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Washington's Josiah Gibbs had one of many dunks for Washington in Friday's game with D.H. Conley. (Jason O. Boyd | Washington Daily News)

WASHINGTON, N.C. — Washington High School will participate in the annual John Wall Invitational, Pam Pack boys basketball coach David Allewalt said after Friday’s game with D.H. Conley.

TheJohnWall.com lists Washington playing at Broughton High School in Raleigh in the Morgan Stanley Boys Bracket. The Pam Pack (5-0) will play Garner High School on Dec. 26 at 12:30 p.m. A win would put the Pack against either Cold Hearts, a national squad out of Atlanta represented by Overtime Elite, or Word of God, another national team based out of Raleigh. That game will be played Dec. 28 at 6 p.m.

If Washington should lose to Garner, it would face one of the other two teams on Dec. 28 at 1:30 p.m. at Peace University in Raleigh.

“It’s a high-level event, an opportunity and an exposure event for the kids,” Allewalt said. “And I’ve got a couple of seniors on here that could probably get a good scholarship offer if they play well. So yeah, it’s one of those things. You just don’t turn away from that.

“I had to drop the Northside game on December 30th to be able to play in the event. And, you know, it’s unfortunate. We always like playing a Beaufort County team. But at the end of the day, it’s a high-level exposure.”

Washington has a very competitive schedule this season with aspirations of winning a state championship. After beating D.H. Conley 95-68 on Friday, the Pack were scheduled to play Greenfield, a private school out of Wilson, on Saturday in the Montrez Harrell Classic. That game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the Rocky Mount Event Center.

After that, the Pam Pack will play Fayetteville Academy, another private school, on Dec. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in the Greenfield Holiday Tournament. They’ll play another game against an undetermined opponent the next day before the Christmas break.

Washington also has the BTW 252 vs. 919 Winter Classic on Jan. 4. The Pam Pack will face Northwood at 7:30 p.m.

“I’m hoping that we respond a little more and that we can recalculate things and think how we’re getting close to Christmas,” Allewalt said. We have a big Christmas tournament next week. But, you know, then we’ll get a little break.”

Pack 5-0 after beating Conley

Washington started out Friday with four straight dunks, three by Josiah Gibbs and the last by Jarryn Payne. Conley actually rallied and led 17-12 after the first quarter. Washington didn’t get rattled and used a 10-2 run started with a 3-pointer by Javon Williams and ended on a running dunk by Chaise Smith to give Washington a 29-21 lead with 3:45 left in the first half.

Conley cut the deficit to 36-30 at the half but Washington came out firing and blew the game wide open.

A 15-2 run was highlighted by three 3-pointers and a layup by Jacob Daniels, along with a running dunk by Smith.

Both teams exchanged words during a timeout by Conley with 5:02 left in the quarter. A technical foul to Gibbs was given and Conley converted both free throws. But the Pam just kept coming as Smith did a double-pump slam and drained a 3-pointer for a 55-36 lead with 4:05 left in the third.

“We came out (in the third quarter) and answered the points,” Allewalt said. “Jacob shot really, really well. So, his ball behind the arc kind of gave us that little cushion, and then Chase got to the basket pretty much in transition and boom. And then Javon (Williams) got some buckets down the stretch.”

Washington’s girls lost 65-13 to remain winless on the season.

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