Wins do not match effort for WHS Demons

Improvements obvious for Demons despite not showing in win column

Sophomore guard Jon Jump (14) goes up for a shot in recent action. With Jump, and freshman backcourt mate Brennan Stanley, leading the way, Williamstown's offense is averaging 61 points per game, the best for the team in six seasons.

By Wade Holland

Publisher

Signs of improvement are not always visible in won-loss records. This is most certainly true for the Williamstown High School boys' basketball Demons.

While the wins do not match the effort or performance, obvious improvements are being made. Evidence of such can be found in the Demons' four most recent games.

Against Nicholas Co., the Demons played one of their better games of the season and led for most of the contest before foul trouble and youthful mistakes took their toll in the final three minutes against the senior-laden Jackets.

In a hard-fought battle against cross-town, district-rival Grant Co, which features 10 seniors, Williamstown lost by only 29, a major improvement over a 57-point loss to the regional contenders a month earlier.

And in a pair of road games against Trimble Co. and Walton-Verona, the Demons continued to prove they are a much better team than their won-loss record indicates, leading in both games until, again, foul trouble and youthful mistakes cost them down the stretch.

Averaging 61 points per night, W'town offense performing at level not seen in many years

There are other indicators that show obvious improvement for the Demons, including their season scoring average of 61 points per game, which is the most for the program in six years and the second most in the last decade. And this is despite the fact that Williamstown graduated one of the state's scoring leaders from last season in 1,000-point club member David Jump.

Williamstown scored 87 points in a game earlier this season, winning by 38 points in the process, both being the best for the program in six seasons.

Walton-Verona 64, Williamstown 58

In All A Classic action from this week against one of the region's top teams, Williamstown gave Walton-Verona all it could handle before faltering down the stretch.

Walton-Verona, which Williamstown beat two times a year ago, ranks among the 8th Region's best with 10 wins, the fourth most in the region and only four behind Owen Co.'s region-leading 14 victories. The Bearcats are one of only nine teams in the region with a winning record.

Freshman Brennan Stanley led the Williamstown offense with 20 points, including five 3-pointers. Sophomore Jon Jump was next with 17, also hitting five 3-pointers.

Dustin Smith was next for Williamstown with seven points, followed by Cameron Varner with six, Carter Sarcione and Harold Fernandez with three each, and Chris Parson with two.

Fernandez, Smith and Varner all hit one 3-pointer apiece for the Demons.

Sarcione and Jump had four rebounds each to lead Williamstown, with Varner pulling down three, Fernandez two, and Parsons one.

Trimble Co. 73, Williamstown 62

Williamstown gave a great effort and was the better team for much of the game before things came unglued down the stretch.

Brennan Stanley and Jon Jump were on fire for the Demons, carrying much of the offensive load with a combined 52 points. Stanley was the game's high scorer with 31 points, which included seven 3-pointers, to go with eight assists, four rebounds and three steals. Jump had 21 points and tied Stanley with four rebounds.

Chris Parsons was next with five points and four rebounds, followed by Derek Cummins with four points and four rebounds, and Harold Fernandez with one.

Cameron Varner was big under the basket with a team-high five rebounds for the Demons.

Grant Co. 84, Williamstown 55

Showing obvious signs of improvement, Williamstown played a very respectable game against Grant Co., the reigning district champions with a roster that includes 10 seniors.

Williamstown had four players reach double digits in scoring, led by Jon Jump's 16 points, which included a pair or 3-pointers.

Chris Parsons had one of his better games of the season with 11 points and a team-high five rebounds. He was five-for-six from the free throw line.

Brennan Stanley and Cameron Varner scored 10 points each for the Demons, including a 3-pointer each.

Walker Angel was next for the Demons with five points, followed by Dustin Smith with two.

Nicholas Co. 82, Williamstown 77

Williamstown was clearly the better team for 29 minutes before the wheels fell off in the final three minutes and allowed the visiting Jackets to come from behind for the win in a game that was even closer than the final score would indicate.

Brennan Stanley and Jon Jump were equally impressive for the Demons with a combined 37 points. Stanley scored 19, including a pair of 3-pointers, despite spending considerable time on the bench in foul trouble before eventually fouling out of the game. Jump added 18, including five 3-pointers.

Senior Cameron Varner hit three 3-pointers and finished the game with 11 points, followed by Dustin Smith with nine points, Harold Fernandez eight, Chris Parsons seven, Carter Sarcione four and Landen Hare one.

Parsons had seven rebounds to lead Williamstown, followed by Fernandez with six and Smith with five.