EDINBURGH — Edinburgh’s chance to win its own boys basketball tournament was derailed Monday evening when it suffered an 89-63 semifinal loss to Indianapolis Manual.
The Lancers (3-6) snapped a three-game losing skid with an 85-52 thumping of Medora in the first round of the eight-team tournament, but failed to carry that momentum over.
The tourney hosts can repeat a third-place finish with a win against Indianapolis Lutheran tonight. Manual faces Hagerstown in the championship.
Manual featured a starting lineup with an average height of 6-foot-3, including 6-10 senior Tristian Popa and 6-5 junior Cameron Sembley. That size advantage made a difference, but it was the Redskins’ long-range shooting that proved deadly early on.
Connecting on 6 of 10 from behind the arc, including a trio of bombs by senior Keyshawn Bess, Manual jumped in front 30-10 after the first period and never looked back.
Coach Drew Glentzer’s Lancers were forced to shoot a majority of their shots from the perimeter early and opened with back-to-back treys from senior Kyle Pendleton, who finished with a team-high 22 points. He had 24 points in Edinburgh’s earlier victory.
After Pendleton put his squad in front 6-5, the Redskins took over as they combined hot shooting, pressure defense and strong rebounding to put together a 22-0 run.
Bess burned the Lancers for 23 points on the night, while 6-4 post player Couvesier McCauley dominated inside play to finish with 24. He also ripped down 13 rebounds.
Edinburgh senior Bobby Simpson, who added 20 points against Medora, fueled a second-quarter rally after reeling off 10 straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, to help cut Manual’s lead to 40-26. Simpson finished with 14 points against the Redskins.
The Lancers continued their attempted rally into the third period and pulled to within 10 at 45-35 after Addison Lollar converted a fast-break layup.
Unfortunately for Edinburgh fans, the hosts ran out of steam and Manual came roaring back to outscore the Lancers 28-15 in the third period and head into the final quarter with a commanding 73-48 lead.
Lancer girls split games in Monrovia Tournament
MONROVIA — The Edinburgh girls basketball team salvaged a split at the Monrovia Tournament on Monday by winning the consolation game.
Behind Allie Schooler’s 19 points, Mariah Weddle’s 16 and 10 rebounds apiece from Weddle and Kayli Littiken, the Lancers defeated Bethesda Christian, 56-48.
Earlier in the day, Edinburgh staged a fourth-quarter rally against the host Bulldogs before falling in overtime, 46-42.
Schooler led the way with 12 points against Monrovia, with Weddle grabbing a game-high 17 boards.
