By Mike Frank
Examiner Sports Writer
The last run was the best one.
Bellefontaine earned a 60-56 win over visiting Tecumseh in Central Buckeye Conference boys basketball action Friday night.
The momentum swung back and forth all night, but each time the Chieftains found themselves down, they put together scoring runs.
That included coming back from seven down in the third quarter, and trailing by five with about three minutes left.
The defense did its part, allowing just one score by Tecumseh in the final stretch and making a couple of key steals to seal it.
C.J. Butler hit six 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 23 points on the night for Bellefontaine. Jair Mundy had 15 and Jacob Salyer added 10.
Bellefontaine improves to 1-1 in league play and 2-2 overall.
“It was a game of runs,” said Bellefontaine coach Henry Stolly. “If you look at the whole game, especially in the second half. Our kids just kept fighting and I’m proud of our kids for that fight.”
“We had a nice lift off our bench. C.J. Butler hit some shots for us. Then a couple nice defensive possessions headed by Braylon Newcomb.”
For Tecumseh (1-2 CBC, 2-4 overall), they had three in double figures — Chase Stafford with 19, Austin Clark with 16, and Corey Russell with 10.
After trading scores to open the contest, Tecumseh used a three-score burst to go in front.
Bellefontaine heated up starting at the midway point of the first, getting four 3-pointers — two by Butler, and one each by Salyer and Mundy.
Tecumseh kept matters close, and Stafford drove the lane for a layup to tied the game at 18 after one.
Russell and Grayson Lotts scored for their squads to start the second, then Clark hit a shot for the lead.
After a missed free throw, Bellefontaine corralled the rebound and Butler banked in a shot from deep. Salyer followed with a baseline drive to make it 25-23.
Tecumseh controlled the rest of the first half, getting a deep 3 by Clark, free throws by Stafford and a bucket and foul shot by Clark. That last one came with just over a minute to go and would be the difference at the break, with the Arrows up 30-27.
The third period saw Tecumseh control the early going and build a 38-31 lead. Salyer started the rally with a score, followed by a layup and a corner 3 by Butler. Clark hit for the Arrows, but two from the line by Lotts made it 40-all with one frame left.
A slice through the lane by Newcomb, then a score off an inbounds by Mundy was answered by a score by Russell and a three by Brycen Dixon.
Butler and Dixon traded scores, then Newcomb made a nifty up-and-under move to tie it at 48.
Back to back scores from Stafford gave the Arrows a 53-48 advantage.
Butler answered the bell, hitting two from long distance just before and after the two-minute mark.
Stafford sank one from 3-point land, but it would prove to be their last hurrah.
Bellefontaine got a free throw with 1:08 to go, then forced the Arrows into a 5-second violation. Mundy scored off a nice pass from the outside to take the lead, 57-56, with just 38 seconds left.
Two steals then forced the Arrows to foul, and the Chieftains made three of four to wrap up the win.
“We had some fouls to give,” said Stolly. “So we told the kids you can be pretty aggressive on the ball. Just don’t foul the shooter. We were just able to get some hands in the passing lanes and a couple tipped balls and it worked out for us.”
In the JV game, Tecumseh won 43-32. Sutton Daring had 11 points. Reign St. Clair, Spencer Stolly and Josh Phillips had five each, Blake Loomis had four and Zylar Huffman added two.
The Arrows also won the freshman contest 43-37. Tiler Monnin had 12 points.
Bellefontaine is back in action on Monday when they will travel to West Liberty-Salem.
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In other boys basketball contests Friday:
Indian Lake gets road win
Indian Lake defeated host Northwestern 66-52 in a CBC matchup.
Avery Pequignot led the team with 20 points. Brodey Reisinger had 15 and Tyler Tidwell added 13.
Indian Lake led by three after the first, 19-16, then had a five-point edge in the second for a 32-24 lead at the break.
The third was high scoring on both ends with 24 for the Warriors and 23 for the Lakers. Indian Lake kept Northwestern in check with a three-point difference in the fourth.
Indian Lake took the JV contest 44-41. Skyler Haas had eight points.
The Lakers are now 2-0 in the league and 3-1 overall. They are back in action tonight at Jackson Center.
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Riverside falls to Miami East
Riverside lost to Miami East 78-47 in Three Rivers Conference action.
Jaxon Woods had 19 points and nine rebounds. Gavin Orsborne had 10 points. Brody Orsborne added eight points, along with three assists and three steals.
Miami East won the JV game 62-32. Grady Jenkins had 10 pints, Justin Mazariegos nine and David Gross and Camden Shoe seven each.
The Riverside freshmen lost 46-18.
Riverside (0-4 TRC, 2-5 overall) hosts Emmanuel Christian this evening at 7 p.m.
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Raiders lose to Shawnee
Benjamin Logan lost to Shawnee 52-27 in a CBC contest.
Maddox Vermillion had 10 points and Peyton Vermillion scored six for the Raiders.
Shawnee led 29-13 at the half. Ben Logan’s best quarter was the third with 12 points.
The junior varsity Raiders won 53-27. Dylan Tracey had 12 and Diesel Baughman had 11 points.
Ben Logan (0-3 CBC, 1-8 overall) is now idle until Jan. 3 when they will host Indian Lake.
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WL-S downs Triad
West Liberty-Salem collected a 61-18 win over Triad in Ohio Heritage Conference matchup at Triad.
For the Tigers, Taran Logwood had 19 and Brevin Louden scored 17 points. Caleb Hershberger added eight.
Triad got seven points by Brayden Hoffman, five by Caleb Jordan, along with a 3-pointer by Adler Perry, a basket by Caleb Thomas and a free throw from Holden LeVan.
The Tigers led 10-7 after the first, then outscored the Cardinals 19-3 in the second. WL-S put up 16 in the third and fourth periods, and held Triad to eight combined.
West Liberty-Salem won both of the JV contests. In the “A” game, they won 64-25. Josiah Johnson and Beckett Sullivan had 13 points. Tucker Searles had 10 and Sam Strapp got nine.
In the “B” contest, the Tigers won 42-21. Leaders for WL-S were Brayan Gullett with 10, Zeke Longshore with nine and Braden Hershberger with eight.
West Liberty-Salem (3-1 OHC, 3-1 overall) hosts Bellefontaine on Monday. Triad (0-5 OHC, 1-5 overall) is off until next Saturday, when they will host Newton.