Washington boys fall to West Liberty

Tuesday marked the second-straight game the Washington boys? basketball team held a lead going into the fourth quarter.

However, much like Saturday, the Demons fell in a close contest, as they couldn?t close, dropping a game 58-51 to West Liberty.

The Comets scored 24 of their points in the fourth quarter.

?We talk about it all the time,? Washington head coach Bryce Smeins said. ?That?s why you play 32-minute games. We just haven?t been able to finish the game with the lead. We had a hard time guarding their guys inside, and they got some easy shots down the stretch. They got layups and bank shots and we were taking perimeter jumpers.?

Washington was led by senior Derek Anding in the contest, who knocked down three 3-pointers en route to 22 points.

Sophomore guard Dalton Myers, who has now started the last three games, pitched in six points, to go with seven assists in the contest.

Despite a poor shooting performance in the first half, the Demons remained tied with West Liberty, 21-21, going into the halftime break.

?It was 21-21 at halftime, and we shot 25 percent in the first half,? Smeins said. ?If we shoot the ball the way we are capable of shooting the ball, we should have been up 10 or 15 at half. We were ice-cold, and some nights you just don?t have it. That was the recipe in the first half.?

The Demons picked up a four-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but were outscored by 11 in the fourth, as West Liberty pulled away for the win.

As the Demons move to 3-9 on the season, they are still looking for answers about their consistency offensively.

?I think we are trying to keep getting better,? Smeins said. ?We are just inconsistent, because we put up 70 the other night and then we are sitting in the low 40s forever last night. We can?t get any momentum and we just have to get on the same page. It?s a daily process for us.?

Washington will take on Davis County next Tuesday at home.