DOWAGIAC — The Edwardsburg boys basketball team knows that it is not how you start but how you finish.

The Eddies overcame an early nine-point deficit to beat Buchanan 45-35 in the Division 2 district championship game, its first district title since 2022.

“It’s kind of surreal,” said first-year Edwardsburg coach Jared Frick. “I’m sure it’ll hit me here pretty soon. It feels weird because we worked so long and then it’s just one moment but these kids deserve so much credit for everything they’ve done since October. This is such a great group; they deserve this, so I’m excited to be a part of it. Now we get to do it for at least a couple more days.”

The 18-7 Eddies will face 18-6 Marshall at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Regional semifinal play at Battle Creek Harper Creek.

Brody Schimpa led Edwardsburg with 18 points and Blaise Crist scored 12 points while Connor Solarek added seven. Karmine Brown finished with 17 points to lead Buchanan and Logan Wiggins added seven.

“No one expected us to be here. Our kids believed the whole time and showed up and played,” said Buchanan coach Reid McBeth. “[Edwardsburg’s] got a lot of good players and they battled back and hit some shots and we persevered with Karmine on the bench… This team, when you look out there, we’re not big but we battled the whole time and they never quit. They go hard and they’re gonna come at you and I just told them I can’t fault anything about that. Great attitudes, they love each other, show up to practice every day and they do what you wanted to do. As a coach, really, that’s all you can ask for. Nobody wants to walk out of a game as the loser on the school board, but these guys are fighters and they’re gonna do good things in life and I’m proud of everyone of them.”

Buchanan started strong out of the gate with a 13-4 lead after one quarter of play. But with Buchanan’s leading scorer Karmine Brown on the bench for the entirety of the second quarter with foul trouble, the Eddies were able to outscore the Bucks 8-0 in the quarter to trim the deficit to 13-12 at halftime. With Brown back in the lineup, Buchanan used an 8-0 run to take a 21-14 lead midway through the third quarter before the Eddies used their defense to fuel a 26-0 run to take a 40-21 lead into the middle of the fourth.

“That was insane,” Frick said. “We really thrive off our defense – it’s what helps us get out in transition and run – and they just finally sat down and took no for an answer. They played great defense and they deserve all the credit for that.”

A 14-3 Buchanan run trimmed the deficit to as few as seven points in the closing seconds but it was not enough. The Bucks finish the season with a 17-7 record.

While the loss stings, McBeth is proud of his team and appreciates his players’ effort this season.

“I think probably the reason that so many people doubt us is because when you look at us, we might not look like a team that’s going to come out there and beat you,” he said. “But I think the ability that we have is that we’re willing to work hard and there are teams that aren’t like that when things don’t go their way or they don’t get as many minutes as they want. These guys, you didn’t hear one complaint, ever. When you have a basketball team that buys in and knows what you want, you couldn’t ask for more as a coach. These guys did that and I appreciate every minute I was able to spend with them.”

For Frick and his team, winning a district championship in front of hundreds of fans means a great deal.

“My wife went to Edwardsburg and her family is from there, so to win it for not only the school but for the community and [my family], it’s just so special,” he said. “It’s just a blessing.”

DIVISION 2

EDWARDSBURG 45, BUCHANAN 35

At Dowagiac

BUCHANAN (35): Tyler Frame 2, Preston Payne 4, Liam McBeth 3, Karmine Brown 17, Jake Franklin 2, Logan Wiggins 7, Will Carson 0, Owen Thompson 0, Ari Johnson 0. Totals 14 4-6 35.

EDWARDSBURG (45): Joe Shively 2, Brody Schimpa 18, Conor Solarek 7, Blaise Crist 12, Michael Wright 0, Reed Gates 4, Matt Anders 2. Totals 18 8-12 45.

Buchanan 13 13 21 35

Edwardsburg 4 12 24 45

3-point baskets: Buchanan 3 (Brown 3), Edwardsburg 1 (Schimpa 1). Total fouls: Buchanan 12, Edwardsburg 10. Records: Edwardsburg 18-7, Buchanan 17-7

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