FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. - With the Washington Area Military Athletic playoff tournament around the corner, the Fort Meade Patriots avoided a last-minute charge by Joint Base Andrews to close out the regular season with a 68-64 win Sunday at Murphy Field House.

The teams played at Fort Meade a month ago, with the Patriots routing the Falcons, 92-77. Sunday, however, was a different story.

The Falcons walked off the court at halftime with a 31-25 lead.

For the Patriots, the first half was a struggle. Other than Charlie Ward's 16 points, the team failed to find another "go-to" player and settled for numerous poor shots.

"We were stagnant on offense; we weren't moving the ball," Ward said.

Fort Meade Coach Ronnie Cunningham said that the Patriots failed to play any defense in the first half. Aside from the rare steals, resulting in fast-break transitions, the team looked confused. Falcons' Andre Dennson capitalized on the lack of a strong defensive effort and scored 10 first-half points.

At the beginning of the second half, the Patriots came out on fire. With a layup by Desmond Dias giving the team its first lead, the Patriots employed a full-court press that effectively limited the Falcons offense. The Falcons, however, remained within striking distance.

The lead would change seven times before Gary Robinson's 3-pointer put the Patriots ahead for good. Robinson's shot could be credited with a momentum shift that allowed the Patriots to build their lead.

"I had to step up, I'm one of the shooters of the team. My teammates expect me to hit those shots," Robinson said. "I had to do something to help turn the tide around."

The Falcons challenged with a last-minute comeback attempt: pulling within 1 point with 28.7 seconds left.

Once again, Meade's defense stepped up to the challenge, sealing the game for the Patriots.

The Patriots were led by Ward's game-high 30-points and Dias' 16 points. Joint Base Andrews' Lavar Gilliam finished with 16 points; Dwyane Johnson scored 15 points.

Cunningham said that the game should have never been that close, but called the victory a "character win" and something to build on heading into the WAMAC playoffs March 26.

"I trust my guys. They play with a lot of character, a lot of hard work and they know how to win," Cunningham said. "I trust them in these situations."

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