BERRIEN SPRINGS — What happened in the fourth quarter Friday for the Edwardsburg boys basketball team in its Lakeland Conference game against Berrien Springs left the Eddies frustrated.

The Shamrocks erased a 43-37 deficit to start the final quarter and beat the Eddies, 56-52.

In the fourth quarter, Edwardsburg had trouble handling the basketball (seven turnovers), making free throws (2-of-7) and making shots (3-of-8).

“It was just one of those things,” said Eddies coach Dan Gunn, whose team fell to 7-6 overall and 5-3 in the league. “I think there was a time there when we turned the ball over two or three times in a row and then (Berrien Springs) got started. Our free-throw shooting was horrible and you got to hit free throws to win big games.”

Berrien Springs took advantage of Edwardsburg’s sloppiness in the fourth quarter. The Shamrocks turned the ball over only three times and went 7-of-8 from the free-throw line over the final eight minutes.

Berrien Springs took the lead for good at 47-46 after getting a basket from Jeffrey Gumbo with 1:43 left in the game. Zechariah Jenkins’ steal set up the field goal.

The Shamrocks won despite playing the final 3:54 without 6-foot-6 Johnathon Williams, who scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

“I thought, defensively, we came up with a lot of stops and we made our free throws down the stretch,” said Berrien Springs coach Mark Haase, whose team improved to 7-4 overall and 4-2 in the league. “We showed a little bit of heart and character tonight. Johnathon had a great game tonight and we couldn’t let him ride the pine.”

Josh Kozinski scored 29 points, including six 3-pointers, and grabbed seven rebounds for Edwardsburg. His final 3-pointer pulled the Eddies within 54-52 with :20 remaining. After the basket, there was fight for the ball on the inbounds pass with Berrien Springs’ Demetrius Washington eventually grabbing the ball, sprinting down the court and making a layup as time expired.

“Honestly, what was going on in my head was that the ball was going to trickle out to Kozinski and he was going to hit a 3 and we were going to end up losing by one,” Haase said. “We grabbed the ball after the basket and we panicked. The ball was like a hot potato and (Edwardsburg) got it and I don’t know which one of our guys tipped it out. It got tipped two or three times and, luckily, Demetrius was able to get to the head of pack and get the ball and he made the right play to not pull the ball out and shoot the layup.”

Kyle Slack scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked four shots for the Eddies. Abenicio Cordoba-Wilson pulled down a team-high eight rebounds off the bench. Edwardsburg outrebounded Berrien Springs, 35-24.

A 9-0 Edwardsburg run gave the Eddies a 29-26 lead with :40 left in the second quarter. Edwardsburg took a 29-27 lead into halftime. The Eddies extended its lead to 39-31 after getting a layup from Max Habicht with 4:05 left in the third quarter.

“I thought we played really well early,” Gunn said. “We handled their halfcourt pressure pretty well and moved the ball,” Gunn said. “Kozinski was hitting the basket and getting some good looks. We just hit that spot at the beginning of the fourth quarter.”

What was the message that Gunn delivered to his team after the tough loss?

“That we’ve got seven more games to play and the districts are coming up so the season is not over,” Gunn said. “They have to keep their heads up and keep on going.”

EDWARDSBURG 52

Josh Kozinski 10 3-5 29, Patrick Harvey 0 1-2 1, Kyle Slack 4 0-0 9, Ethan Zimmerman 0 0-2 0, Max Habicht 2 3-6 7, Evan VanBelle 0 0-0 0, Dominic Razzano 1 0-1 2, Abenicio Cordoba-Wilson 0 2-2 2, Austin Meadows 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 18 9-18 52

BERRIEN SPRINGS 56

Jeffrey Gumbo 3 4-5 10, Demetrius Washington 3 1-2 8, Johnathon Williams 10 2-5 22, Zechariah Jenkins 2 2-2 6, Nick Little 0 4-4 4, Kory Martin 0 0-3 0, Geoffrey Mfune 0 6-7 6, Tyler Shelton 0 0-0 0, Marcus Thorns 0 0-0 0, Everrett Shembarger 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 18 19-28 56

Edwardsburg 15 29 43 52

Berrien Springs 18 27 37 56

3-point goals: Edwardsburg 7 (Kozinski 6, Slack), Berrien 1 (Washington). Total fouls (fouled out): Berrien 21 (none), Berrien 20 (Williams). Technical: Edwardsburg (Harvey). Shooting: Edwardsburg 18-of-45 for 40-percent, Berrien 18-of-50 for 36-percent. Rebounding: Edwardsburg 35 (Cordoba-Wilson 8), Berrien 24 (Williams 7). Turnovers: Edwardsburg 21, Berrien 16. Varsity records: Edwardsburg 7-6, 4-3 Lakeland; Berrien 7-4 overall, 4-2 Lakeland. J.V. score: Berrien 47, Edwardsburg 44

Girls basketball

PLAINWELL — The Edwardsburg girls basketball team improved to 8-5 on the season with a trio of victories.

The Eddies defeated host Plainwell Tuesday night 41-37. Edwardsburg also defeated Berrien Springs last Thursday 42-32 and Buchanan 54-11 last Wednesday in Lakeland Conference action.

Against Plainwell, Ashley Streb led the Eddies with 14 points. Sarah D’Amico added eight and Mariah Murphy seven.

D’Amico was the leading scorer in Edwardsburg’s win over Berrien Springs. Streb and Murphy both finished with nine points.

Streb scored nine points against Buchanan with D’Amico and Branda Fleishauer both finishing with eight points.

EDWARDSBURG 41

Liv Hack 2, Sarah D’Amico 8, Ashley Streb 14, Mariah Murphy 7, Brooke Portwood 6, Alexis Blake 2, Katelynn Rogers 2. TOTALS: 16 6-11 41

PLAINWELL 37

Teresa Thiel 6, Samantha Windemuller 1, Alyssa Adams 8, Taylor TerMeer 5, Melanie Hyames 6, Miranda Monroe 2, Miranda Pearson 0, Sarah Morrell 9, Macayla Wright 0. TOTALS: 12 8-13 37

Edwardsburg 4 12 19 41

Plainwell 13 15 25 37

3-point baskets: Edwardsburg 3 (D’Amico, Streb, Murphy); Plainwell 5 (Thiel 2, Adams, TerMeer, Morrell). Total fouls: Edwardsburg 12, Plainwell 17

EDWARDSBURG 42

Liv Hack 1; Maddie Holmes 0; Sarah D’Amico 15; Ashley Streb 9; Branda Fleishauer 0; Mariah Murphy 9; Brooke Portwood 2; Alexis Blake 4; Katelynn Rogers 2. TOTALS: 16 8-18 42

BERRIEN SPRINGS 32

Genny Westendorp 3; Camille Downey 0; Gabby Dortch 3; Tyanna Pierce 1; Tashana Powell 10; Stefani Camacho 3; Rachel Jakuhs 12; Mallorie Downey 0. TOTALS: 5 15-33 32

Edwardsburg 5 18 35 42

Berrien Springs 5 15 24 32

3-point baskets: Edwardsburg 2 (D’Amico 2), Berrien Springs 1 (Westendorp). Total fouls (fouled out): Edwardsburg  24 (Murph), Berrien Springs 21 (Powell, Camacho)

BUCHANAN 11

Jodi Mosier 0, TateAnna Hinds 0, Robyn Clark 0, Alexis Meahl 1, Erin Glavin 6, Amanda Anglero 1, Alia Dobrzykowski 0, Maddy Vorrath 0, Ashley Simpson 0, Madison Prillwitz 3. TOTALS: 3 4-11 11

EDWARDSBURG 54

Olivia Hack 2, Maddie Holmes 4, Nicole Brooks 0, Sarah D’Amico 8, Ashley Streb 9, Branda Fleischauer 8, Mariah Murphy 7, Brooke Portwood 2, Alexis Blake 6, Katelynn Rogers 8. TOTALS: 25 1-2 54

Buchanan 3 3 6 11

Edwardsburg 9 18 36 54

3-point baskets: Buchanan 1 (Glavin), Edwardsburg 3 (D’Amico 2, Murphy). Total fouls (fouled out): Buchanan 7 (none), Edwardsburg 14 (Murphy)