The Washington girls’ basketball team kept up their winning ways last night, beating Centerville at home by a 56-45 final.

The Demons scored first right off the bat, but the Big Reds kept it close throughout a first quarter that featured three lead changes and a one-point difference at the end of it.  The battle would continue, with the score being tied at 24 at the halftime break.  The Demons came out swinging again in the third quarter, and the Big Reds kept it close again for a lot of the second half, but the Demons would end up outscoring Centerville 32-21 throughout the last two quarters to nab the victory.

Washington was led by a lights-out shooting performance from Halle Leyden, who went 4-6 from three-point range.  She scored in other capacities as well, but those 12 points alone were enough to more than double her point total for the season.  Head coach Shannon Rugg said he knew Leyden had it in her, and this was a confidence boost she needed.

“I said before the game to one of the assistant coaches, ‘we need Leyden to knock down some shots’, and boy, did she tonight,” Rugg said.  “She’s been doing it in practice, but it’s a confidence thing.  Not just her, but with the whole group of them.  But our confidence is starting to grow a little bit, and I think [Leyden’s] confidence is through the roof right now.”

The Demons will be at it again on Friday night for the first of a nine-game road stretch, traveling to Fairfield to open up conference play against the Trojans.  Coverage of that one will be on KCII with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show starting at 5:45 and tip-off at 6:15, with the boys game to follow.