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1/29/06

BOYS BASKETBALL

Aerni lobs, Roe slams, Eagles win

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Eddie Dwyer

Plain Dealer Reporter

St. Edward's Delvon Roe and Jeff Aerni said it is a play they repeat over and over -- before practice, after practice and, as Aerni said, even in gym class.

"Yeah, we practice it, and it almost never works," said a smiling Roe. "Maybe one in a million."

Make that two.

Roe, getting a solid back-screen pick from senior guard Reid Anderson, caught a picture-perfect lob pass from Aerni and slammed home two points with six seconds remaining, helping the Eagles to a dramatic, 74-71 overtime victory over Villa Angela-St. Joseph Saturday night in front of a standing-room-only crowd at VASJ's Viking Village.

St. Edward, which ran the final 2:49 down to 12 seconds before setting up the telling play, improved to 11-4. The Eagles, who also got a free throw from Aerni with 1.9 seconds left, entered the game ranked sixth in The Plain Dealer's Top 25 poll.

VASJ, which got a 44-point performance from Ohio State recruit David Lighty, slipped to 9-4. The Vikings are ranked fifth in the area.

"Reid set a nice pick on Lighty, and I knew there was no way Delvon wasn't going to catch it," said Aerni, a 6-0 senior who was one of five Eagles to finish in double figures. "Two months ago, we wouldn't have won this game. But we have really come together."

St. Edward needed every bit of its balanced scoring to offset Lighty's effort as the 6-5 senior came up just five points shy of tying his single-game career record. Scoring on an assortment of strong drives and tough perimeter shots, he led the Vikings to a nine-point lead in the third quarter.

He scored 22 points in each half.

St. Edward, with the 6-8 Roe playing with four fouls down the stretch, and displaying the savvy one doesn't associate with a sophomore, battled back.

With Roe, Aerni, Anderson, junior forward Kyle Hubbard and junior guard Nne Lewis leading the way, the Eagles led, 68-66, after Roe scored on a move down the lane with 1:17 to go in regulation. Roe's basket followed a five-point run by Lighty, including a 3-pointer that tied the score at 66 with 2:36 left in the fourth quarter.

After two free throws by Vikings senior guard Erich Leden forced overtime, Lighty tied the game at 71 by splitting one of two free throws. St. Edward had taken a 71-70 lead on a 3-pointer by Lewis, one of 11 by the Eagles.

"Just something about that play told me it was going to work tonight," said St. Edward coach Eric Flannery. "We work on end-of-game, end-of-quarter situations, and that is one of them. It needed to be a perfect pass, and it was."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

edwyer@plaind.com, 216-999-5169

Delvon Roe of St. Ed's makes the winning basket against Villa Angela-St. Joseph in overtime, at VASJ, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006. St. Ed's won in overtime, 74-71.





Jeff Aerni (5) of St. Ed's can't get to the ball as David Lighty of Villa Angela-St. Joseph, rear, watches during the third quarter, at VASJ, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006. St. Ed's won in overtime, 74-71.





Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School center Maurice Haynes, center, is hemmed in by St. Ed's defenders Kyle Hubbard (15), right, and Delvon Roe, left, during the second quarter, at VASJ, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006. St. Ed's won in overtime, 74-71.





Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School guard David Lighty (35) drives to the basket as St. Ed defender Kyle Hubbard (15) blocks, during the first quarter, at VASJ, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006. St. Ed's won in overtime, 74-71.