The Yellow Jackets Trailed Kentucky's No. 2-ranked Team By 11 Points Before Jed Bedford's Second-half Heroics.
KISSIMMEE - Leesburg's Jed Bedford stepped to the foul line with five seconds left on the clock
and breathed a sigh of relief. The Yellow Jackets had just upset
Georgetown (Ky.) Scott County in the first round of the Great Florida
Shootout 85-77.
``I was just thinking about going back to Leesburg to start celebrating,'' Bedford said. ``This is the biggest win for the seniors.''
Robert Pincus special to the SENTINEL
Orlando Sentinel
December 18, 1999
and breathed a sigh of relief. The Yellow Jackets had just upset
Georgetown (Ky.) Scott County in the first round of the Great Florida
Shootout 85-77.``I was just thinking about going back to Leesburg to start celebrating,'' Bedford said. ``This is the biggest win for the seniors.''
Bedford is the main reason Leesburg advanced to play the winner of today's battle between Duncanville, Texas, and Tucson Santa Rita, Ariz., on Monday at 4 p.m. at the Kissimmee Civic Center.
The 5-foot-10 senior guard took over the game late in the third quarter. The score was tied at 46 when Bedford swooshed two consecutive 3-pointers to give Leesburg a 52-46 lead.
``Coach [Pat Todd) tells me a lot of times I'm the key to the offense because I'm a senior,'' said Bedford, whose heroics helped Leesburg rally from an 11-point halftime deficit. ``I knew I had to make some big shots for us to get back in the game.''
As expected, Scott County - the No.2-ranked team in Kentucky - made a comeback. In a span of 37 seconds, Bedford made two foul shots and a driving layup to give the Yellow Jackets the lead each time.
The layup with 3:16 left in the game gave the Yellow Jackets a 71-70 lead they would not relinquish.
Leesburg forward Tyrell Rachel said when Bedford hit the two 3-pointers, he knew the game was going in Leesburg's favor.
``That just pumped it up,'' Rachel said. ``Jed's shots were big.''
Bedford finished with 18 points.
``When I step on the court, I figure no one can stop me,'' Bedford said. ``I knew they were in foul trouble, so I took it to the hole and knocked down some big shots.''
Bedford had two early fouls in the first half.
''In the first half, I was in foul trouble, but I had to step up,'' Bedford said. ``I was too aggressive when I got the fouls.''
Todd said Bedford ``scores in bunches.''
``He takes a lot of shots that are, `Oh no,' and `Oh yes,''' Todd said. ``But for all the mistakes, he plays with everything he's got. You have to give the kid credit.''
Leesburg (9-0) is No.1 in The Orlando Sentinel Super 6 and No.3 in Class 4A. Rachel and Jason Currington each scored 19 points and Marlyn Bryant had 14.
``This makes a statement,'' said Rachel. ``Some people thought this team would kill us. We came here and showed them Leesburg can play.''
Leesburg 85,
Georgetown (Ky.) Scott County 77
of today's battle between Duncanville, Texas, and Tucson Santa Rita, Ariz., on Monday at 4 p.m. at the Kissimmee Civic Center.The 5-foot-10 senior guard took over the game late in the third quarter. The score was tied at 46 when Bedford swooshed two consecutive 3-pointers to give Leesburg a 52-46 lead.
``Coach [Pat Todd) tells me a lot of times I'm the key to the offense because I'm a senior,'' said Bedford, whose heroics helped Leesburg rally from an 11-point halftime deficit. ``I knew I had to make some big shots for us to get back in the game.''
As expected, Scott County - the No.2-ranked team in Kentucky - made a comeback. In a span of 37 seconds, Bedford made two foul shots and a driving layup to give the Yellow Jackets
the lead each time.The layup with 3:16 left in the game gave the Yellow Jackets a 71-70 lead they would not relinquish.
Leesburg forward Tyrell Rachel said when Bedford hit the two 3-pointers, he knew the game was going in Leesburg's favor.
``That just pumped it up,'' Rachel said. ``Jed's shots were big.''
Bedford finished with 18 points.
``When I step on the court, I figure no one can stop me,'' Bedford said. ``I knew they were in foul trouble, so I took it to the hole and knocked down some big shots.''
Bedford had two early fouls in the first half.
''In the first half, I was in foul trouble, but I had to step up,'' Bedford said. ``I was too aggressive
when I got the fouls.''Todd said Bedford ``scores in bunches.''
``He takes a lot of shots that are, `Oh no,' and `Oh yes,''' Todd said. ``But for all the mistakes, he plays with everything he's got. You have to give the kid credit.''
Leesburg (9-0) is No.1 in The Orlando Sentinel Super 6 and No.3 in Class 4A. Rachel and Jason Currington each scored 19 points and Marlyn Bryant had 14.
``This makes a statement,'' said Rachel. ``Some people thought this team would kill us. We came here and showed them Leesburg can play.''
Leesburg 85,
Georgetown (Ky.) Scott County 77
Robert Pincus special to the SENTINEL
Orlando Sentinel
December 18, 1999
