Saturday, March 25, 2000
St. X's opponent overcame struggle
BY
The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Bedford, a surprise 67-61 winner over No. 1 Toledo Libbey in the Division I semifinals, lost four of five games in January, including a 78-64 setback to Elder in Bedford.
Since that losing streak, however, the Bearcats (21-5) have lost only 73-70 to Warrensville Heights, Purcell Marian's opponent today in the Division II state championship game.
The turnaround came after head coach Everett Heard went with a set lineup rather than shuffling 12 players in-and-out of the game, which often created havoc.
A run-and-gun team, Bedford averages 82.6 points and relies primarily on and first-team All-Ohio guard Kamil Wilson (25 points), guards Antonn Melton (20.0 points) and forwards Jamin Birch (13) and Pat Washington (12).
Center Evan Curry is primarily a rebounder, taking only five shots in the semifinal victory over Libbey. Although Washington averages in doubles figures, he failed to take a shot in Friday's game.
“They have some great rebounders,” St. Xavier coach Scott Martin said. “They also like to get up-and-down the floor in a hurry.”
Wilson scored 27 and Melton added 17 as unranked Bedford stunned Libbey. It was another sad finish for Libbey (25-1), still remembered as the team that blew a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter of the 1966 state championship game. Dayton Chaminade ended up winning that stunner, 55-52.
The Cowboys lost in the semifinals in their other three trips to the final four.
Bedford, on the other hand, was making its first appearance at the state tournament. The Bearcats had only been as far as the regionals once before, in 1988.
Bedford led 56-43 with 41/2 minutes remaining before the Cowboys mounted a furious comeback. They went on a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to 58-56 with 1:44 left. Jonathan March, who led the Cowboys with 18 points, scored the first eight points in the surge, with Jamaal Mays and Kevin Patterson each scoring three points.
But the Bearcats regrouped in time.
Wilson went the length of the court for a three-point play with 1:39 remaining to push the lead to 61-56.
Fellow first-team all-stater Eyuless Palmer — held to just six points on 3-of-11 shooting — added a shot inside for Libbey to narrow the gap to three points before Bedford pulled away once again.
After a Libbey turnover, Melton made two free throws with 49 seconds left to make it 63-58. Following an air-ball 3-pointer by the Cowboys' Marques Fobbs, Wilson made two more foul shots and then closed the scoring by rebounding his own missed free throw and scoring on an uncontested layup.
Fobbs had 15 points and Mays 13 for the Cowboys, who won their first 25 games by an average of 15 points. Palmer had 10 rebounds.
Bedford was 24 of 34 at the line to Libbey's 6 of 10.
The game was marked by radical changes in momentum.
With the score tied at 18, Melton hit two free throws and then stole the ball and went the distance for the layup. After Wilson hit his third 3-pointer without a miss, Melton added two more foul shots and Wilson scored on a drive through traffic to complete an 11-0 run.
Mays hit a rebound follow — Libbey's only basket of the final 4:20 of the half — before Melton closed the half with a 3-pointer for a 32-20 lead.
Over the final 4:20, the Cowboys were 1 for 7 from the field with four turnovers. Over the same span, the Bearcats — to be more specific, Melton and Wilson — hit four field goals in eight attempts and had two turnovers.
TOLEDO LIBBEY (25-1) — March 8-17 2-2 18, Jackson 0-2 0-0 0, Palmer 3-11 0-2 6, Mays 5-13 1-2 13, Fobbs 6-18 0-0 15, Allison 0-0 0-0 0, Patterson 3-7 2-2 8, Robinson 0-0 1-2 1, Hooker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-69 6-10 61.
BEDFORD (21-5) — Birch 3-10 2-3 8, Washington 0-0 0-2 0, Curry 2-5 5-6 9, Melton 3-13 9-10 17, Wilson 9-14 6-9 27, Rias 2-7 2-3 6, Bradley 0-1 0-0 0, Ingram 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 19-50 24-34 67.
Toledo Libbey 12 8 22 19—61
Bedford 11 21 9 26—67
3-point goals—Toledo Libbey 5-19 (Fobbs 3-11, Mays 2-5, March 0-1, Palmer 0-2), Bedford 5-13 (Wilson 3-4, Melton 2-5, Bradley 0-1, Birch 0-3). Fouled out—None. Rebounds—Toledo Libbey 37 (Palmer 10), Bedford 37 (Birch 9). Assists—Toledo Libbey 12 (Mays 3), Bedford 6 (Washington 3). Total fouls—Toledo Libbey 21, Bedford 11. A—14,035.
Friday story: Larkin's leadership carries St. X
Thursday story: Versatile Cornette leads St. X
Wednesday story: Coach, dad lead St. X to state
Saturday story: Sollman leads regional victory
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