Millbrook boys rebound to win battle with James Wood

WINCHESTER — A schedule that includes four West Virginia Class AAA schools, Class 6 Freedom (South Riding) and Dulles District co-leader Loudoun Valley hasn't done much to enhance Millbrook's record.

Those games — all losses — have challenged the Pioneers and made them tougher, though. Millbrook's resilience helped it withstand a spirited rally from one of its Frederick County rivals and come out on top on Friday night at Frederick County Middle School.

Millbrook watched James Wood erase a 14-point deficit at the end of the first quarter to take a one-point lead into the fourth quarter.

But the Pioneers were a little bit better than the Colonels in just about every major statistical category over the last eight minutes, and Millbrook recorded key baskets, free throws, stops and rebounds practically every time it needed to for a 66-61 Class 4 Northwestern District win.

Millbrook actually took the lead for good 10 seconds into the fourth quarter on a driving layup by Detric Brown (team-high 14 points) that made it 50-49 Pioneers, but James Wood made Millbrook work until the very end. A one-minute stretch beginning with 1:10 to go decided the game, as Millbrook hit 3 of its last 6 free throws and James Wood committed a turnover, missed two shots and missed two free throws.

The fans who packed into the gym that has five rows of bleachers stretching from baseline to baseline certainly saw their fair share of free throws. The Pioneers and Colonels combined for 53 fouls and 65 free throw attempts, with Millbrook hitting 23 of 37 (8 of 14 in the fourth quarter) and James Wood knocking down 19 of 28 (6 of 12 in the fourth).

Friday's win snapped a three-game losing streak and put Millbrook just one game over .500 at 7-6. But more importantly, it improved the Pioneers to 4-0 in the district. Millbrook — which beat James Wood (1-9, 1-4) 65-57 on Dec. 17 — is the only team that's unbeaten in Class 4 Northwestern District games.

"I think the West Virginia teams and the Loudoun teams that we've been playing definitely prepared us for games like this, where it's decided late in the fourth quarter," said Millbrook senior forward Will Croyle (10 points), one of four Pioneers in double figures on Friday. "[Those games] just helped us get gritty."

The Pioneers' losing streak featured games against Martinsburg and Jefferson of West Virginia, and Wednesday's 58-49 loss to Loudoun Valley.

"Those are three great schools, and we were in those games throughout the whole game," Pioneers coach Steve Grubbs said. "I think we're used to playing in these situations a little bit.

"They came out [in the fourth quarter] and didn't want to lose. They executed the way they were supposed to, they played some defense, got some stops. All the credit [to the players]. They did a heck of a job in the fourth quarter."

It looked like Friday night's game might be a blowout when the first quarter sounded. Millbrook forced more than half a dozen turnovers and turned several of those James Wood miscues into transition layups. Seven Millbrook players combined to make nine field goals (including three 3-pointers) and 3 of 4 free throws to take a 24-10 lead after one quarter.

But the Colonels — who were within 26-25 of Millbrook at halftime in the first meeting — roared back against their rivals.

James Wood coach Tim Wygant said he's been looking for his inexperienced team to display more accountability during games, and he added that the players galvanized each other during a timeout with 4:20 left in the second quarter, when the Pioneers led 34-21.

"I wasn't even really involved in the timeout," Wygant said. "They took it upon themselves, they took the responsibility and said, 'We've got to do this. We've got to come together and start executing.'"

James Wood outscored Millbrook 19-6 over the last 4:20 of the half to cut its deficit to 40-37 at the break.

The Colonels' zone took Millbrook out of rhythm, as the Pioneers shot 3-of-12 from the field and committed eight turnovers over the entire second quarter. And 6-foot-3 junior forward Chris Morrison gave the Pioneers fits. He scored 13 of his 17 points in the second quarter, including 11 in the final 4:20. Morrison had success with putbacks, moves in the paint, drives to the basket and scoring from his own defense.

A deep 3-pointer from the right wing at the buzzer from Jared Neal had James Wood players and fans roaring heading into halftime, and the Colonels kept the momentum going by scoring the first six points of the second half to take a 43-40 lead.

After that, the game turned into a back-and-forth affair. James Wood led 49-48 after three quarters, but Millbrook started the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to take a 56-51 lead it would not relinquish. Tyler Seminaro (10 points) scored Millbrook's last six points in that run on two free throws, a layup and a putback.

That was the beginning of a stretch in which Millbrook picked up its play in all phases. In the fourth quarter, the Pioneers made 5 of 10 shots after hitting 6 of 21 in the second and third quarters, had a 12-10 rebounding edge in the fourth after getting outrebounded 19-13 in the middle 16 minutes, hit two more free throws than Wood, and committed three turnovers to James Wood's five. The Colonels only made 3 of 10 field goals in the final period after making 13 of 23 in the middle 16 minutes.

And at the end, Millbrook made more clutch plays than the Colonels.

With the score 63-61, Braden George missed both of his free throw attempts for Millbrook, but Croyle fought off two James Wood players for the rebound after the ball hit the floor, and Millbrook called timeout. Three seconds later, Brown hit 1 of 2 free throws to make it 64-61.

James Wood then turned the ball over out of bounds after it tried a long pass into the front court. With 47 seconds left, Seminaro hit 1 of 2 free throws to make it 65-61.

With 34 seconds left, Seminaro forced a difficult shot by Cole Stowers (11 points) that was deflected out of bounds.

Four seconds later, Ashton Kees drew a foul and went to the line. The 6-3 sophomore forward Kees was huge for the Colonels in the second half, when he scored 12 of his game-high 18 points, but he missed both of his free throws.

Twelve seconds later, Josh Borromeo missed a contested driving layup that Brown rebounded. Eight seconds later Richie Pell hit 1 of 2 free throws for Millbrook to close out the scoring.

"The big thing was our team chemistry," Croyle said. "We played better as a team in the fourth, which is why we pulled it out."

Millbrook was also led by Ryan Liero (12 points). Brown had eight rebounds in the last three quarters.

Wygant was pleased with the inside play of Kees and Morrison. Morrison (seven rebounds in the last three quarters) didn't play at all last year and Kees was on the JV.

Wygant hopes Friday can be a big springboard for them and the rest of the team. James Wood only has three varsity returners, and senior Jacob Roy has been out since early in the year due to injury.

"Arguably, that's our most complete game we've played all year," Wygant said. "If we clean up the turnovers and maximize our opportunities, we're going to be a force."

The Pioneers are next scheduled to play on Tuesday at Liberty, while James Wood will play on Thursday at Handley.

Friday night was James Wood's second game at Frederick County Middle after first being forced to play there on Dec. 30 because a structural problem was located at Shirley Gymnasium during renovation planning at the school. No James Wood team will be allowed to practice or hold events at Shirley Gymnasium the rest of the school year.

Wygant said it's been a significant adjustment, mainly from a practice standpoint. All the varsity and JV teams have been forced to practice at either Frederick County Middle or the old Aylor Middle School building. Naturally, Frederick County Middle already needs to use its own court for its own practice and game schedule.

"It's a challenge at times," Wygant said. "But the kids have really embraced it and been really flexible. I can't stress enough how great the parents have been and how understanding they've been. It is has been awesome how flexible they've been and how supportive they've been, and the administration at James Wood and Frederick County Middle has been great."

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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