Giving the defending state champions a run for their money was exactly what the Washington boys’ basketball team did on Tuesday against Oskaloosa, but ultimately fell on the road 54-52.

The Indians were without heralded 7’0’’ Iowa State recruit Xavier Foster, but they came out guns blazing to start the game roaring out to a 24-13 advantage after one. The Demons made their push in the second outscoring Oskaloosa 18-4 to take a 31-28 lead into the break. Both teams traded punches the rest of the way with the Indians making one more play in part by six triples from Noah Van Veldhuizen to finish with a game-high 20 points. For the second straight game Ethan Patterson paced Washington with 17 points on six of 10 shooting and Trashaun Willis recorded 13. The Demons shot 46% from the floor to the Indians’ 39%, but nine threes for Oskaloosa proved to be the difference.

Both teams are now 3-2 and the Demons close out the first half of the season tomorrow against Mount Pleasant in a game that can be heard on KCII.