'Back out of the darkness.' Washington ready to be factor again in Indianapolis basketball

A year ago, Aaron Hogg admits, his Washington High School basketball team probably would have lost a game facing the same situation it did Tuesday night.

“We didn’t understand how to win,” Hogg said. “If I would have told them to hold the ball or run some clock, the simple fundamentals of passing and catching wasn’t there.”

Now, Washington is better equipped to handle a six-point fourth-quarter lead with one of its most important players on the bench with five fouls. The calm, cool Continentals kept their eyes on the road, bringing home a 63-54 win at Cardinal Ritter in the first round of the Indianapolis City tournament.

Fab 15: Changes galore this week with Fishers, North Central rising

What we learned: Marion, Johnson county tourney reviews and more

It is considered an upset, slightly, as Washington (10-3) is the No. 9 seed and Ritter (4-7) the No. 8 seed. But it did not look like an upset in the 15-team bracket, which continues with four quarterfinal games Thursday night.

“They had us ranked as one of the worst teams in the tournament,” said senior Ammon Burns, who led Washington with 23 points. “So we wanted to come in and shock everyone.”

It would truly be a shock if Washington can get through the next round. Top-seeded Cathedral (10-4), is the defending City tournament champion and one of the most talented teams in the state. But the Continentals, a Class 3A program, are building something again on the Westside under Hogg, who is in his second year.

“It’s a goal to try to get back up in the City,” said Hogg, a 1999 Warren Central graduate who went to play at Wichita State. “We want to raise the program back out from the darkness. It’s been sleeping for a while, but the kids have been there ready to work and ready to learn and they are buying in.”

Build-A-Team: Putting together the best Indianapolis Washington team

50 years later: Washington remains one of Indiana basketball's greatest teams ever

The glory days of Washington basketball in the City are well-documented, including the state championship teams of 1965 and ’69 with players like Billy Keller (Mr. Basketball in ’65), George McGinnis (Mr. Basketball in 1969), Steve Downing, Ralph Taylor and many others. But after the school shut down in 1995 and reopened a decade later, the success of the basketball program has been intermittent with a high-water mark of 12 wins in 2012-13 and 2014-15 under current Bishop Chatard coach Kenny Roseman.

The current team is only three wins from surpassing that mark and could compete in Sectional 28, where Beech Grove (7-4) is the three-time defending sectional champion and still the likely favorite. But Washington and Cardinal Ritter are probably next in line. The Continentals battled Beech Grove in the sectional last year to overtime, losing 46-42.

“This is the second year for most of the kids in the program and Ammon came over from (Lawrence Central),” Hogg said. “They know that we are limited in height and athletic ability, so we have to play smart and play with discipline, have each other’s back and play as one. They are doing that.”

Burns has been the team’s leading scorer, averaging 16.7 points coming into the tournament. Senior guards Eric Hickenbottem (10.9 ppg) and Travis Ballance (8.2 ppg and team-leading 3.7 assists) also play key scoring roles. But 6-5 senior Latraveon Enright, averaging 5.7 points going into Tuesday, can make life easier for the guards. Enright had 14 points through the three quarters against Ritter, but fouled out with 6 minutes left.

“He’s one of the key parts of the whole team,” Burns said of Enright. “One of the biggest parts. His presence is everything. Everybody gravitates toward him.”

Enright said he had little doubt the Continentals would hold on to the lead. Washington shot 12-for-14 from the free-throw line to make life easier. Ritter pulled within six points on six separate occasions in the fourth quarter, but could get no closer.

“I thought we lacked some of the normal energy we need in a City tournament to be successful,” Ritter coach Ron Moore said. “This was a difficult game. Their style, they are athletic but they are patient. The pushed the ball inside and made us work.”

Washington has not reached the semifinals of the City tournament since the 1994-95 team won City. No one will expect it happen this year either — not with Cathedral standing in the way. But there is no chance at an upset without an opportunity.

The opportunity is there.

“We can’t let the hype about that program and what they have been scare us,” Burns said. “We have to play our game.”

But even beyond Thursday's game, the groundwork is set for the Continentals to be a factor in March. It has been a long time since that has been the case.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis City basketball tournament: Washington beats Cardinal Ritter