ECS vs Harding

[Edmund]

Should be a great game tonight. ECS is playing very well lately with 20 point victories at MUS and at CBHS last week. Harding is better than they have played lately and needs the win for better seeding in the postseason. I would give ECS the edge in height and a slightly deeper bench. Harding has the edge in coaching and a better passing game. The real key to the game, I believe, is if Cottam establishes an inside presence. He was a non factor in the first meeting, and has to play large for ECS to win from here on out.

[mhalionboy03]

Harding came out focused and determined tonight, knocking off the ECS Eagles on their own Senior Night. With this result, ECS has secured the district championship, top seed in the Region Tournament, and a 1st round bye. Harding will finish second. I believe that Harding will begin the Region Tournament on Saturday at MUS at 7:30, but I don't know who they will play. Harding got ECS in foul trouble early, and were in the double bonus before the end of the 1st quarter. John Bradford did a good job attacking the basket and played tough defense, rendering ECS giant Brad Cottam ineffective. Trey Williams also put in a solid effort, but it was Adam Rodriguez that proved to be the dagger to the heart of the Eagles. He drained 3 after 3 after three, and then ran in on fast breaks and picked up fouls. For a game that didn't affect ECS's standings, they certainly were emotional, picking up 2 Technical fouls arguing with the refs and the game was stopped b/c the ECS wouldn't stop heckling the refs. Harding led by about 18 at halftime and won by about 15. Good win going into the Region Tournament over a good team.

GO LIONS!!!

[JAC6603]

I've heard that there is a possibility that Briarcrest could become the 2nd seed in the regional tourney with a win at CBHS tonight, which is never easy to come by...is this true at all LionBoy, you are pretty up to snuff on the district standings.

[Edmund]

I was also at the game and thought Harding played very well on offense and defense. They shot the ball extremely well, and on defense they forced ECS to shoot outside...not their strength. I think they were maybe 1 for 16 from three point range. Meeks got into early foul trouble, and never was a major factor in the game. It was emotional and intense, as it usually is when these two play. I hope they meet again in the tournament.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

Harding has had a lot of sucess winning at ECS over the last few years...I don't think either team really is dying to play each other again...but if so, I hope its for the region championship cus both of them will have secured sectional births.

[mhalionboy03]

Not that it happened anyway, but Briarcrest could not have finished 2nd in the district unless Briarcrest won AND Harding lost AND Briarcrest won the tiebraker (coin toss???). But Harding won and Briarcrest lost. So here's the final standings in West Large:

 

ECS (7-3) - 1st round bye at Region Tourney

Harding (6-4) - will begin Region play Sat. @ 7:30

MUS (5-5) - beat CBHS 2x

CBHS (5-5) - lost to MUS 2x

Briarcrest (4-6)

St. Benedict (3-7)

 

Lausanne and Bishop Byrne are the 1st and 2nd seeds from the small district, so Lausanne will get a 1st round bye.

 

The D2 West Region Tourney will begin with 1st Rounds on Saturday at MUS. Quarterfinals will be on Tuesday. Semifinals on Thursday. 3rd place game on Friday. Championship match on Saturday night. All games at MUS. Don't hold me to any of this stuff, Region meeting tomorrow to officially set brackets and times, etc. But it should be pretty close to this.

 

And BTW, my preliminary picks:

1st - Harding

2nd - MUS

3rd - Lausanne

note: I think Lausanne is the 2nd best team after Harding, but they are on the same side of the bracket.

 

GO LIONS!!!

[TheEgoHasLanded]

I had heard that either BCS or SBA or possibly both did not qualify for the region tournament.

[mhalionboy03]

That's possible. I didn't know they changed it from last year. We will know for sure tomorrow after the official brackets are set at the coach's meeting tomorrow morning.