Boys Basketball: Oddo, Kozan Combine for 36 as Providence Downs Lincoln-Way East

The Hot Read: Lincoln-Way East, after falling in a cavernous early hole, made its run against Providence in the third quarter with pressure defense as its primary imprint.
 Jelani Yancy tied the game at 33-all with 2:17 remaining in the third quarter.
 It would ultimately be the lone tie in the Celtics’ 55-51 victory in non-conference action Tuesday night in Frankfort.
 In a 57-second span, Providence had an eight-point unanswered blitz behind a Mike Maretti inside score and back-to-back three-pointers from Kevin Kozan and Blaise Houston.
 Brian Oddo, who tied the Griffins’ Michael Thompson for game-scoring honors with 19 points, restored the Celtics’ double-digit cushion on the ensuing possession.
 The lead, which stretched to 14 points in the opening half when the Celtics trebled the Griffins at 21-7, would never be relinquished by the Celtics.

Patch MVP: Providence guard Kevin Kozan (17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists). The sophomore was perfect (4-for-4) from beyond the three-point arc in scoring 17 points while leading both teams in rebounds.

Key Stats: Providence drained seven of its first 12 three-point attempts in storming out to a 14-point second-quarter lead that was shaved to 10 (30-20) at the break. The Celtics forced 13 Griffins’ turnovers in the opening half, and its deadly perimeter game also enabled post Mike Maretti to score 10 points and grab five rebounds. Lincoln-Way East outscored Providence 26-12 over an extended stretch, using pressure defense as its equalizer to the Celtics’ downtown wizardry.

Providence’s Leaders: Brian Oddo (19 points), Kevin Kozan (17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists) and Mike Maretti (10 points, 5 rebounds, blocked shot).

Lincoln-Way East’s Leaders: Michael Thompson (19 points, 2 rebounds), Jelani Yancy (15 points, 2 rebounds) and Joel Magrum (7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocked shots).

Team Records: Providence 11-16; Lincoln-Way East 13-10.

Quotable: Providence coach Tim Trendel on the Celtics’ improved play: “Our mantra for the last week and a half has been one possession at a time. You have to learn how to win. Two weeks ago, (if our opponent) tied the game 33-33 (as L-W East did Tuesday night) we would have folded and lost the game.”

L-W East coach Rich Kolimas on the Celtics’ 10-0 run in little over a minute after forging the only tie of the contest: “That was the game. We climb all the way back (from a 14-point deficit). We turn them over. Then we have a brain freeze. We started gambling on defense.”

Up Next: Providence will travel to St. Laurence in Catholic League action on Friday night; L-W East hosts Sandburg in Southwest Suburban Blue action on Friday night.