Pack suffers first loss

Pam Pack zapped by Chargers
Washington girls pull
out win in overtime
By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
AYDEN -- Washington didn’t show any rust from a 15-day layoff, storming out to a 16-2 lead over Ayden-Grifton on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Pam Pack couldn’t keep it up as foul trouble and missed shots in the paint led to its first loss of the year, 48-45.
In the girls game, Davey Ann Burbage scored four of her 10 points in overtime to help lead Washington to a 53-48 win.
Matt Dougherty’s jumper from the wing gave the Chargers, who fell 64-55 to Washington earlier in the season, their first lead of the game at 46-45. It came with 41 seconds to play. Dougherty hit two free throws with 16 seconds left to push the lead to 48-45.
The Pack had a chance to tie it, but Daquan Daniels, who was closely defended by Dougherty, missed a 3-point attempt. As the ball bounced toward midcourt, Lee Godley tracked it down and flung up a desperation heave that fell short.
“The foul trouble and missed shots hurt,” Washington coach Joe Lawrence said. “I thought they played relatively hard, but Ayden hung in there and took us at the end.”
Daniels, who was held to 14 points below his average, and Dakuan Spencer led the Pack (7-1, 3-0) with 11 points apiece.
Washington, which is ranked eighth in the first NCPreps.com Class 3-A poll, managed just 12 points in the second half.
The Chargers got 10 points each from Dougherty and Steffen McGhee, who did the bulk of their damage in the second half.
“The difference in the game was the offensive rebounds that (Ayden) got,” Lawrence said. “They got three or four shots every time they went down the court and, if they didn’t get the rebound, we got a foul called on us. Either way, we were losing on that end.”
The Pack will look to regroup and it returns to Coastal Conference action Friday at J.H. Rose.
“We have to toughen up,” Lawrence said. “It will show what kind of character we have here. It’s going to be tough over there.”

Pack girls win
Washington watched a seven-point lead with two minutes to go evaporate, as Ayden-Grifton use a late charge to force overtime.
However, Burbage hit a bank shot off the opening tip and added another jumper later to give Washington a four-point lead, 50-46. This time, the Pack (6-6, 1-2) held onto the lead for its second straight win, 53-48.
“We had a mental lapse defensively in the last minute or so of regulation,” Pack coach Allison Jones said. “Vantasia Palmer is the general out there and she really was the difference. Everybody contributed, but she really stepped it up.”
A 9-0 run by the Chargers put Washington into an early hole, 9-2. A layup by Hayley Stowe at the buzzer helped pull the Pack within 14-10 and give it some momentum. Burbage hit consecutive baskets and Stowe popped a jumper to eventually tie the game at 19. A jumper by Sam Smith and another bucket by Stowe gave Washington a 27-24 halftime edge.
After neither team did much scoring in the third quarter, Washington was able to build a 42-35 lead with just over two minutes left. However, Krystal Williams, who paced the Chargers with 17 points, hit a 3-pointer and a layup and Derrica Jones hit a layup to force overtime.
Burbage wasted little time in giving her team the lead in the extra session, dribbling down the floor and sinking a sweet jumper.
“I think that gave us a little boost,” Burbage said. “That just told us that we could do it.”
Smith and Stowe paced the Pack with 15 points apiece.
Washington had lost to Ayden-Grifton in both previous meetings this season.

Boys
Washington 20 13 4 8 -- 45
Ayden-Grifton 12 10 9 14 -- 48
WASHINGTON (45)
Daquan Daniels 11, Dakuan Spencer 11, Cox 8, Godley 6, Rouse 4, J. Moore 3, Griffin 2, Mallison, Cogdell, M. Moore.
AYDEN-GRIFTON (48)
Steffen McGhee 10, Matt Dougherty 10, M. Atkinson 8, Bouldin 6, D. Atkinson 5, Gay 5, Pipkin 4.

Girls
Boys
Washington 10 17 5 14 7 -- 53
Ayden-Grifton 14 10 7 15 2 -- 48
WASHINGTON (53)
Sam Smith 15, Hayley Stowe 15, Davey Ann Burbage 10, Simpkins 9, Grice 4, Palmer, Batchelor, Cox, Weatherington.
AYDEN-GRIFTON (48)
Krystal Williams 17, West 9, Johnson 8, Hyman 7, Jones 4, Crandell 3, Woods, Denton, Edwards.