By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Nahziah Carter and Patrick Thomas led a balanced attack, and the Bishop Kearney Kings knocked off the Edison Tech Inventors, 82-68 in non-league action Wednesday.
Carter and Thomas combined for 17 second-quarter points as the Kings outscored Edison by 14 in the stanza. The win came two days after a disappointing 74-58 setback against Fairport.
“It felt great,” Carter said. “Especially coming after that loss.”
Trailing by two, Carter scored the first three points of the second stanza. His next basket, a tap in on the break, snapped a 23-23 tie and gave the Kings a lead they did not surrender. After scoring just just two points in the first quarter, Carter matched Thomas with a team-high 18 points.
“I just wanted to let my teammates get into it, so they could have more confidence later in the season,” the University of Dayton commit explained. “Let them get their points so they don’t feel like I’m just shooting every shot.”
Nahziah Carter feeds Patrick Thomas for the bucket. @BkSportss pic.twitter.com/t9YvBWMnDV
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 12, 2017
Coming off the bench, Thomas converted a pair of free throws. He went baseline on the next possession for a bucket and followed with a steal on the defensive end leading to another Kearney basket.
“He asked to come off the bench today,” said Kearney coach Kevin Goode Sr. “It’s nice to have a traditional starting lineup every single time. To me it doesn’t matter who starts. I just need people on the court giving it their all, and he gave us 150 percent today.”
Shykell Brown finished a layup on the break and nailed a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer to send Kearney into the locker room at halftime with a 43-31 advantage. The junior guard scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half.
“I just try to come out and be aggressive and set the tempo,” Brown stated. “Coaches told me to control the game, play my game. That’s what I just came out and did.
“It was a pretty good bounce back game for us. It feels pretty good. We needed that one after that loss we just had against Fairport.”
. @_ClutchCarter uses the crossover to get into space for the pull-jumper. pic.twitter.com/9QrF3uP1gx
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 12, 2017
The Kings returned from the locker room and picked up where they left off. Kevin Goode Jr. took an inside-out feed from Jamal Fennell and drained a triple. Kearney had its largest lead of the night at 62-45.
“After that loss, it hurts then,” Kevin Goode Sr. stated. “Next day we got to get over it. We’re only in the middle of the season. We’re not playing the type of basketball that we’re trying to play in February and March.”
Edison used a full-court press to take a lead in the first quarter. The Inventors forced three turnovers and held BK without a field goal for five possessions to take a one-point edge. Marique Simkin went end-to-end for a layup and followed with a scoop shot the next trip down the floor. The senior guard connected twice from the free throw-line. Felipe Carter drilled a trey off an inbound pass to cap nine straight and give Edison a 14-13 edge. The Inventors led 19-17 after the first eight minutes. Edison forced five turnovers in the first quarter.
But the press had its consequences. Simkin went to the bench midway through the second quarter with foul trouble, and the Kings took command from there.
“We turned it over a couple of times, so they thought they could press, but they did have to get out of it. after we kept breaking it,” Kevin Goode Sr. said. “We had mental lapses and people weren’t running to the right spot, but I almost want teams to press us, so we can show them that we can handle it.”
Tyke’r Harley finished with 13 points for Kearney. Sheldon Adams hit a pair of catch-and-shoot threes in the first quarter.
Patrick Thomas doing work with the rebound, putback and one. @BkSportss pic.twitter.com/jcPVnVg5G8
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 12, 2017
The Kings (8-3) took four charges in the game.
Felipe Carter scored 26 for Edison (6-3). Simkin had 23.
Edison plays NE Douglass Thursday at School 33. A 6:15 tipoff is scheduled.
Bishop Kearney plays at East High on Saturday. Another 6:15 start is slated.
Leave a Reply