That new wrinkle Sagemont boys’ basketball coach Adam Ross saved for his first matchup against District 14-3A rival Coral Springs Christian on Tuesday turned out to be star 6-5 swingman Egor Koulechov doing his best Mariano Rivera impression in the fourth quarter.

Ross gave Koulechov point-guard duty with the game still hanging in the balance, and Koulechov responded by closing a 72-58 home victory with 12 of his 23 points.

“Egor has the ability to create things off the dribble out in the open floor, which frankly we don’t have otherwise,” Ross said. “He finds guys in transition. We put Egor in a position to be successful, and he made it happen. He did a great job [Tuesday night].”

Coral Springs Christian rising 6-6 power forward Nura Zanna held up his end with 28 points and 12 rebounds, but overall the Crusaders (16-3) never matched the defensive intensity and offensive precision that has vaulted them to a school-best No. 3 ranking in the FABC/Source Hoops Class 3A poll.

Jamie Anderson, arguably the most underrated guard in Broward, was the only other bright spot for the Crusaders with 12 points and six assists. The Crusaders held a 33-32 halftime lead but couldn’t sustain the advantage on a night they missed 10 of 16 free-throw attempts and 11 of 13 shots from three-point range.

“They kept giving us open shot, and we didn’t make them,” Crusaders coach Steve Fitzgerald said. “We kept missing them and couldn’t dig ourselves out of a hole. Koulechov is a tough matchup, but we have done a pretty good job on those types of players recently. We just did a poor job guarding people [Tuesday night].”

No. 9-ranked Sagemont (14-6, 5-0) used a 17-5 run at the start of the third quarter to take the lead for good. Jordan Cooper, who carried the Lions early with eight of his 15 points in the first quarter, converted a three-point play. Koulechov, who had 11 rebounds, had back-to-back layups, and Joe Kirby (15 points) converted a runner to push the lead to 49-38 with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

“I didn’t have a good first half, but in the fourth quarter I got things rolling again,” Koulechov said. “It was by design I handled the ball more. I am able to bring the ball up, take it to the hole or find my teammates. Balanced scoring is what makes us different than Coral Springs Christian. That is what is going to make us win the state title.”

• CSC (16-3): Anderson 12, Durbin 8, Bell 3, O’Sullivan 4, Zanna 28, Talent 3. SAG (14-6 ): Coby 6, Kirby 15, Rohlfs 7, Cooper 15, Koulechov 23, Kende 6. Half: CSC 33-32. Three-pointers: Rohlfs 1, Kirby, Koulechov 1, Durbin 1, Bell 1. Rebounds: Zanna 12, Koulechov 11, Cooper 7. Assists: Anderson 6, DeLucia 6.

More BOYS’ BASKETBALL

• Deerfield beach 70, Coral Springs 30: DB (17-2): Carpenter 10, Simpson 7, Jenkins 8, Heeter 2, Owens 12, Johnson 25, Jean-Pierre 6. CS: Gordon 2, Irving 5, Trotman 3, Joseph 2, Mcnorin 8, Cashmin 6, Charles 4. Halftime: DB 33-16. Rebounds: Jenkins 13. Assists: Carpenter 4. Steals: Johnson 4.

• Western 54, Everglades 50 (OT): WES: Alvarez 6, Katz 15, Artza 12, James 11, Consuegra 4, Lewis 2, Hughes 4. EVER: Perez 12, Eite 9, Roach 4, Mitchell, Anderson 12, Herrera 6, Bue 6. Halftime: EVER 20-18. Rebounds: Alvarez 8. Assists: James 6. Steals: Consuegra 3.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

•  Sagemont 57, Coral Springs Christian 54: SAG (9-12): Black 6, Smith 5, Andrade 4, Fieg 5, Pierre 10, Turko 3, Correa 18, Marshall 2, Cole 4. CSCHR (7-9): Bell 11, White 8, Williams 15, Muscillo 10. Halftime SAG 31-30. Rebounds: Correa 10. Assists: Andrade 4. Steals: Black 4.

•  Cardinal Gibbons 62, Pine Crest School 45: CG (13-4): Marcellus 18, D. Williams 18, Robinson 16, Lanzon 5, Pollock 4, Blanshine 1. PC: Johnson 18, Julia 12, Brody 7, Emily 4, Nicole 4. Halftime: PC 32-30. Rebounds: Marcellus 6. Assists: Marcellus 5. Steals: D. Williams 5.

BOYS’ SOCCER

•  Gulliver 11, Chaminade 0: Luis Diego 3 goals, Diego Vicentini goal, assist. Alessandro Mion goal, assist. GUL 16-1-2.

• Highlands 2, Calvary Christian 1: Stephen Winklaar and Kyle Audet had one goal each. Vini De Lima 5 saves.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

• Archbishop McCarthy 8, Mourning 0: Britney Williams 3 goals. Aubri Williamson, Samantha Gestido, Michaela Garcia, Alexa Rivera, Alina Avalos had one goal each. AM 18-5-1.

• St. Thomas 8, Plantation 0: Sarah Guensler 3 goals. Sara Perlman goal, assist. Jessica Hoyt goal, 2 assists. Kaitzy Tighe, Nicole Poirier, Alyssa DeArmas had one goal each. Megan Sweeney 15 shutout. STA 18-1-1.

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Stranahan vs. Coconut Creek (C. Creek), 7:30

Piper vs. Coral Springs (Home), 7:30

Hallandale vs. Mourning (Mourning), 7:30

Blanche Ely vs. Northeast (NE), 7:30

Cooper City vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (STA), 7:30

Nova vs. South Broward (South Broward), 7:30

Douglas vs. Taravella (Taravella), 7:30

Sunset vs. Academy (Academy), 7:30

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Hallandale vs. Mourning (Mourning), 6

Stranahan vs. Coconut Creek (Coconut Creek), 6

Piper vs. Coral Springs (Home), 6

Blanche Ely vs. Northeast (Northeast), 6

Cooper City vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (St. Thomas Aquinas), 6

Nova vs. South Broward (South Broward), 6

Douglas vs. Taravella (Taravella), 6

BOYS’ SOCCER

Plantation vs. Dillard (Dillard), 5

American Heritage vs. Wellington (Wellington), 6

GIRLS’ SOCCER

District 11-5A semifinals at Deerfield Beach: Coral Glades vs. Monarch-Coral Springs winner, 5; Douglas vs. Taravella-Deerfield Beach winner, 7

District 13-5A semifinals at Cypress Bay: Everglades vs. Cypress Bay, 5; Cooper City vs. West Broward, 7

District 14-5A semifinals at Blanche Ely: Hollywood Hills vs. Fort Lauderdale, 5; McArthur vs. South Broward, 7

District 16-3A semifinals at American Heritage: American Heritage-Stranahan winner vs. Pompano Beach-Key West winner, 5; Archbishop McCarthy-Mourning winner vs. Pines Charter-Hallandale winner, 7

District 13-2A semifinals at North Broward Prep: Coral Springs Charter-St. Andrews winner vs. Calvary Christian-North Broward Prep winner, 5; Pine Crest-Pope John Paul winner vs. American Heritage Delray, 7

District 14-2A semifinals at Cardinal Gibbons: Monsignor Pace-Somerset winner vs. Chaminade-Madonna, 5; University-Mater Lakes winner vs. Cardinal Gibbons, 7

District 14-1A semifinals at Westminster Academy: South Florida HEAT vs. Westminster-Posnack winner, 5; Sagemont vs. Coral Springs Christian-Sheridan Hills winner, 7

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Fort Lauderdale vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Home), 7:30

St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Coral Glades , 7:30

Everglades vs. Cypress Bay (Home), 7:30

West Broward vs. Flanagan (Home), 7:30

Taravella vs. Hollywood Hills (HH), 7:30

Plantation vs. McArthur (McArthur), 7:30

Western vs. Miramar (Miramar), 7:30

Boyd Anderson vs. Monarch (Monarch), 7:30

American Heritage vs. Pompano Beach (Pompano Beach), 7:30

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Fort Lauderdale vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Cardinal Gibbons), 6

St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Coral Glades , 6

Everglades vs. Cypress Bay (Home), 6

West Broward vs. Flanagan (Flanagan), 6

Taravella vs. Hollywood Hills (Home), 6

Plantation vs. McArthur (McArthur), 6

Western vs. Miramar (Miramar), 6

Boyd Anderson vs. Monarch (Monarch), 6

Coconut Creek vs. Pembroke Pines Charter (Pembroke Pines Charter), 6

Pompano Beach vs. American Heritage (AH), 6

BOYS’ SOCCER

Highlands Christian vs. Kings Academy (Kings Academy), 4

Coral Springs Charter vs. Westminster Academy (Home), 7

Sheridan Hills Christian vs. Palmer Trinity (PT), 4

Stranahan vs. Blanche Ely (Ely), 5

Archbishop McCarthy vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Home), 5

Nova vs. Cooper City (CC), 5

Coconut Creek vs. Coral Glades (CG), 4

Douglas vs. Cypress Bay (CS), 5

Northeast vs. Everglades (Everglades), 5

Western vs. Flanagan (Home), 5

Monarch vs. Fort Lauderdale (Home), 4

Taravella vs. McArthur (McArthur), 5

South Plantation vs. Miramar (Miramar), 5

Hollywood Hills vs. Pembroke Pines Charter (Pembroke Pines Charter), 4

Deerfield Beach vs. Pompano Beach (Pompano Beach), 5

Hallandale vs. South Broward (South Broward), 5

Piper vs. West Broward (West Broward), 4

GIRLS’ SOCCER

District 12-5A championship at St. Thomas Aquinas: 6

District 13-5A championship at Cypress Bay: 7

District 16-3A championship at American Heritage: 7

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Hollywood Hills vs. Nova (NOVA), 7:30

Stranahan vs. Piper (Home), 7:30

Douglas vs. South Plantation (South Plantation), 7:30

Fort Lauderdale vs. Western (Western), 7:30

Wellington vs. Highlands Christian , 7:30

Westminster Academy vs. Coral Springs Christian , 7

American Heritage vs. Westminster Christian (WCS), 7:30

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Stranahan vs. Piper (Home), 6

Douglas at South Plantation, 6

West Broward vs. Western (Western), 6

Westminster Academy vs. Coral Springs Christian , 5:30