Mount Dora, Fla. — The Villages High School boys basketball team was all smiles Monday night in Mount Dora. 

The Buffalo snapped a brief two-game skid with a 72-23 victory on the road at Mount Dora, opening Class 4A-District 6 play with a win that boosted emotions after suffering back-to-back losses on consecutive weekends.

"I loved their approach from the moment they walked in the gym," said VHS head coach Colt McDowell. "We came out and did the things we wanted to do early. They were locked in on what we had to get done tonight."

VHS (2-3 overall, 1-0) jumped out to a 53-18 lead at halftime, which enabled a mercy rule via running clock for the entirety of the second half. A total of five Buffalo had at least six points or more in the first half, led by Chris Washington Jr.'s 14 first-half points. 

The Villages then cranked up the defensive intensity, holding Mount Dora (0-5, 0-1) without a made shot from the floor in the third quarter, scoring just three points by way of free throws in the period.

"Especially defensively, we're slowly starting to learn how to play for one another," McDowell said. "None of our guys are selfish, but it takes time to learn how to play for a team — not just with it — and our guys are figuring that out."

The Hurricanes finally sank their first basket of the second half just a minute into the fourth quarter, as McDowell emptied the bench en route to a runaway victory.

The win comes after the Buffalo dropped a pair of one-possession decisions over the past two Saturdays, losing 47-46 to Olympia on Nov. 25 and 58-55 to Blake on Dec. 2.

"I think it's a great sign for us," said VHS senior guard Ben Koubek. "It shows we're relentless and we won't let our last game affect us. We did a good job staying mentally focused before the game and then coming out with the level of energy we needed to get the win."

Washington led all scorers with 16 points, while Adyn Corbin added 13 for the Buffalo and Koubek finished with 11.

"I truly feel like if we play our style of basketball to the best of our ability, we can beat anybody that's on our schedule," McDowell said. "Now, I'm looking forward to seeing how we can build off this. We have to keep building and pushing forward, so that we can become the best version of ourselves when it matters most."

VHS will now look ahead to its home opener and the first-ever boys hoops game on its new Middleton campus, as the Buffalo host Bell Creek at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night. 

"I'm so excited for it," Koubek said. "Our home crowd has always been amazing, but now in a new gym ... it's going to be crazy. We're going to have a lot of energy, for sure."


Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment at cody.hills@tvcs.org or by calling (352) 259-6890.