LAWRENCEVILLE — Flash Burton didn’t wake up thinking he was going to make a game-winning shot in Rider’s upset win over Saint Peter’s. In fact, the sophomore guard didn’t even think he was going to hit one as he was pushing the ball up the floor in the final seconds. It wasn’t until he g lanced to his left and saw a defender leaning out toward teammate Zion Cruz that he decided to pull up in transition from behind the 3-point arc. As far as split-second decisions go, it was the right one to let it fly. “It’s a little cake and ice cream for right now,” Burton said, before adding, “we still got to finish out the year.” Even though wins have been few and far between for the Broncs (3-18, 2-10) — they are in last place in the 13-team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and need an unlikely reversal of fortunes to even make the top 10 and qualify for the league tournament in Atlantic City — Burton is quietly putting together a strong season. A product of the Philadelphia Catholic League’s Cardinal O’Hara, the 6-3 guard is averaging 16.8 points and 4.2 assists in 35 minutes per game over 12 MAAC contests. Those numbers are good enough to rank him sixth, fifth and eighth, respectively, in the league. Over the last 10 games, he has scored at least 15 points in nine of them and is averaging 18.1 points and 4.5 assists. That includes a career-high 27 points against Fairfield and career-best 11 assists against Manhattan. “We’ve had conversations about what it takes to be a point guard for us in this program,” coach Kevin Baggett said. “We’ve had some really good ones and he’s trending in that direction.” One of the biggest changes between his freshman and sophomore campaigns is where he appears on the scouting report. Going from the fourth or fifth name to the top one means teams are game-planning to stop you. “Early on, it was just learning the position,” Baggett said. “Understanding that you were on the top of the scouting report every game and adjusting to that, adjusting to how teams are going to guard you.” The victory over Saint Peter’s, which ranks second in the league in scoring defense, is a good example of that. Burton scored four points in the first half as he felt his way into the game and then turned in a spectacular second half in which he scored 21 of his 25 points. Burton is a decent a mid-range shooter — he makes 44.3% of his two-point shots — and Baggett put him in the mid-post against zone so that he could turn and face and make plays from a spot he’s most comfortable. “They were aggressive with me so I had to use my teammates a little bit more,” Burton said. “We got a couple high-lows and the first half was more of a team and then second half I had to see if they changed anything.” While his winning shot was the most memorable, it was the baskets he made to keep Rider attached and in the game that were just as valuable. “He’s arguably one of the best guards in this league,” Baggett said. “I know we’re not having the year we would like to have, but that doesn’t negate the fact that he is one of the best guards in the league and that he’s with us.” ...read more read less