Bethel runner up 3 9The Bethel Bees season ends with a 60-35 loss to Cincinnati Purcell Marian Cavaliers in the OHSAA Southwest District Division III Finals Wednesday evening at the University of Dayton Arena.

The Bees head coach Brett Kopp speaks on his team’s overall performance and the Cavaliers.

“That’s a great basketball team and they are so relentless at what they do. Our kids fought so hard. I get that they’re crying, they played so hard and they got here. They got to UD Arena!”

In the first quarter, Bees Sophomore Caleb South got the game started with a three-pointer and they go a 5-0 run early in the first.

Later, the Cavaliers scored six straight only to battle back and forth with the Bees.

The Cavs ended up outscoring the Bees and are up 13-8 at the end of one.

 The Bees opened up the second quarter with some great defense only allowing the Cavaliers to score nine points in the quarter.

Not to mention, the Cavaliers started out in early foul trouble, sending Caleb South to the free throw line multiple time.

South had the hot hand and scored eight of the Bees 13 points in the quarter, only to outscore the Cavaliers 13 to nine in the quarter.

Caleb South finished the half with 13 points.

Ian Anderson dropped seven in support.

Now ahead in the game, the Bees were up 24-22 after two quarters.

 With everything seemed to go well for the Bees, the second half to a complete left turn.

As time passed in the third quarter, the Cavaliers lead began to increase as the Bees didn’t have answer.

Coach Kopp explained why his team suffered in the second half.

“They were extremely physical. We started out in a 1-2-2 zone and I think that threw them off a little bit. They went inside and my big guy got in foul trouble.”

With no backup plan, the Bees began to slip away in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers took a commanding 45-31 lead at the end of the fourth quarter.

Fouls and miscues on offense and defense hurt the Bees chances of making a comeback in the fourth quarter.

The Bees were only able to score four points in the quarter and 11 total in the second half.

As the Cavaliers lead grew the game became out of reach as they go on to beat the Bees 60-35 and win.

Caleb South finishes with a game-high 20 points and Ian Anderson finished with eight points.

Bethel Bees finished as the Division III runner-ups as Purcell Marian finishes as champions and moves on to regionals.

After the game Bees guard Caleb South reflects on his team’s season.

“Our goal in the summer was to make a district final and that was really cool because we had a first year coach and he always pushed us to the limit in practice every day. That was our goal coming in and it was cool seeing us achieve it.”

The Bethel Bees finished the season with a Cross Country Conference fourth place record of 8-4 and an overall record of 15-7.

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First Group 2x2
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