By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
EDWARDSBURG -- In any sport, momentum can be a determining factor.
In Friday night's Lakeland Conference basketball game at Edwardsburg High School, momentum was tossed back and forth quite a bit until the host Eddies captured it at the most crucial time--then end of the game.
Edwardsburg outscored Brandywine 20-13 in the fourth quarter to finally pull away for a 72-55 victory.
The win lifts Edwardsburg's overall record to 3-5 as well as a 2-3 league mark. Brandywine drops to 2-6 and 0-4.
Edwardsburg controlled the game early, jumping out to a 7-2 lead, but the Bobcats responded by seizing the momentum with an 11-5 run to end the quarter with a 13-12 lead.
The Eddies scored the first five points of the second quarter to regain the lead and the momentum. Again, however, Brandywine stormed back with four straight points to tie it up at 17.
From that point, Edwardsburg went on a 12-2 run and took the lead for good, but not without a fight from the Bobcats.
Chris Carpenter hit a pair of 3-pointers late in the first half to cut the Eddies' lead to four at 33-29. A pair of free throws by Nick Roth closed out the first-half scoring with Edwardsburg leading 35-29.
Edwardsburg tried to pull away in the third quarter but saw a 12-point lead dwindle to four after an intentional foul by Zach Rooney sent Andy Low to the free throw line where he made two shots to cut the Eddies' advantage to 46-42.
At a point in the game when it would have been easily to lose the momentum yet again, Edwardsburg responded to the challenge with an 8-0 run to regain a healthy lead.
Brandywine's offense stalled in the fourth quarter and the Bobcats were able to cut the lead to only eight points before Edwardsburg went on a decisive 14-4 run.
The Bobcats made only 7-of-15 free throws in the fourth quarter, including a stretch of 0-of-5 during the Eddies' final run.
Edwardsburg's offensive attack was well-balanced with four players in double figures. Nathan Peak led the way with 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Derek Tighe added 14 while Doug Shuttleworth and Phil Bretschneider each scored 10.
Brandywine had two players in double figures and two more on the verge. Casey Udell led the Bobcats with 17 points and Andy Low added 14. Chris Carpenter scored nine and Mike Beauchamp helped out with seven.
The Edwardsburg junior varsity team beat Brandywine 62-38.
Brandywine hosts Berrien Springs next Friday night.
Edwardsburg….72
Brandywine……55
Edwardsburg: Anthony Peak 1 0-0 2, Chris Nugent 2 0-0 4, Derek Tighe 7 0-0 14, Ryan Haines 0 0-0 0, Robbie Sevison 0 0-0 0, Nathan Peak 6 1-2 17, Josh Montgomery 0 0-0 0, Phil Bretschneider 5 0-0 10, Doug Shuttleworth 2 6-10 10, Nick Roth 2 4-6 9, Matt Horvath 0 0-0 0, Mike Grabemeyer 0 0-0 0, Rick Finley 0 0-0 0, Zach Rooney 3 0-0 6. Totals: 28 11-18 72
Brandywine: Casey Udell 7 3-4 17, Justin Sobecki 1 0-0 2, Mike Beauchamp 3 1-4 7, Danny Rauch 0 0-0 0, Andy Low 5 4-4 14, Chris Carpenter 3 0-2 9, Gene McDonald 1 1-3 3, Alex Newman 0 0-2 0, Mike Nagy 0 0-0 0, Zach Bennett 0 0-0 0, Brett Shoemaker 1 3-4 5, Matt Weiger 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 12-23 55
Edwardsburg 12 23 17 20--72
Brandywine 13 16 13 13--55
3-point shooting: Edwardsburg 5 (N. Peak 4, Roth), Brandywine 3 (Carpenter 3). Team fouls (fouled out): Edwardsburg 20 (none), Brandywine 22 (none). Team records: Edwardsburg 3-5 (2-3 Lakeland), Brandywine 2-6 (0-4)