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12/05 - 7:30 PM Boys Basketball Final St. Edward 62 Bedford 57
BEDFORD, Ohio -- The reigning Division I state champion St. Edward boys basketball team knew it was going to be tested, even as early as its first game of the season.
The Eagles, ranked third in the cleveland.com preseason Top 25, held off No. 10 Bedford, 62-57, in a wild finish that came down to the final seconds at Bedford.
"If you want to script the first game of the year, you don't want to beat your opponent up," said Eagles coach Eric Flannery. "You want teams to give you their best effort so that you can find out who your leaders are. Bedford was a great test for us."
After trailing the Bearcats 17-16 three minutes into the second quarter, the Eagles roared ahead with a 12-0 run to end the half. That momentum continued into the third quarter and turned into a 23-5 run, putting the Eagles up 18.
But Bedford battled back, and eventually came within one of St Edward's lead, 58-57, with under a minute remaining.
"We just needed to be composed," said Eagles senior forward Kipper Nichols. "We kept our composure. We need to learn to close out games if we are going to be a great team."
Nichols played a critical role in putting a stop to a 19-3 Bedford run in the fourth quarter. The versatile 6-foot-7 wing brought the ball up the court, then called for the ball in the post on a big mismatch. It started with a Derek Funderburk pass, and ended with a strong finish by Nichols.
The 6-9 Funderburk, who grew up in the Bedford area, scored nine points, eight of which came on crowd-silencing dunks.
"I just wanted to put on a show for the crowd," he said.
The Bearcats outscored the Eagles 25-17 in the fourth, thanks in no small part to junior guard Armond Perry, who nailed all of his three-point attempts for a 12-point fourth quarter. There were no lead changes, but the Bearcats were breathing down the Eagles' neck.
"It was chaotic," Flannery said of the fourth quarter. "I was not going to save them by calling a timeout. Teams will come after us. We've played with a target on our backs for a long time."
Nichols missed a free throw with seven seconds left and the Eagles only up by three, but got his own rebound with all of his teammates dropping back. He sealed the deal with a slam dunk.
What stood out
The Eagles began by scoring in the paint, both with their post players and their guards. In the third quarter, four Eagles connected on three-pointers.
The Bearcats had a solid fourth quarter offensively, with 25 points, including 12 from Perry. He was a pest against the Eagles ball handlers, forcing three turnovers in the quarter that Bedford was able to capitalize on.
The Bearcats were held to seven first-quarter points, and 10 second-quarter points. But their offense can get hot in an instant. They fed off the crowd, especially in the final quarter.
Sound bites
Flannery: "It looked like our first game of the year. We did a poor job taking care of the basketball. But I did see some positive things."
Flannery on Nichols: "Kipper is one of the best around. He is allowed to call for the ball if he wants to. He is such a matchup nightmare for smaller forwards, since he can handle the ball in the open floor."
Flannery on concerns prior to the game: "My concern was defense, but that is why we won the game. We did limit some of their scorers to outside shots they didn't want. We got the stops we needed late also."
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