Brian Wells scores 26 points as the Cougars crush Edward Little.
By Randy Whitehouse
Staff Writer

AUBURN – It must have seemed quite familiar to Edward Little coach Mike Adams.

Adams dominated the paint for Jim Bessey and Mt. Blue on his way to the state’s Mr. Basketball award in 1990. Coaching against Bessey and the Cougars Friday night, Adams may have had a few flashbacks as he watched Mt. Blue dominate his Red Eddies in the paint on both ends of the floor on its way to a 69-48 route.

The Cougars (7-1) pounded the ball inside to Brian Wells (26 points, eight rebounds) and Ted Neil (16 points, six boards) all night. Led by the 6-foot-4 Wells and 6-5 Neil again at the defensive end, they smothered the Eddies’ own inside game, blocking three shots and altering countless others.

Mt. Blue focused on shutting down EL’s main low-post threat, Kenny Poulin, and did just that. Averaging 25 points per game going into last night, Poulin managed just 12. Ryan Ford led the Eddies (2-5) with 14.

“We focused on (Poulin) and Ford,” Wells said. “We knew they had a good inside game so we focused on pinching them inside and helping out.”

“I think we had three different people guard him, and when they crossed (the lane) we switched, so Garrett Lake guards him and (6-4) Jon Gaither guarded him and Brian Wells and Ted Neil guarded him,” Bessey said. “The plan was to try to get to the second half and let Brian guard him if we needed, because he is such an excellent defensive player. He’s not bad on offense, either.”

Wells dominated the third quarter, pouring in 12 points, as the Cougars broke open an eight-point game with a 14-1 run.

“I didn’t realize how strong he was,” Adams said. “He was just carving out space wherever he wanted to down there.”

EL shot just 17 percent from the floor in the first half. The Cougars’ aggressive defense sent the Eddies to the line a lot (nine-for-16), which helped keep EL in the game as they trailed by 14 at the half.

“We just could never get a look. We could never get into our offense,” Adams said. “They’re just so strong defensively and move well and get into the right position.”

Adams was frustrated his team managed just six defensive rebounds all night.

“Either that means they shot 90 percent from the floor or they got 50 offensive rebounds,” Adams said.

Mt. Blue actually shot a very sound 55 percent from the floor and collected 13 offensive rebounds to EL’s 10. The Eddies shot the ball much better in the second half (52 percent) and got as close as 33-25 on a Jamie White putback. But Wells responded with three straight hoops to build the deficit back up to 14.

The Eddies never got any closer, due in large part to the Mt. Blue bench, which got strong performances from guards Steve Wells (eight points, 11 assists) and Brian Simpson (seven points, four steals).

“That’s been very consistent. Our bench comes in and plays well,” Bessey said. “I think we played 10 people in the first half, and we’ve got nice chemistry. Everybody played well together.”