Patriot, with Isaiah Vick front and center, runs past Forest Park

The range of percussive noises inside Forest Park’s gym Monday night — the sounds that lifted No. 12 Patriot to a 75-62 win over the Bruins in Woodbridge — arrived whenever senior Isaiah Vick approached the basketball.

There was a thwack as he blocked a three-pointer to protect a one-possession lead early and a thud as he smacked a shot attempt off the glass with the Pioneers up by 10. There were rim-rattling dunks and a soft whoosh of a no-look pass over his right shoulder.

And with growing frequency, there was the voice of the Pioneers’ 6-foot-7 center, directing traffic and displaying leadership for a team with its sights set on a trip back to states.

“He’s a program guy,” Patriot Coach Sherman Rivers said. “He knows everything that we’re trying to do inside and out. Every night, we need him to be that guy.”

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Over the past six seasons, the Patriot boys have been the rare public school program unshackled by a down year. While others rebooted, they climbed, going from the state quarterfinals in 2019 to the semifinals in 2022, Last season brought a state final appearance. That ascent, Rivers said, is a testament to the rugged approach of his players and the rigid standard he demands from his seniors.

This year, it’s Vick’s turn at the reins, equal parts the unlikely heartbeat for a contender in a guard-dominated area and a new wrinkle at that size that could finally help the Pioneers capture an elusive state title. Rivers, as such, has been harder on Vick than anyone else.

“I’ve gotten used to it,” Vick said. “He’s trying to push me to be the best player I can be. I’m trying to guide everybody to do their best, too.”

Patriot has maintained the successful habits of past seasons around Vick. A schedule littered with road games, private schools and Virginia heavyweights has kept intensity high. A December win over No. 10 South Lakes instilled confidence. Depth remains a calling card other public schools can’t match. Senior Tey Barbour, a Harvard commit who transferred in from Osbourn, is also regarded as one of the area’s best two-way guards.

For long stretches Monday, the Bruins (10-5) turned to junior post Brandon Edozie and senior guard Dekevion Moore and stayed attached to the Pioneers (12-4). And then, in two-minute bursts in the second half, Patriot would turn things up, just as it has done against every local public school it has played. A two-point lead became six right before half. Midway through the third, a six-point lead became 15 as Barbour (18 points), Vick (17 points) and senior guard Dezmond Hopkins (14 points) dominated in transition.

It was a statement against a fellow Prince William County favorite — with an exclamation point in the form of Barbour’s alley-oop basket off an inbound pass for an 18-point lead with 90 seconds remaining.

“We had tried it a couple times this season,” Vick said, grinning. “We finally got it.”