T.C. Williams Escapes With 64-61 Win Over Woodson

FAIRFAX — Trailing 49-40 and playing its second game in less than eight hours, no one would have blamed T.C. Williams if it didn’t have the energy to mount a fourth-quarter comeback on the road.

Staring at their second loss of the day and their fourth straight overall, the Titans used their trademark tough defense and some clutch shooting to find the extra boost they needed to knock off W.T. Woodson 64-61 on Saturday night.

With the Titans having lost their last three games, including a 68-55 loss to Riverdale Baptist in Maryland earlier Saturday, Titans coach Julian King was happy to see his team end the long day on a high note.

“It feels good to get that bad taste out of your mouth,” King said. “I told them this is a tough place to play, against a good team and they would have to grit it out and stay together.”

The Titans defense clamped down on the Cavaliers in the fourth quarter, forcing several turnovers and transitioning them to easy baskets. Woodson coach Doug Craig knew it was the turning point of the game.

“We just started throwing the ball away,” Craig said. “You can’t do that against T.C. Williams. They are too good.  You can’t have turnovers down the stretch.”

However, the comeback was almost wasted. With the Titans leading 61-58 late in the game, senior Tyrell Sitton did exactly what you don’t want to do when trying to protect a lead: He fouled a 3-point shooter.  

After Cavaliers senior John Schoof, who had a team-high 18 points, hit all three free throws to tie the game at 61-61 with 19 seconds left, Sitton knew he needed to make up for his mistake.

King then called a high screen and roll to get Sitton the ball at the top of the key with plenty of options, but the senior knew what he was doing.

“If [the defender] didn’t come out, I was shooting it,” Sitton said.  

Sitton, who finished with 18 points, came off the screen and calmly drained a 3-pointer with 7 seconds remaining to give the Titans the win.

It was their second win over the Cavaliers this season, who fell to 11-7 overall.

The win improves the Titans to 14-3 overall and 9-1 in the Patriot District. They return home to face Lake Braddock on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.