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Sports

Bombs the Way for First Wolverine Win

Haunted by a streak of late-game losses, Watkins Mill buries 10 three-pointers to beat Damascus 70-52.

Article by Jon Roetman; photos by Sebastian Montes

During practice on Tuesday, Watkins Mill boys' basketball coach Jay Tringone urged Jeff Adarkwa to take full advantage of his untapped perimeter-shooting potency.

The senior guard had hit only two three-pointers in the Wolverines' first five games, a string of losses that had put team confidence in a precarious balance. Tringone’s message for Wednesday night's match-up with Damascus: Live in the moment and let 'er rip.

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"We talked a lot yesterday in practice about shooting the ball with confidence," Tringone said. "I said, 'Jeff, you’re a great shooter. You can’t tie your emotions to whether or not the ball goes in. Just go out there and when you’ve got an open look, knock it down.'"

Doubt was threatening to creep in for Adarkwa and his teammates thanks to five straight losses to open the season, three of which came by a combined five points. Against Damascus on Wednesday, Adarkwa’s performance put to rest—at least for one night—any concerns about whether the Wolverines have what it takes to get the job done.

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Adarkwa set career-highs with 21 points and four three-pointers as Watkins Mill cruised to a 70-52 home victory. After an 0-5 start plagued by losses in the final seconds to , and Poolesville, the Wolverines led the Swarmin’ Hornets by 10 points after one quarter and never saw their lead shrink into single digits all night.

"We wanted to get off to a good start—that was really the big idea,” Tringone said. "We’ve lost every first quarter; we’ve been down at the half every game. That was really our first goal was to start off well and to try to get a lead early and kind of see where the game goes form there. We were able to do that and I think that gave us a little confidence.

"When you lose three games at the buzzer, your confidence starts to waver a little bit."

Adarkwa helped key the Wolverines’ fast start as the 6' 3" guard came off the bench for nine first-quarter points. He sparked a 13-0 run with a three-point play and knocked down a pair from behind the arc as Watkins Mill built a 17-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

"A lot of this has been about confidence," Tringone said, "and Jeff shot the ball with a lot of confidence tonight."

Adarkwa’s third three-pointer came early in the second quarter as the lead ballooned to 28-10. His final trey of the night gave the Wolverines a 55-36 lead in the third.

"I felt like I had the shot and I took it," Adarkwa said. "It felt good. … I just kept on shooting like I was the man."

All told, Watkins Mill knocked down 10 triples during the contest, seven of them in the first half. Junior guard Tyvon Grant's 16 points included a pair of three-pointers (bringing his season total to 19 treys in six games). Senior forward Torez Rhea connected on two three-pointers and finished with 15 points. Senior guard Justin Meade and junior guard Alex Sotomayor each made one from behind the arc.

While the Wolverines shot well from the perimeter, they also controlled the paint. Watkins Mill outrebounded Damascus 39-25, including a 15-rebound effort from Rhea, who missed this season's first two games with a sprained MCL.

Listed at 6' 4" but by his own admission an inch shorter, Rhea's hustle makes up for his slighter stature.

"I just work hard," he said. "I'm aggressive when I go to the boards. I don’t watch. I just go."

Tringone also credited Rhea’s defensive effort.

"Torez does the dirty things," Tringone said. "He boxes out, he’s in the right position defensively, and when you’re in the right position defensively, it allows you to have a night where if things go your way, [you can] get 15 and 15."

Watkins Mill lost a late lead against Poolesville on Monday before falling to the Falcons, 58-56, in a high-drama finish. Tringone said the Wolverines have been a resilient group, but they can’t relax after earning their first win of the season.

"We’ve said after all the losses, 'Come back tomorrow and get better,' and even after tonight, we have to do the same thing," Tringone said. "Obviously, getting the monkey off our back in terms of being 0-5 and now getting a win, at least we can get that off our minds. That’s all that really does. Can it spark us? We’re going to see. We can’t really determine that yet. If we come back tomorrow and continue to work hard, yes. If we’re happy with getting one win, it won’t."

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