Man-Child Mehmedovic leads Bayless to Quarterfinals

Bayless coach Pat Triplett wasn’t worried, and didn’t call a time-out, when his Bronchos were down by five near the end of the third quarter of Bayless’ Class 3 State Championship sectional game against Saxony Lutheran.

Triplett seemed to know that his team would come back, like they have all season, and the Bronchos did just that, downing Saxony Lutheran, 63-50, at Jefferson College in Hillsboro on Wednesday night.

“All of a sudden, the freshmen stepped up and hit the big 3s,” Triplett said. “When the game’s on the line, I have no qualms about going to either freshman.”

The freshmen are forward Edin (Dino) Mehmedovic, and Triplett’s son, Patrick. Triplett’s nickname for Mehmedovic, who poured in a game-high 29 points, is the "man-child."

“No one would ever believe he’s a 15-year-old freshman,” he said. “Along with my son (Patrick), those are the two biggest reasons we’re winning this year.”

The Bronchos’ next game is at 1 p.m. Saturday against Charleston at Poplar Bluff High School in the state quarterfinals.

“The man-child was just crazy,” Edin’s brother, senior Enis Mehmedovic, said. “We started with him, we finished with him.”

“They started off, all guards,” Enid said. “I might as well take advantage of it, and I did. I just started posting up. They gave me the ball, and I ended up with a good game.”

Enid said it doesn’t matter who they play next. “I think we could beat anybody we play. I’m not trying to be cocky, but I think we can.”

Saxony, in the end, couldn’t handle the double-trouble of the Bronchos’ outside shooting and post play.

“The difference in the game was we just couldn’t stop their inside guys,” Saxony coach Sam Sides said. “They’re just too big and strong for us to deal with. We tried, but we’re not built for it.”

Bayless started the game with Enid Mehmedovic making five inside baskets, and junior forward Aldin Kovagevic adding four points from the paint. Bayless led, 14-12, after one period.

Bayless maintained its lead in the second period, though toward the end of the first half, Saxony Lutheran junior guard Clayton Carver began to heat up. Carver began a streak of five 3-pointers that continued into the third quarter, putting Saxony ahead, 37-32. Carver ended with a team-high 17 points for the Crusaders.

Triplett kicked off the fourth period with two 3-pointers. The second one put Bayless ahead for good. Enis Mehmedovic then added his own basket from deep 2-point range. Triplett scored eight points on the night, along with Kovagevic. Enis Mehmedovic netted 13.

Bayless shot 8-for-8 from the line with a little more than one minute left to ice the contest.