For the first time since their last trip to a Juniata Valley League opponent\’s home court, the Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils found their offensive stride. Ben Hatch led all scorers with 18 points as the Blue Devils blew out West Branch 56-32.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak in which the Blue Devils\’ offense had been stagnant. The Blue Devils\’ last win came at Williamsburg, and they seem to be more comfortable playing on the road than at home this season.
The Warriors of West Branch defended their home court well in the first quarter, holding Bellwood-Antis to only seven points. Chris McCartney made a layup late in the quarter to trigger a 6-0 West Branch run that gave them an 11-7 advantage heading into the second quarter.
“I don\’t think our shot selection was real good, and I think there were a couple shots that we should have finished, but we didn\’t. Despite not shooting the ball great we were still in the game, and I think just as shooting and missing is contagious, shooting well is too,” Bellwood-Antis Head Coach Tim Keech said.
Keech\’s point was proven in the second quarter as the Blue Devils exploded with a 20-2 run featuring eight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers, from Paul Christner.
The run put Bellwood-Antis ahead 27-13, and West Branch never got back into the game.
Hatch scored 10 of his 18 points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer to begin the second half that gave the Blue Devils a 16-point advantage.
“Defensively, once Ben learned that Chris Dotts (West Branch\’s point guard) had a crossover and took that away from him, I think that stymied their offense, and on offense, Ben played a solid game; I don\’t think he played like a sophomore. He took advantage of shots and drives that were there and didn\’t force shots, and that\’s what we want him to do,” Keech said.
Meanwhile, Bellwood-Antis was pulling even farther away from the Warriors by playing smothering defense that limited West Branch to five points in the second quarter and four points in the third.
“I think our defense is getting better. We forced them into some shots, and we reacted well to their kids, and what they could do,” Keech added.
Facing a 27-point deficit heading into the final quarter, Dotts and the Warriors refused to give in. Katlyn Reitz made a 3-pointer in between two Dotts 3-pointers to send the Warriors on a 9-0 run that took less than two minutes, but Bellwood-Antis responded.
L.J. Seidel knocked down two free throws, something the Blue Devils struggled with for the second straight game shooting only 9-19, and Hatch got a steal and went coast-to-coast for an easy layup. Alan Wertz finished the 6-0 spurt with the last two of his 11 points to put West Branch away.
“I thought about calling timeout there, and I thought this young team is going to need to learn how to play through some spurts like this from other teams, and I think they showed me something tonight,” Keech said.
The win gives the Blue Devils a good start to their stretch in which they play six games in 11 days, but Keech believes to be successful over the stretch, the team must show better focus at the free throw line.
“We have got to concentrate on putting that ball in, because we have five games in the next 10 days, and there could be some games that come down to free throw shooting, and shooting 9-19, we aren\’t going to win too many,” Keech said.
Bellwood-Antis will host Penns Valley Thursday. The junior varsity game begins at 6 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Alan Wertz and Justin Miller both scored 12 points in Bellwood-Antis\’ 44-24 victory in the junior varsity game. Katlyn Reitz scored eight points, including two 3-pointers, in a losing effort for the Warriors. Bellwood-Antis held West Branch scoreless in the third quarter.
Bellwood-Antis 56 West Branch 32
BELLWOOD-ANTIS – Hatch 6 4-6 18, Winterstein 2 0-0 4, Christner 3 0-2 8, Seidel 2 2-4 6, Wertz 5 1-1 11, Elvey 1 0-0 2, Miller 1 1-2 4, McCrum 0 1-4 1, Boone 0 0-0 0, Hostler 0 0-0 0, Cook 1 0-0 2, Dunn 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 21 9-19 56.
WEST BRANCH – Dotts 5 0-0 13, Wilkinson 1 0-0 2, Bloom 3 0-0 6, Luzier 1 1-2 3, McCartney 1 0-2 2, Reitz 2 0-0 6, Crowell 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 13 1-4 32.
Score by Quarters
Bellwood-Antis 7 22 18 9 – 56
West Branch 11 5 4 12 – 32
Three-point goals: Bellwood-Antis 5 (Hatch 2, Christner 2, Miller). West Branch 5 (Dotts 3, Reitz 2).
Bellwood-Antis 44 West Branch 24 (Junior Varsity)
BELLWOOD-ANTIS – Elvey 4 0-0 9, Dunn 2 0-0 4, McCrum 1 0-0 2, Hostler 1 0-0 2, Wertz 6 0-0 12, Miller 6 0-0 12, Cook 1 0-0 3. TOTALS 21 0-0 44.
WEST BRANCH – Reitz 3 0-0 8, Lidgett 3 1-1 7, Ferguson 1 0-2 2, McCartney 1 0-0 2, Bloom 1 0-0 2, Zimmerman 1 0-0 3, Crowell 0 0-0 0, Bisko 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 10 1-3 24.
Score by Quarters
Bellwood-Antis 18 8 8 10 – 44
West Branch 8 0 6 10 – 24
Three-point goals: Bellwood-Antis 2 (Elvey, Cook).
West Branch 3 (Reitz 2, Zimmerman 1).
