PVAC hoops hot up North

Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008

PVAC hoops hot up North

by James Peters | Staff Writer

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The Barrie boys basketball team is the only Potomac Valley Ahtletic Conference team to defeat defending North Division champion Jewish Day this winter. The Mustangs struggled with their consistency during December, but some changes in the team’s personnel and overall attitude have helped turn the season around.

‘‘We’ve become accustomed to being good in the [regular] season in recent years,” Barrie coach Jack Mitchell said. ‘‘I don’t think our [junior class] realized how much work goes into winning games and being successful on the court. We had to reassess a lot of things internally to make them more responsible on and off the court.”

The players responded with two big wins last week — a 47-46 overtime victory against Grace Brethren and a 59-37 thrashing of Washington International. The win against Grace Brethren was the team’s first in a couple of years against the Eagles and came after it trailed by 20 points at one time in the game.

‘‘If that game was two weeks or three weeks ago, I don’t think we would have won that game,” Mitchell said. ‘‘I’m just hoping this change in our approach and our changing attitude continues. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Forward Robert Finkel paced Barrie with 12 points in the Grace Brethren win. Guard Bobby Yancey poured in 18 points, including three 3-pointers, and center Nick Whited added 12 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Washington International.