConnellsburg, which improved to 15-1 with its only loss coming to the Maryland School of the Deaf, took an early 13-3 lead and maintained that advantage until a 7-2 run that began on Preston Isenberg’s 3-pointer to close the half down just five.

After Brayden Ramsey began the third quarter with a three-point play for the Spartans, Williamsburg scored seven straight to make it 27-26.

That’s when McConnellsburg turned it up a notch.

“We played some good man-to-man with help-side defense,” McConnellsburg coach Josh Lowery said. “We helped the backside as well by helping the helper. It’s something we drill for at least 20 minutes every day at practice. We’re hoping that can take us far into the postseason.”

Ramsey’s 3-pointer started the 19-0 run that all but sealed the game. Dom Jefferson finished with 13 points, Hoyt Glenn scored 12 and Ramsey finished with 11 points.

“We had to get in rhythm with the game,” Lowery said. “Once we got into it, we seemed to be able to control the game.”

McConnellsburg went ahead by 20 points on a Glenn jumper before Williamsburg ended the game on a 9-3 run.

The Blue Pirates recently lost at District 6 Class 2A top seed West Branch by just four points, so there’s evidence Williamsburg can compete with elite teams with the postseason looming. The Pirates are currently the No. 2 seed in District 6 Class 1A.

“If we could just put four quarters together in a row,” Detwiler said. “That’s what we have to do here in February. It just seems like sometimes whether we have one quarter that’s not what it needs to be or two quarters where we take the foot off the gas, we just can’t do that. For us to be good, we have to play hard, with enthusiasm and energy all the time. Otherwise, we become very average.”

McConnellsburg, which plays in District 5, will be a favorite in both that tournament and will be expected to challenge West Branch in the Inter-County Conference playoffs.

“I think we’re capable of a lot,” Lowery said. “Right now, we’re playing about 65 to 70 percent. I would like to see us around 90. I think we can get there by playoffs. It’s just having the young men understand what’s going on and understanding the Xs and Os.”

McCONNELLSBURG (54): Glenn 6 0-0 12, Jefferson 5 0-4 13, Ramsey 4 2-3 11, Earley 3 1-1 7, Hann 2 0-2 4, Hall 3 0-0 7. Totals — 23 3-10 54.

WILLIAMSBURG (40): Brumbaugh 2 0-0 4, Brantner 5 0-0 11, Parks 0 0-0 0, Reffner 6 2-3 15, Isenberg 1 0-0 3, Harker 1 3-8 5, Becker 0 1-2 1, Uplinger 0 0-0 0, Barroner 0 0-0 0, Corl 0 0-0 0, Mock 0 1-2 1. Totals — 15 7-15 40.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

McConnellsburg 13 11 20 10 — 54

Williamsburg 10 9 7 16 — 40

3-point goals: McConnellsburg 5 (Jefferson 3, Ramsey, Hall); Williamsburg 4 (Brantner, Reffner, Isenberg).

Records: McConnellsburg (15-1); Williamsburg (10-7).

Officials: Derrick Soellner, Keith Redfoot, Jim Cushion.

JV: Williamsburg, 35-22. High scorers–Jace Fletcher, M, 11; Ty Uplinger, W, 9.