Analysis: Perimeter Games Sparks Providence's Win over Lincoln-Way East

It was a defining stretch for Providence guard Brian Oddo on Tuesday night in Frankfort.

The junior guard went on an eight-point personal run to end the first quarter and begin the second as the Celtics burst out of the gates against Lincoln-Way East with 21 of the first 28 points in their .

As the final seconds of the first quarter wound down, Oddo slithered inside and laid in a perfect pass from backcourt mate Kevin Kozan.

He then opened the second quarter with back-to-back three-pointers to stretch the early spread to 21-7.

"I have been staying after practice a lot lately and working on my outside game," said Oddo, who finished with 19 points.

Kozan was equally effective on the perimeter against the Griffins, and the Celtics’ two guards eventually combined for 36 points in the game.

"We were real fired up before the game in the locker room," said Kozan, who converted all four of his three-point field goals. "We just lost a very tough game against Leo by three points. We really wanted to win this game."

In the end, the Celtics' double-digit lead was necessary as the Griffins unleashed Michael Thompson.

The seventh man for Providence, Thompson hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions after Oddo forged the largest lead of the game.

He enabled Lincoln-Way East to come within 30-20 at halftime, and he exploded for 10 more fourth-quarter points as the Griffins made one final assault on the Celtics' near-game-long lead.

"He kept us in the game," Griffins coach Rich Kolimas said of Thompson, who tied Oddo for game-scoring honors with 19 points. "Mike was the only one of our guys making any shots on the perimeter. He plays as many minutes as any of (the starters)."

Kolimas' point was another critical component of the game: the other Griffins missed all 11 of their three-point attempts.

The two Celtics, meanwhile, praised their teammates.

"It was because of my team that got me open," said Kozan, who finished with 17 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

"I thought we all maintained our composure and kept on playing," Oddo said of a critical 10-point run after L-W East forged the only tie of the game. "You can't stop playing because the other team makes a run."

"I thought they moved the ball very well," Kolimas said of Providence. "We had a hard time closing out on their shooters. They're a team that is coming on."