LANGLEY, British Columbia — St. Edward's men's basketball opened the season with a three-game sweep of the DII Canadian Classic Tip-Off, defeating No. 18-ranked Central Washington 68–47 with a second straight suffocating defensive performance.

The Pacific Northwest is known for its lush forests and towering trees, and Central Washington fit the description — anchored by 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward Chae Haynes, 6-foot-9 Garrett Marrs, and 7-foot-2 reserve Calvin Sisk.

JAMISON KAY set the tone defensively — quick enough to take away Haynes' angles, strong enough not to give back ground, and long and disciplined enough to force tough shots over the top. But he was only the starting point.

Reserves SAM MCKINNEY (six points, six defensive rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal) and Luka Barei were just as crucial, pushing Central's bigs out to the elbows or wings to receive the ball, while CONOR MCMANUS (three steals) and MASON COURTNEY pressured the entry passer. Off the ball, St. Edward's McKinney and Barei alternated length and athleticism to contest shots, with one forward staying home for body position while the other met attempts at the rim — a balance that also paid off in gang rebounding.

When Central Washington broke through, St. Edward's rotated on a string — one defender stepping up to protect the rim while another sprinted to cut off the interior pass, helping the helper.

No one executed that better than freshman point guard RYDER BRADLEY, who was sturdy on the ball and a menace off it. He dug down from the nail to poke away dribble drives and blitzed baseline post entries to startle Haynes into a turnover. Whenever a Wildcat did gain deep position, the Hilltoppers made sure he played in a crowd.

Off the bench, ROBERT CONRAD and McKinney injected instant energy. Backup point guards can range from steady caretakers to change-of-pace sparks, but through three games, the 5-foot-11 Conrad plays as if he has a rocket strapped to his back and springs to his shoes, entering the game and immediately driving for a layup and pinning a layup attempt on a backdoor pass off the glass. Conrad's signature play from the tournament was picking opponents' pockets at midcourt, turning defense into instant offense.

St. Edward's forced Central Washington into more turnovers (10) than made field goals (8) in the first half, limiting the Wildcats to 26.7% shooting.

BLAKE NIELSEN led the way early with 11 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in the first half. The graduate point forward thrives along the baseline, spinning in either direction with the precision and balance of a tightrope walker. He's also the mismatch that organizes St. Edward's chaos — taking bigs off the dribble or posting forwards and guards.

The Hilltoppers shot 45.9% (17-for-37) in the first half, assisting on nine baskets with only two turnovers to take a 42–19 lead into the break.
Central Washington's shooting struggles persisted after halftime (8-for-31, 25.8%), though the Wildcats attacked the paint more persistently, earning and hitting all 10 of their free throws. St. Edward's weathered its own offensive lulls behind Bradley (seven points, 3-for-7 shooting), Kay (six points, 3-for-5), and a pair of McManus 3-pointers that stretched the lead to as much as 28 with 11 minutes remaining.

Bradley finished with a team-high 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Nielsen added 14 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. The duo showcased the versatility of one of St. Edward's favorite actions — feeding Nielsen at the elbow, then flowing into a backdoor cut, a dribble handoff for a driving lane, or a DHO into a pull-up three.

McManus added 11 points, Kay finished with eight and five rebounds, and the bench trio of Conrad, McKinney, and DONOVAN SANTORO combined for 17 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.

St. Edward's outscored Central Washington 42–16 in the paint and 15–10 on second-chance points.

The Hilltoppers return home for a pair of exhibition games during Homecoming Week — hosting former head coach Ryan Marks and the University of St. Francis (Ill.) on Thursday, followed by a Saturday Homecoming game against Huston-Tillotson that will feature a special recognition of Marks' 2005–06 Heartland Championship team.