WASHINGTON — Facing a nine-point deficit with less than a minute left in the first half on Monday, the Washington girls basketball team responded with a dominant third quarter that saw the Pam Pack take firm control of the game and go on to defeat North Pitt, 53-43, avenging a 28-point loss to the Panthers last month.

Washington (5-6, 1-2 2A Eastern Carolina Conference) head coach Ralph Biggs said his team’s second-half performance, outscoring the opposition 32-15 through the final two quarters, was due to his players sticking to the game plan.

“It was good for the girls to come back and show some mental strength and mental toughness to come back and get a win after you lose to a team by double-digit points. It can kind of take your fire out,” Biggs said. “But the girls came back strong and they did it. We got down nine and they fought back in the second half. It was a good game for us.”

The Pam Pack’s second-half resurgence was led by Daria Jones, who lead all players with 17 points, and Briasia Somerville, who scored 16 points and dominated the offensive boards. After not having much of an impact in the first half, Jones jumpstarted Washington’s third-quarter rally by scoring the first five points of the period and drilling a 3-pointer a couple of possessions later.

The senior scored 10 of her points in the third, helping Washington build a 39-32 lead heading into the fourth. Along with the Pam Pack’s offense coming to life, Washington also increased its defensive pressure, forcing North Pitt into many turnovers and limiting the Panthers to just four points in the third.

Somerville helped close the game out, scoring eight of her points in the final quarter. As was the case all night, the sophomore relentlessly chased down offensive rebounds, either going right back up for a put-back basket, or finding a teammate like Jones to finish.

Biggs was full of praise for the work Jones and Somerville did in the paint on Monday.

“That was great for us, with Daria scoring the points down low and being a presence,” Biggs said. “Reagan (Ruther) got in foul trouble and Bri(asia) stepped right in behind her and did the things that we know she can do. She’s a great offensive rebounder and she’s going to finish around the basket. And I’ll say she was the key to our run in the second half.”

Riding a three-game win streak, the Pam Pack welcomes South Lenoir to Washington today, with the game set to start at 6 p.m.