By By JEFF FISHER / Vigilant/Argus
A 40-point scoring outburst by Edwardsburg's Nick Roth gave the Eddies a 68-48 victory over visiting Berrien Springs Friday night in a Lakeland Athletic Conference match-up.
Roth opened with the game's first two buckets as the Eddies raced out to a 9-2 lead at the 5:05 mark in the first.
The Shamrocks did not give up. A basket by Trey Lockett and two "threes" by Shelby Wood cut the lead to one point as the Eddies took a 14-13 lead after one period of play.
Berrien Springs quickly tied the game 18-18 midway through the second quarter.
Roth hit a three-point jumper late in the quarter to give the Eddies a 26-22 advantage, but the lead swelled to 10 as the Eddies took a 32-22 lead into the intermission.
Roth finished the quarter with 11 points, which was more than the Shamrocks' nine points.
The Shamrocks were out-scored by the Eddies 18-7 in the second quarter. Roth finished the half with 19 points.
The third quarter began almost the same as the first as Roth hit a three-point jump shot and scored on a break away basket.
The Eddies stepped up their defense and created numerous turnovers that led to easy fast break lay ups.
Lockett of Berrien hit back-to-back "threes" near the end of the quarter, but the Eddies still led 51-39 to end the period.
Roth finished with 14 third quarter points, but Vincent Ruhumuliza of Berrien kept the Shamrocks in striking distance with seven points.
The Eddies took a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Wood of Berrien scored seven points to narrow the lead.
A balanced Edwardsburg scoring attack increased the lead to 65-47.
Roth of the Eddies led all scorers with 40 points, Anthony Hayes finished with eight points, while five other Eddies finished with three points respectively.
Wood paced the Shamrocks with 20 points, while Trey Lockett added 11 points and Ruhumuliza nine.
Edwardsburg improves to 5-8 overall and 2-5 in conference play. It will now host Bridgman Friday night, whom the Eddies lost to earlier in the season 55-36.
In earlier action, the junior varsity Shamrocks defeated the Eddies 61-58 in overtime.
BERRIEN SPRINGS 48
Shelby Wood 6 4-6 20, Jon Chansa 0 0-0 0, Vincent Ruhumuliza 4 1-4 9, Matt Demler 2 1-2 5, Trey Lockett 4 1-2 11, Jeremy Cummings 0 1-2 1, Jeremy Eddie 0 0-0 0, Matt Jasper 0 2-4 2, Ben Collard 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 10-20 48
EDWARDSBURG 68
Nick Roth 14 8-8 40, Zac Rooney 2 0-0 4, Branden Muszynski 1 0-1 3, Doug Shuttleworth 1 0-0 3, Matt Horvath 0 1-2 1, Tony Hayes 3 2-4 8, David Daniels 1 1-3 3, Rick Finley 0 0-0 0, Steve Gowen 1 0-0 3, Pat Huggett 0 0-0 0, Robbie Sevison 0 0-2 0, Alex Antoniu 1 1-1 3, Ted Pieztrek 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 13-21 68
Berrien Springs 13 22 39 48
Edwardsburg 14 32 51 68
Three-point baskets: Roth (E) 4, Muszynski (E), Shuttleworth (E), Gowen (E), Wood (BS) 4, Lockett (BS)2. Total fouls: Berrien Springs 19, Edwardsburg 17. Fouled out: Lockett (BS). Technical fouls: None. Varsity records: Edwardsburg 5-8 (2-5 LAC); Berrien Springs 7-5 (3-4 LAC). JV Results: Berrien Springs 61 (Mike Wilson 14), Edwardsburg 58 (Adam Hancock 28) OT.