Photo by Craig Coleman Cedric Kizzee Roberts (31) led the Eagles to at 27-10 win over WTB.

The slower game pace of the competition was apparent from the opening tip, with both teams taking time to get into game rhythm. Eagles scored the only 4 points of the first six minutes of the first half. Ray Laurel hit a 3-pointer to make the score 4-3 with 3:10 left.

Kizzee scored a layup after a Eagles collected the long rebound from a missed WTB jumper to make the halftime score 11-3.

The 3-pointer by Laurel was one of the few jump shots scored by the WTB the entire game. The outside shooting woes played into the strategy of Eagles coach Brian Robinson, who employed a 3-2 zone the entire game, cutting off the WTB route to the basket and forcing the jump shots. ìWe knew the key to their team is there big men,î Robinson said. Weíre packing it in until they start hitting the outside shot.î

WTB, to counter the tight zone play of Eagles, wanted to speed up the game, according to WTBís Gventer. ìWeíre gonna run a little more,î he told his time in a courtside huddle. ìIf I get the rebound, run down the wings.î

The poor outside shooting of WTB continued, and the Eagles took advantage with fast break opportunities. Gventer broke through the Eagles zone to score inside the paint to make the score 15-5 with 10:52 remaining.

Baskets by Eagles center Eduardo Roberts made the score 17-5 with 5:43 on the clock and forward Donald Nesmith made the score 21-5 with 3:59 remaining, effectively finishing off WTB.

The game hinged, as Eaglesí Robinson predicted, on controlling Gventer, who scored only four points, and forward Kevin Berry, who was shut out. ìContaining those two guys, that was the whole game. Kevin Berry and Gventer had to be stopped.î