You could feel the nerves among the home crowd when Forest Park began the third quarter with back-to-back three-point plays, which shortened Patriot’s lead to 33-28.
However, those nerves would quickly disappear as the Pioneers shut out the Bruins for the remainder of the quarter, and used an 11-0 run to help secure their second consecutive 6B Regional Championship, 68-48. Patriot head coach Sherman Rivers applauded his team’s efforts in the offseason to get to this point.
“It never gets old,” Coach Rivers said with a smile after celebrating with the team. “I’m very proud of our guys. We set goals for ourselves and this was another one of them that we were able to accomplish. They work really hard in the offseason. They put in the time, they dedicate themselves to getting better. We’re on the track in the summertime, early in the morning at 7am. We’re in the weight room, we’re in the gym. They work really hard, so credit to the guys and all the work that they put in during the offseason.”
The Pioneers were led by junior forward Isaiah Vick, who recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Vick, who received first team all-district honors, also credited the team’s success to its work ethic and chemistry.
“We do everything as a team and it shows on the court,” Vick said. “We’re a deep team. We practice hard against each other, and we all get better in practice.”
Patriot (25-3) was also led by junior guard Dezmond Hopkins, who had 19 points and five rebounds. The Bruins were led by sophomore center Brandon Edozie, who posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Pioneers got off to an early lead thanks to Hopkins, who sunk two three-pointers in the first quarter. But Edozie kept the game within reach for Forest Park (18-9), as he scored seven points in the first quarter, and Patriot led 11-10 heading into the second quarter.
Vick began to take over in the second quarter as he ignited his team with 12 points that helped the Pioneers enter the half with a 33-22 lead.
“Isaiah (Vick) set the tone for us,” Coach Rivers said. “We had some foul trouble early, but we got some good minutes from our subs. The starters came back in and they shut it down. Dezmond (Hopkins) also did a great job scoring today.”
Patriot dominated the third quarter as the Pioneers held Forest Park scoreless for six minutes and went on an 11-0 run, to enter the fourth quarter with a 44-28 lead.
“The way we play wears on people,” Coach Rivers said. “We got a lot of depth, we play 10 guys on a lot of nights and there’s not a lot of teams that can do that. We also did a better job of playing without fouling in the second half, so that stopped their momentum. When we start getting up and down the floor like that, it’s something special to see.”
The Pioneers began the fourth quarter on a 13-4 run to close out the game. Heading into the state tournament Coach Rivers knows his team is a contender, they just have to continue to stay disciplined and play their best basketball.
“We just gotta stay the course, maintain focus, and try to get it done,” Coach Rivers said.
–TJ Davis
@Ttown316