Game MPSSAA Class 1A Regionals of round Round 3

Edmondson-Westside continued its dominant season by claiming the Class 1A regional title over Forest Park, 66-38. No.1 Dantzler and No.10 Forster both chipped in with 20 points to give the Red Storm the offensive spark they needed. However, offense was not the only reason this game was one-sided, as Edmondson played a solid game from start to finish to walk away regional champs. Three-pointers, paint shots, and turnovers were the biggest factor to start off the game. Forest Park played a 2-3 zone that got stretched out and passed around by the Red Storm for wide-open threes and easy shots in the paint. This quarter was competitive thanks to Forest Park having a suffocating full-court press that caused numerous turnovers and fastbreak opportunities. However, when the Red Storm had the chance to set up in the half-court they showed their superiority, as a result, the first quarter ended 19-10 in Edmondson’s favor. The second quarter was dictated by the three-ball. While both teams had presses that gave the other issues, the game’s momentum was decided by the team that was able to capitalize on open threes. Edmondson showed repeatedly that the zone defense Forest Park played was no issue in the halfcourt, but in the fullcourt, they still coughed the ball up far too much. The Foresters still had a shot by the end of the half due to the open threes and fastbreak layups they were able to make, both teams headed to the locker room with the score being 33-21 in Edmondson’s favor. The third quarter was where things started to get out of hand for the Foresters. No.5 Kozze came out of the break and made two quick threes to shift momentum in their direction, but they were unable to capitalize on this hot start. The three-ball was not falling for the Red Storm this quarter, but they were able to get easy looks in the paint and forced turnovers that led to easy points. Forest Park floundered after the blistering start, only able to generate more offense by getting to the charity stripe, but the team was unable to convert time and time again, turning many possessions into wasted opportunities. The third would end with a scoreline of Edmondson 51, Forest Park 33. The fourth quarter was where the Red Storm turned this game into a rout. Forest Park’s offense turned frigid, as they would only score five more points in the rest of the game due to Edmondson’s 3-2 zone pestering the Foresters and forcing contested shots and turnovers. Edmondson was able to generate the same efficient offense and largely cruised through the fourth. By the four-minute mark, the starters had been benched and Red Storm fans started to celebrate their regional championship victory. With a 16-2 season record after this dominant victory, Edmondson players and coaches can celebrate their achievements now, and prepare for the state tournament reseeding.