For three quarters, Bethel looked prime for a big win on senior night. Unfortunately for Bees fans, a span of five minutes cost them a chance to send the two seniors out in style.
Brookville used a 14-point run to start the fourth quarter to take the lead, and cruise to a 47-39 win over the Bees in a non-conference girls’ basketball game last Thursday night at Bethel High School.
It was a game that saw Bethel never trail in the third quarter, but never lead in the fourth.
“We hit a dry spell again, and we tend to do that,” Bethel coach Mark Mays said. “It’s not because we don’t practice that, but sometimes we get flat and tonight, it was the wrong time to get flat. They hit a couple of big three’s off of that and got the lead on us.”
Brookville opened the game with a three from Jordann Gudorf and later took a 5-2 lead before the Bees put together a run to take the lead. More to the point, Alaina Hawthorn put a run together.
The 6-foot sophomore, who led all scorers with 20 points, scored the next seven points in a one minute span to give the Bees a 9-5 lead with 2:43 left in the opening period.
Brookville came back to tie the game at 11 after the first quarter and lead for more of the second period.
Becky Schweiterman and Hawthorn scored all six points in the second period for Bethel as they trailed by one at the half. Bethel then came out strong to open the third to actually take a 27-20 lead with 1:15 left in the third. Senior Courtney Schmidt was a key factor for the Bees with six points during the stretch, as the Bees outscored Brookville 10-2.
But in a 40 second span, Brookville came storming back to tie the game at 27, then in the early fourth, Brookville reeled off 14 straight to start the quarter, and in all it was a 21-2 run that turned the game around and gave the Blue Devils the win.
“We were trying to do some things and they capitalized on them,” Mays said.
In addition to 20 from Hawthorn, Schweiterman added 11 for the Bees. Gudorf led Brookville with 15.
*Schmidt and Tia Koewler were honored for senior night, and Mays knows they have done a lot for the program.
“Tia is an inspiration and adds so much to the team,” Mays said. “She is spark to help you out when you are done. Courtney is a quiet leader, and does all the things we need from her.”
Bethel plays in the sectional tournament tonight at Tipp City High School, 6 p.m. against the Preble Shawnee/Miami East winner.
“We didn’t get a lot of looks in the first half, and didn’t get to the line,” Mays said. “We couldn’t get the ball into the middle and they did a nice job packing it in.”
