The best thing that happened last night for the Black Knights of Moshannon Valley was that the Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils missed eighteen three-point shots. Otherwise it would have been an even longer ride home for the Black Knights as Bellwood came out on top 57–35.
“When we played the first time up at Moshannon Valley we only won by four points,” Bellwood Junior playmaker Ben Hatch was quick to point out. “We did not have our football players for more than a few days then, but we had them back tonight,” Hatch said.
The Blue Devils took advantage of another night with a big height advantage. Several times in the opening frame Ben Hatch and Blaze Winterstein were able to lob the ball in to Alan Wertz for easy buckets.
Give credit to Moshannon Valley, they stayed close by being able to handle the pressure press brought by the Blue Devils. Many times resulting in easy, uncontested lay-ups. One reason that the Black knights were able to shoot eighty percent from the floor for the first period to only trail the Blue Devils 13–8 after one quarter.
Bellwood-Antis went on a 10-point run to start the second quarter and just kept the pressure on from their as they ran out to a 23–10 lead at the 6:56 mark.
Both teams would trade four baskets each the remainder of the second quarter. Bellwood-Antis would go to the lockeroom up 31–18.
“We are coming out with a great deal of confidence now,” said Ben Hatch during post-game comments. “Our defense is getting better. Coach (Matt) Stinson really works us hard on the defense,” continued Hatch.
The Blue Devils came out with confidence to start the second half by going on a six point run to really break it wide open. From there, the Blue devils put on a clinic as to how to pass the ball around the perimeter and hit the open shots. As the third quarter would come to an end Bellwood-Antis would be up 45–26
Coach Keech would sub freely from this point on as the Blue Devils would out score the Black Knights 12–9 in the fourth quarter to bring the final tally in at 57–35 for the home team.
“Our pressure defense is getting better and better,” said a very pleased Coach Keech. ”Coach Stinson is doing a great job with our defense and the kids are buying into it,” continued Keech.
“I think Ben Hatch is playing really well and making great decisions with the ball. We are not turning the ball over and I am very pleased with that,” said Coach Keech. “Right now, my big concern is our health. We sent Tyler Elvey home tonight with the flu and Anthony Jenkins has been battling the flu all week,” finished Keech.
Bellwood-Antis was able to win the battle of the boards twenty-four to eighteen, as the Blue Devils moved to 13–3 (11–1 Juniata Valley League. Moshannon Valley would slide to 6– 2 (6 -7 JVL)
Game notes: Ben Hatch led Bellwood-Antis with twelve points. Wertz checked in with eleven followed by Winterstein with ten. Tyler Neff led Moshannon Valley with eleven and Paul Holencik with ten. The Bellwood-Antis Junior Varsity team rode to a 43 – 25 win over Moshannon Valley. The J.V. team now moves to 7 – 6 on the year. Tyler Geis led Bellwood with twelve points. Bellwood-Antis plays Friday night as they travel to Orbisonia to take on Southern Huntingdon. The B-A student body had another good turn out.
Bellwood-Antis 57 Moshannon Valley 35
Moshannon Valley: Neff 2 6–8 11, Holencik 5 0–0 10, Gmerek 0 1–2 1, Dudurich 1 1–2 3, Fry 1 0–0 2, Henry 3 0–0 8 Totals: 12 8–14 35.
Bellwood-Antis: Christner 5 0–0 11, Winterstein 4 0–0 10, Hatch 4 0–0 12, Wertz 4 3–5 11, Miller 1 0-0 2, Hughes 3 0–0 6, Jenkins 1 0–0 2, Gray 1 0-0 3 Totals: 23 3–5 57.
Mo Valley 8 10 8 9 – 35
Bellwood-Antis 13 18 14 12 – 57
Three point shots: Moshannon Valley: 3 (Neff, Henry 2)
Bellwood-Antis: 8 (Christner, Winterstein 2, Hatch 4, Gray)
