It took awhile for Dunbar's Derrell Edwards to get comfortable with the Comcast Center surroundings in Friday's Class 1A state semifinal against scrappy Allegany.
Once the senior guard did get cozy -- mostly behind the 3-point line -- there was no looking for the No. 8 Poets.
After scoring his first basket with 2:50 to play in the first half, Edwards went on a 3-point bonanza -- tying a state tournament with seven treys and finishing with 33 points -- to send the Poets to Saturday's state championship game with a 67-56 win over the previously undefeated Campers.
Dunbar improves to 18-5 on the season. The Poets hope to capture their 12th state championship. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Comcast Center.
"As a player, a shooter, you just know when you're on," said Edwards, whose averages a team-high 19 points. "Starting out in the first quarter, it was like adapting to things -- the court and the surroundings. I had to adapt, get through a few missed shots and a couple turnovers. I had to overcome the adversity and started doing it for my team."
Edwards took over a game that was still up for grabs midway through the third quarter after the Campers (23-1) tied the game at 35 on a follow basket from senior Dustin Wharton with 3:06 to play.
The Poets went on a 12-0 run, with Edwards hitting consecutive 3s and then converting a three-point play for a 47-35 advantage with 37 seconds left in the quarter.
After Allegany, who got a team-high 28 points from senior forward Casey Roberts, cut the lead to 47-43 early in the fourth quarter, Edwards hit three straight 3s for the Poets and went on to score 16 points in the quarter to pull them through.
Said Allegany coach Tedd Elrich: "All the scouting we had on him, we knew he was a good shooter. But we never saw him do the things he did today. We had guys in his face and he was still burying 3s. He was definitely the difference."
For third-year coach and Dunbar alum Cyrus Jones, it was particularly special getting to Saturday's title game largely because of who he is going with. In addition to Edwards, the Poets have eight more seniors on the roster with point guard Corey Spence, Roderick Camphor, Nathan Ayers, Darian Scott, Jalen Jennings and Joshua Alaeze all making contributions in the semifinal win.
"It's definitely big for the school, but more than anything, my seniors," Jones said. "They basically were with me when I first came back to Dunbar as the head coach and we've been talking about this since Day 1."