Following a pair of tough losses over the holidays, the Park View High boys basketball team was anxious to get back onto the court this week.
The Patriots, 4-4 under first-year head coach Mike Koscinski, were scheduled to play games this week at Dominion Tuesday, Jan. 6, at home, against Broad Run Friday night and at home against the Kima School from the District of Columbia Saturday night.
The Dominion and Broad Run affairs are particularly important because they are Dulles District contests.
Earlier in the week, Koscinski was hoping poor weather would not result in the Dominion game being postponed. The Titans are eager to snap a three-game losing streak that began with a preholiday district loss to Potomac Falls Dec. 19.
Following the loss to the Panthers, Park View was not scheduled to play again until late last week when it participated in the Hedgesville Tournament in West Virginia. There, Park View suffered two tough losses. The first was a lopsided 81-44 setback to the host school Hedgesville High team. An enormously talented squad, the locals, playing in front of their large, enthusiastic home crowd, put on a show in their win over the Patriots.
"They played at a level we hadn’t seen before," Koscinski said. "They have several future scholarship players on their team. They have very good talent, a big guy who is like 6-foot-7 and guards who are very good. They could score from every position."
Along with being enormously talented, Hedgesville displayed good knowledge of the game as well.
"They are an extremely well coached team," Koscinski said. "They are all about precision and execution. They’d be equivalent to a top level triple-A school here."
<b>WHILE THE HEDGESVILLE</b> loss was a lopsided affair, Park View’s following game setback to Washington High of West Virginia was a heart-breaker that slipped away from the Patriots. Park View led by 17 points going into the final quarter before Washington rallied to tie the game, then won it in overtime by two points.
"I take full responsibility for the loss," Koscinski said. "To have a lead that big, we should have pulled it out."
The coach said Park View played good ball over the first three quarters.
"We were moving the ball and hitting the open man better than we have all season," he said.
But Washington stormed back in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Patriots 22-5 to force the five-minute overtime session.
"We let up and let them back in the game," Koscinski said. "They were starting to hit threes and got confidence and got it going. They tied the game in the last few seconds [of regulation]."
One of the keys to the game was the fact that Washington went to the foul line 27 times to Park View’s nine chances. The Patriots, on the night, were whistled for 24 fouls to Washington’s 13. On top of that, Park View turned the ball over 27 times.
"We need to value the ball more," Koscinski said. "Sometimes we’d see something open and go for the home run [pass]. We need to slow down on the offensive end and let the game come to us."
Two Park View players were named to the All-Tournament Team — junior forward Jordan Owens and senior shooting guard Marcus Freeman.
Park View’s wins this season have come over Turner Ashby (Bridgewater, Va.), Loudoun County, Washington-Lee (Arlington) and Heritage.
Following its busy three-game schedule this week, Park View is set to play district games next week at Briar Woods Monday, Jan. 12, and home against Freedom Wednesday, Jan. 14.