The St. Edward Eagles became known for their double-digit comebacks during their run to the Division I state championship game. They did everything they could to make sure they'd need to do the same Saturday night against Newark.Unfortunately for the Eagles, Greg Avery had a different idea.Behind 19 first half points from their star forward, the Wildcats built a double digit lead and took a 33-25 lead into halftime in a game where St. Edward was unable to find little first half offense and senior center Tom Pritchard didn't even record an official field goal attempt until the 7:17 mark of the third quarter. The lone bright spot for the Eagles in the first half was senior guard Mike Hartnett who scored 10 points 4-of-6 shooting.Avery finished the game with 33 points and 11 rebounds and seemed to have an answer every time St. Edward got momentum.Examples: Tom Pritchard scores ...

There couldn't have been two points sweeter to Tom Pritchard. Battling frustration, jawing from anyone on the floor wearing blue and a raucous St. Xavier student section, Pritchard scored 26 points, the exclamation point a fast break dunk with 1:32 to play in the ballgame and a shout for Xavier's Walt Gibler upon landing. "I wanted to throw it down," said Pritchard, "get my team some energy to finish the game." Walt Gibler scored 24 points for St. Xavier, but it wasn't enough as the Eagles advance to play the winner of Toledo Whitmer vs. Newark in Saturday night's Division I state championship game following their 68-59 state semifinal victory. Pritchard and the Eagles turned a 35-25 first half deficit on its head in the third quarter thanks to a 13-0 run behind the play of Pritchard (14 rebounds) and Frankie Dobbs (16 points, 5 assists) in continuing their improbable tournament run. St. Ed ...

Take two teams like St. Edward and Elyria playing at the Wolstein Center, teams with determined big men, gritty guards and huge hearts that lead to both teams racking up as many floor burns as points. Make it in the Division I regionals with the sweet promise of a trip to the state tournament in Columbus, and you get a game to remember. Final score: St. Edward 70, Elyria 65. For Elyria, it was the Pioneers first trip to the regionals since 1977. In only his third year at the school, legendary coach Bob Walsh (643-301 career record) has squeezed every ounce of talent from a team that starts three guards no taller than 5-10 and no big man taller than 6-4. Begin with a guard named Demetrius Dalton, all 5-9 of him who scored 38 points. His motor was so high that he also had 10 rebounds. And six ...

 The OHSAA's re-shuffling of the Division I regional alignment has delivered a night Cleveland basketball fans have waited for: Cleveland teams playing at Cleveland State for the right to represent the city at next weekend's state tournament. Warren Harding is the lone party crasher. The Raiders of Trumbull County displayed loads of athleticism and talent in winning the loaded Warrensville Heights District in their first year there, and they enter the regional as the on-paper favorite to advance. But nothing is expected to come easy in either of Wednesday's games. Though Harding is 22-1 and won at Mentor in the regular season finale just over two weeks ago, Mentor played that game without two key players and is used to playing - and succeeding - at the up-tempo pace Harding prefers.The first game of the night features 19-4 St. Edward, still rolling along despite losing star forward Delvon Roe early ...