By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

After each team lost in its second round game at the St. Charles WOW tournament on Friday, Reserve Christian was able to take third place honors in the tournament by defeating St. Charles on Saturday, 63-45.

The Comets lost in the second round on Friday to E.D. White, 46-31. The Eagles fell to St. Thomas Aquinas, who won the tournament final on Saturday.

Eddren McCain led RCS (17-5) over St. Charles (7-8) with 12 points. Chris Roussell and Matt Cali each scored 10.

DeMarcus Bernard led St. Charles with 15 points. Vincent Rollo added 12. Shedrick Usand-Burton scored 10.

Reserve Christian coach Timmy Byrd felt his team was sluggish not only in its loss to STA, but throughout the entire tournament. He attributed it to a young team needing to learn how to win on the road.

“This is the first time that we’ve encountered this problem. We’re usually a good road team,” Byrd said. “Getting up to play at home is easy, but you have to learn how to get up and go to work on the road. It’s not happening as quickly as I’d like.”

The Eagles did get off to a good start against St. Charles on Saturday, establishing an 11-point lead at halftime, 38-27. In the third quarter, RCS outscored SCC 11-5 to create a 17-point advantage that it would not relinquish.

“I think our guys did everything they could,” said St. Charles coach Jonathan Hernandez. “They’re so long and athletic, we couldn’t stay with them. We didn’t take care of the ball, and they blew it open.”

E.D. White opened up an early lead in similar fashion in the second round. It led 26-9 at halftime, and took the air out of the ball in the second half to protect the lead.

“They had a good plan. They were very well prepared,” said Hernandez. “They did a great job taking care of the basketball. Once they got that lead, they were able to hold the ball and keep it away from us. We never could get back into it.”