Cahokia’s win over Granite Metropolis within the opener of the Mid-Winter Traditional on Friday gave the Edwardsville Tigers a shot on the event championship.
The Tigers wanted a win over the host Jersey Panthers and wanted to permit fewer than 66 factors to earn a tiebreaker with the Warriors. They did each.
Behind a powerful defensive begin to the second half, EHS cruised to a 53-44 victory over Jersey for its first event championship since successful the Crimson Traditional in Jacksonville to start out the 2021-22 season.
Edwardsville wins the Mid-Winter Traditional for the second time and first since 2019-20.
“In case you can win any event, you’re feeling good. We’re happy with our boys. They ended the night time on a excessive observe and performed effectively sufficient towards Jersey to win the championship,” EHS coach Dustin Battas stated.
Edwardsville, Granite Metropolis and Cahokia all completed 2-1 at Jerseyville this week. EHS tied for the fewest factors allowed with 138, adopted by Granite Metropolis with 159 and Cahokia with 186. Jersey completed 0-3.
The tiebreaker went in favor of the Tigers (14-8), who’ve averaged 46 factors this season.
“Once we knew it was a tiebreaker, we felt that was one thing we had a bonus in. Protection is one thing we grasp our hats on,” Battas stated. “Protection wins lots of video games and championships. He proved it on this event as effectively.”
The Panthers (12-10) discover themselves on their first three-game dropping streak of the season. They’d not misplaced back-to-back video games till this week.
“We performed laborious and hard and we did not surrender. Edwardsville is an effective basketball program and we did not again down from them,” Jersey coach Caleb Williams stated. “We have got some issues to repair earlier than we get again into convention play.”
Edwardsville took management of the sport with a 7-0 run early within the second half and took a 32-19 lead with 4:33 left on a 3-pointer by event MVP Malik Allen.
The Tigers compelled six straight turnovers to start out the quarter, hitting three of them, and the Panthers did not try their first subject objective till 3:58 remained.
“Generally we wrestle with turnovers and we’ve to repair that. As soon as we clear that up, we’ll be a lot, significantly better,” Williams stated.
Battas stated he challenged his gamers at halftime to extend defensive stress.
“We challenged the fellows slightly bit at halftime to select up a few of the issues we practiced yesterday. Our guys did slightly higher job of executing our recreation plan and that led to some simple baskets. Getting that cushion was enormous for us,” stated Battas.
After a layup by the Panthers’ Easton Heafner ended the drought, the Tigers scored six straight factors to increase their result in their largest at 38-21, and AJ Tillman knocked down a jumper with two minutes left within the third. .
Tillman scored 12 of his workforce’s 17 factors within the second half.
“AJ had a terrific recreation. He’s an actual constant contributor. He helps management the sport for us. He was an enormous motive why we received this recreation,” Battas stated.
Jersey made simply 2 of 12 pictures within the third quarter and turned the ball over eight instances.
Trailing 46-29 with 4:45 left in regulation after Iose Epenesa’s basket for the Tigers, the Panthers went to work and made it 52-44 after Jason Brunaugh’s second 3-pointer of the quarter.
That was as shut because the Panthers would get because the Tigers hit 4 free throws and obtained a layup from Isaiah Kloster within the closing minute to seal a 53-44 victory.
“I’ll by no means query how laborious the children play. They play from buzzer-beater to buzzer-beater each recreation,” Williams stated.
Edwardsville took a 25-19 lead into halftime.
EHS had seven factors from Jake Curry and 6 from Chris Crosby within the first half, with Jersey Kloster, Tillman and Allen all having a mixed eight factors. Johnnie Robinson additionally knocked down a key jumper within the second quarter.
“All people is aware of that Isaiah, AJ and Malik can rating. We want 5 or 6 guys to attain to beat good groups and make a very good run within the postseason,” Battas stated.
Kloster completed with 9 factors, Allen and Crosby had eight every and Curry had seven.
EHS hit 21 of 44 pictures from the sector.
The Panthers had been fueled by Brunaugh’s 10 factors within the first half. He completed the sport with 18 factors. Tanner Brunaugh added 13 factors.
Forma made 16 of 44 pictures from the sector with 22 turnovers.
