Potomac’s Boys Varsity Basketball team shone brighter than ever in the annual Throwback classic played on their home court in the Chester gym last Friday. Sporting retro uniforms, including oversized warm-ups, Potomac scored a decisive 69-40 victory over a strong team from H.D. Woodson in Northeast Washington.
Seniors Elijah Flowers and Jack Winslow, sophomores Grey Chamberlain and Akim Iscandari, and junior EJ Schneeberg started the first quarter. Elijah tipped the ball to Schneeberg to begin an offensive stretch for Potomac. Despite two Potomac shots narrowly missing the hoop and a turnover to the other team, a recovery by Flowers allowed Chamberlain to score the game’s first points with a 3-pointer from the left corner.
Following Woodson’s timeout with 4:51 remaining in the first quarter, sophomore Akim Iscandari took the ball coast-to-coast off a steal from the Warriors’ offense and weaved through three defenders to score, immediately following it up by an impressive second steal and smooth layup. The team continued to have great coordination and smooth offensive movement throughout the first quarter, with the opposing team first scoring with only 2:35 remaining.
The first quarter ended with a Panther lead, which widened when sophomore Sam Spencer, coming off the bench, scored another early 3-pointer. As the game’s momentum changed, and as the Warriors scored their first points of the quarter off a steal from the Potomac offense, the team’s starting lineup was subbed back in. At the half, the Panthers had a 21-point lead, 37-16.
Throughout the third quarter, the teams traded drives. Despite aggressive play from their opponents, Potomac’s defense shut down many offensive opportunities while striking their own. The third quarter ended 51-24, putting the Panthers ahead in a strong position.
There was little action in the first five minutes of the final quarter, with the Panthers only scoring 4 points versus Woodson’s 0. Sawyer Mansfield scored another 3, and Potomac called their first time out with 3:44 remaining. The Panthers came out very strong and senior Zach Christopher had a 3-point play with less than 3 minutes left with a tough layup followed by two more points. Potomac sealed the victory with sophomore Sam Spencer hitting a final three with a few seconds left, ending the game with the satisfying final score of 69-40.
