The Edison Eagles came into Thursday’s senior-night game knowing a victory over Yorktown would give them the regular-season National District crown and the top seed going into next week’s district tournament. However, on this occasion, it would be easier said than done, as the Patriots came back from a 10-point halftime deficit to take the lead late. In one of the best finishes of the year thus far, the lead changed hands four times in the final minute, and Tyron Mackall’s athletic finish with less than ten seconds remaining gave the Eagles the lead for good. Mackall led all scorers with 22 points, dropping 16 in the second half of the 57-54 victory.
The Eagles had beaten Yorktown 56-28 on the road in January, and early on it looked as if a similar score was on the way. Jerome Diggs and Yahia Mohamud, riding the high of being honored for senior night, came out firing, each hitting a quick shots. The Eagles also established an effective high-low post game between Mackall and Matt Murphy, who also both picked up a couple quick buckets.
Defensively, the length of their post players in the 2-3 zone, as well as the active hands and athleticism of their guards, not only thwarted a potent Patriot attack, but led to instant offense. The Eagles concluded a nearly flawless opening quarter ahead 20-6.
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“We started strong,” head coach Terry Henderson reflected. “We were able to get a lot of long rebounds get out in transition for easy baskets.”
The second quarter would not go as smoothly. The Eagles were able to get the ball inside at will, but the turn-arounds and put-backs that were going down early on just wouldn’t fall. On the other end of the court, it seemed like Yorktown couldn’t miss, as the Patriots hit five from downtown to pull to within 10 going into the break.
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Edison’s offensive struggles continued in the third quarter, but Mackall was able to put his team on his back, scoring eight of their 13 points in the quarter. Diggs and Mohamud, who were so explosive in the opening minutes, went scoreless in the second half, as Yorktown continued to chip away at the Edison lead.
“The guards couldn’t really get it going,” Mackall explained. “So when I got the ball I was looking to get us some buckets down low.”
Mackall continued to pour it on in the fourth. He relentlessly attacked the glass, scored on post moves, and even took a steal the length of the court for the layup and the foul. But still, the Patriots came roaring back, and a huge three from Kevin Bailey gave the Patriots a one-point lead with 45 seconds remaining.
The Eagles then began scrambling to get off an open look, and when senior Khalil Jabbie caught the ball on the wing, he nailed a clutch three.Yorktown raced the ball down the court, and as soon as Patriot guard Nicko Esherick got some daylight, he nailed a deep ball of his own.
Henderson elected not to use the timeout and trust the ball in the hands of his senior guards. Diggs lobbed the ball to Mackall in the post, who went straight to the rack for the go-ahead bucket. Jabbie then picked off the inbounds and Mackall scored another basket at the buzzer for good measure, as the student section raced onto the court to celebrate the thrilling victory.
“It feels good to win the district,” Mackall said afterward. “It was a goal we set in mid-November, and we’ve gotten it done step by step.”
“This was a good test for us,” Henderson added. “I think it will get us back on track and refocused to make a long run in the playoffs.”
The Eagles will begin that run on Monday night when they host last place Stuart at 7:30.
