Late run propels Edinburgh to season-opening win over Southwestern

EDINBURGH -- With five minutes left to go in the season opener, Southwestern boys basketball head coach Chris Ingels saw his team holding a 35-33 lead and his returning leading scorer was still searching for a point.

Senior Ben Kahler (18.7 ppg last season) was getting all of Edinburgh’s attention, but he remained patient despite struggling to score.

Avery Dennison followed his 3-point attempt and converted a rebound into two points for the two-point lead with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. That would be Southwestern’s final field goal.

The Lancers responded with a 10-0 run that ultimately decided the game.

Lucas Seegers scored nine of his game-high 16 points in that fourth-quarter run to produce a 45-37 victory.

Without Kahler’s offensive production, the Spartans struggled in the second half, shooting just 21% from the field.

“Edinburgh had a really good game plan where they just didn’t guard one or two of our guys and ran them at Ben every time he touched the ball,” said Ingels, in his third season as head coach at Southwestern. “We did some smart things there at times to make them pay but not enough of them I guess. We have to try and figure that out a little bit because I am sure other teams will do it. We have to make it pay for them.”

The visiting Spartans got off to a slow start in the first quarter but kept it close with Cecil Newton draining a 3-pointer from the corner to cut the Edinburgh lead to 11-10.

Jace Patterson, a Franklin transfer making his first start for Southwestern, scored seven points in the second quarter to help the Spartans build a 24-22 lead. Kahler missed five shots in the first half but contributed six rebounds and two assists.

“Ben was really smart most of the game and trying to find the open guys and making the right reads and the passes,” said Ingels. “We are going to have to get him in situations where he can still score too.”

Edinburgh opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run that forced Ingels to call timeout. In the final minute of the quarter, Dennison splashed a 3 and Michael Clements scored to cut the lead to 33-30.

Mitchell Clements hit a 3 to open the fourth quarter scoring and Dennison chased his missed 3 to score and suddenly the Spartans had their first lead since halftime.

Seegers, a six-foot, four-inch senior, hit a top-of-the-key 3 to start the final run. Bailey Totten, who finished with 11 points and three assists, drove to the rim and scored before Seegers scored the next four points and the Lancers pulled away.

Avynn Whitaker finished with eight points and nine rebounds for Edinburgh. Rylee Londeree had five points and nine rebounds.

Patterson led Southwestern with 11 points. Dennison finished with nine. Mitchell Clements had eight points, three rebounds and two blocks.

Kahler finished with two points, on a pair of free throws in the game’s final 30 seconds, eight rebounds and four assists.

Edinburgh won the junior varsity game, 50-47. Xavier Suns-Ross and Samson Parkhurst each scored 12 points to lead the Lancers.

Landon Drake scored a game-high 14 points for Southwestern. James Oliver had nine points.

Southwestern has its home opener Saturday against Tri.

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