OhioVarsity.com - Brown leads Mustangs to Regional final

March 16, 2006

Mike Parris
OhioVarsity.com Staff

Strongsville's Kyle Brown scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, including two decisive free throws with three seconds remaining in the game, to give the Mustangs a 65-63 victory over Lakewood St. Edward in a Division I Toledo Regional semifinal game at the Canton Civic Center.

In a battle of two of the premier players in Northeast Ohio, Brown dueled with St. Edward's super sophomore Delvon Roe much of the night. Roe, generally considered one of the top sophomore basketball prospects in the country, scored 28 points.

But it was Brown who stole the show.

Executing their up-tempo offense to perfection, Brown helped the Mustangs to jump out to a blazing start in the first quarter, scoring early and often to grab a quick 20-5 lead.

The Eagles refused to fold, however. St. Edward tightened up their transition defense in the second quarter, holding the Mustangs in check while getting shots of their own to fall. Roe helped shift the momentum with several dunks.

St. Edward duplicated their defensive effort in the third quarter and benefited from the absence of Brown. The Mustangs' all-time leading scorer spent much of the third quarter on the bench after picking up his third foul. The Eagles outscored the Mustangs 37-12 over the middle two stanzas to take a double-digit lead heading into the fourth quarter, 42-32.

Strongsville charged back, going on a 19-9 run in the first five minutes of the fourth to even the score at 51-51. The lead changed hands several times on alternating baskets before the Eagles built a small cushion, opening up a 62-58 lead with a just over one minute remaining.

Strongsville responded with big basket with 47 seconds left on a driving lay-up by Brown. He was fouled on the play by Roe and nailed the free throw to cut the Eagles lead to 62-61.

The Mustangs took a 63-62 lead with under 30 seconds remaining following a turnover by St. Edward near half court and an easy lay-up in transition.

St. Edward wasn't finished, as point guard Jeff Aerni was fouled at half court and headed to the free throw line, where he split the pair to knot the game at 63 apiece.

With less than five seconds remaining, Brown received a pass under the basket and was fouled in the act of shooting. With just 3.4-seconds left on the clock, Brown calmly sank both free throws to put the final tallies on the scoreboard.

St. Edward's last-ditch effort to tie the game went for naught, and the Mustangs secured the hard-fought victory.

The Eagles' loss was their first in over two months, having come in the game riding a 13-game winning streak. St. Edward closes their season at 19-5.

With the victory, Strongsville (20-4) will face Toledo St. John High School, who upset second-ranked Mansfield, 74-65, in the other semifinal match up. The Toledo Regional championship will take place Saturday, Mar. 18 at the University of Toledo. Tip-off is at 7:30pm.

Notes: Strongsville posted 33 points in the fourth quarter...St Edward shot 61 percent for the game, while Strongsville was at only 37 percent...Each team forced 16 turnovers...Strongsville lost to St. Edward, 78-71, during a regular season meeting.

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