Josh Oglesby and Wes Washpun formed a potent 1-2 punch for Washington last season when they combined to average 31.3 points and led the Warriors to the state tournament.

The two seniors are better than ever.

“I think everybody improves as they get older and keep working at it,” Washington Coach Brad Metzger said, “and they kept working at it.”

Oglesby, a 6-foot-6 guard with a deft touch, contributed 16.2 points, hit 40 percent of his 3-pointers and parlayed his talent into a scholarship at the University of Iowa.

Washpun, a quick 6-foot-1 point guard, produced 15.1 points and four assists, but the best news came in the classroom, where he improved his grades and improved his chances of getting an attractive D-I scholarship himself.

“People definitely see the value in him,” Metzger said. “He does not like to lose, and he’s incredibly tough.”

Washpun has offers from North Dakota and South Dakota State, but Metzger thinks the stakes will rise as the 2010-11 season unfolds.

Washpun has gained 10 pounds to 165, which he figures should help his all-around game.

“I’ve been working on my outside shot and my right hand a lot,” the lefty said, “trying to improve those two things and make me tougher to guard and take some of the pressure off Josh.”

Metzger had assignments for both of his stars during the summer.

“They each had their weaknesses,” he said. “I wanted Josh to get bigger and lower his shoulder more, and I wanted Wes to shoot from the outside a little better. And they both improved on those weaknesses.”

Washpun thinks Oglesby has a secret talent.

“He’s a great shooter,” Washpun said, “and what most people don’t really know about him, he’s a great passer. He’s great at finding the open man and he’s unselfish, so he’ll always find the open guy.

“He’s really good,” Washpun said. “He’s a tough kid to stop.”

Oglesby and Washpun played for the Iowa Barnstormers on the AAU circuit last summer with Jefferson star Jarrod Uthoff and Marion guard Kasey Semler, part of an outstanding group of Metro players. Now Washpun hopes that experience translates into good things at Wash.

“I think we look pretty good so far,” he said. “Everybody is starting to click.”

The Warriors lost to Ames, 57-44, in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament last March.

“Of course our goal is to get back,” Washpun said. “I think we have a pretty good shot of making it back and trying to make more noise than we did last year.”

Metzger knows the danger of looking too far ahead.

“Our main goal, whether it’s a cliche or not, is to focus on what’s going on today and learn from it and make tomorrow a little better,” he said. “There’s too many good teams, with good talent, to say that we’re going to look way out ahead here, because you’re going to have to get through quite a few bumps in the road. It’s just not that easy.”

Evan Davis graduated, taking 9.1 points with him, but the Warriors return five of their top-7 scorers from last season with Oglesby, Washpun, Alex Carr, Sean Bredl and Cybryan Moa. They also got a nice addition when David Tann, a 5-11 guard, moved here from Fort Dodge.

Heath Clark and Brock Butterfield, a pair of promising sophomores, also have joined the varsity.

Metzger, 36, thinks he has the ingredients for a solid team in his third year at Washington. It all begins with Oglesby and Washpun, his potent 1-2 punch.

“I think it creates some good situations for us,” he said.

Washington opens the season Friday night at Bettendorf.

ROSTER

Seniors (5)

Alex Carr (5-10), Wes Washpun (6-1), Zachary Gibson (5-10), Josh Oglesby (6-6), Trent Hoekstra (6-1).

Juniors (7)

David Tann (5-11), Cory Matteson (5-6), Cybryan Moa (6-1), Sean Bredl (6-4), Paul Nash (6-5), Zachary Williams (6-1), McCauley Todd (6-6).

Sophomores (2)

Brock Butterfield (6-0), Heath Clark (6-2).

SCHEDULE

Friday, Dec. 3 — at Bettendorf, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 7 — at Davenport West, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 10 — Prairie, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 14 — Dubuque Wahlert, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 17 — Jefferson, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 21 — at Kennedy, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 4 — Iowa City West, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 7 — Minnetonka (Minn.), 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 8 — vs. Chaska (Minn.), Target Center, Minneapolis, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 11 — at Xavier, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 14 — Linn-Mar, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 21 — at Iowa City High, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 25 — at Dubuque Hempstead, 8 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 28 — at Jefferson, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 1 — at Waterloo East, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 4 — Kennedy, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 8 — Cedar Falls, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 11 — at Linn-Mar, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 15 — at Dubuque Senior, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 17 — Waterloo West, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 21, 25, March 1 — Substate

March 9-12 — State, Des Moines