Washington pass past Keokuk

Teamwork is a beautiful thing.

The Washington Demons scored 32 field goals on 26 assists Friday in a Southeast Conference victory over the visitors from Keokuk, 76-42.

The Demons were so far ahead that reserves from both teams played much of the fourth quarter.

Luke Turner led Washington with six assists. Trevor Quigley, Kolten Hinrichsen and Cade Hennigan each had four. Kasen Bailey, Trashaun Willis and Ethan Hunt had two assists each while Markell Stuart and Caleb Tanner had one apiece.

'Teamwork is a great thing,” WHS coach Collin Stark said. 'It seems like no matter who we put in the game, they played well.”

Brock Sobaski was one guy who was put into the contest who played very well, scoring his high total in a varsity basketball game with 18 points.

Sobaski, a 6-foot-5 junior, came off the bench and challenged Keokuk's 7-foot Alex Wolter, who had six points.

'It felt great,” Sobaski said. 'Everything was falling for me. My teammates found me every time I was wide open. The best pass was when Trevor hit me underneath the basket when their defense broke down and I got an easy layup out of it.”

Sobaski was everywhere. he stepped outside the 3-point arc and drained one from the corner. A minute later, he rose up to block a shot.

'I would say the block was more fun because defense wins games,” Sobaski said.

The Chiefs scored the first five points of the game, but it was a 14-9 Washington lead after one quarter.

It was the second quarter when the Demons excelled. Hunt scored consecutive baskets off perfect passes from Turner. Hennigan canned a triple after Sobaski's block and scored easily on a fast-break basket on Turner's bounce pass from beyond halfcourt. Hinrichsen scored on a back door pass from Hennigan right before the halftime buzzer for a 43-18 lead.

'They came out playing hard and really took it to us,” keokuk coach Zach Summers said. 'We have to play at our tempo and control the game the way we want it to be controlled, but when you're on your heels early, it's hard to get any traction. Some of it was what we did, but more of that was what Washington did. They came out and kicked our butt.”

Sobaski saw it the same way.

'I think we really brought the energy. I feel like we hit them hard right off the bat.”

Sobaski also thought there might be a reason. 'We haven't had practice since last Wednesday, so I don't know if we should not practice the rest of the season.”

The weather played a big part in not being able to practice.

'A lot of people have been talking to me about maybe no practice the rest of the year,” Stark said. 'Apparently less is more in this day and age. The main thing is the guys came ready to play. I think everybody has been shut up in their house the last three or four days, so they enjoyed getting out and getting to do stuff. It allowed them to release a lot of their energy.”

The Demons have gone 4-1 in their last five games. They have made obvious improvements since a 69-63 loss at Keokuk.

'We did better at not trying to dribble around them and used the pass,” Stark said. 'I thought that was the difference. I think our defensive pressure made a difference in their shooting percentage. We have been focused more on little details.”

Washington is 6-7 overall and 2-4 in the league.

The Demons play a nonconference game at Mid-Prairie tonight.