Bald Eagles battles to the end but falls late to Seals

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: January 4, 2020

By Kenny Varner

WINGATE – For three-and-half quarters, it was quite a dogfight between Selinsgrove and it’s host the Bald Eagle Area boys basketball team as the Eagles found itself within a 48-44 contest against the Seals.

However, Selinsgrove made the most of its shots late, taking home the 57-44 Friday in prime time action.

“We just can’t catch a break. They also shot the ball well too. We weren’t rotating in our zone. I don’t know it was the time off with the holidays. You only get one or two practices. We were sloppy tonight,” said Bald Eagle coach Bill Butterworth. “We played hardball and we kept in it. We just can’t find a way to win. It’s been the story of the season. We get down the stretch and we find a way to lose it.Its all good we will get this figured out. There are still a lot of games left.

Bald Eagle had a very consistent scoring crew, led by Jaden Jones’ 12-points.

Teammates Nick Maynard and Cole Parsons both finished in double-figures with 11.

Selinsgrove were led by Brett Foar and Ivan DeJesus who finished with a 15-point and 13-point effort, respectively.

Teammate Ryan Reich just missed a double-digit effort, posting nine.

Starting the fourth quarter, trailing by only one, the Bald Eagle boys basketball team.

Bald Eagle entered the third quarter, trailing 28-22.

But it wouldn’t be long before the Eagles would match back and pull the game to within a single point.

Luke Wilson, thanks to an assist by Jones, got the ball and put up the inside bucket, making it 28-24.

But the Seals responded with a triple by Foar, extending the lead once again.

On the following Eagle possession, Bald Eagle went inside to big man Maynard. Maynard, who also tallied 14 rebounds, posted up and went up for the inside bucket.

Selinsgrove was refusing to let any kind of Eagle comeback as they returned the favor, hitting an inside bucket by Ryan Reich, making it a 9-point Seals lead with just over six and a half minutes left in the period.

But Maynard got the call minutes later and he was tough inside.

After getting a defensive rebound, Bald Eagle set up its offense and went to the hot hand in Maynard.

This time he was fouled and went to the charity stripe where he made 1-of-2, closing it to 33-27 contest.

But a triple by Ben Heim put the visitors back up to nine with 4:34 still left in the quarter.

Back to the inside game, Maynard was dished the ball and it was reduced to a 7-point contest.

After holding the Seals on the following possession, the Eagles went outside and to sharpshooter Cole Parsons who netted a triple to take a small chunk of the Selinsgrove lead at 36-32.

Beiler halted the small scoring run with a steal and a bucket in transition, upping the lead to six.

But Parsons was just warming up, hitting two more triples in the run, ending the third quarter for his team to just a one-point deficit at 39-38.

However, Selinsgrove started to heat up in the fourth as they hit three triples and outscored Bald Eagle 18-6 en route to the victory.

In the opening period, Jones scored all six of his teams points while Selinsgrove also posted six as well.

In a high scoring second period, the Seals came alive taking the advantage of its 22-14 scoring run, going into the intermission leading 28-20.

Bald Eagle is back at home against Penns Valley.

In JV action, Selinsgrove took a 46-31 victory over the Eagles.

Selinsgrove 57, Bald Eagle Area 44

SEL 6 22 11 18 – 57

BEA 6 14 18 6 – 44

Scoring: Selinsgrove- Brett Foar 4 4-6 15, Ben Heim 1 0-0 3, Ben Beiler 1 0-0 2, Ethan Harris 2 0-0 4, Isaiah Ulrich 2 0-1 7, Ryan Reich 3 2-4 9, Jarron Clark 1 0-4 2, Ivan DeJesus 4 2-2 13, Spencer George 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 8-17 57. Bald Eagle Area – Jaden Jones 5 0-1 12, Nathan Hoover 1 0-2 3, Luke Wilson 1 3-4 5, Nick Maynard 4 3-5 11, Cole Parsons 4 0-0 11, Hayden Vaughn 1 0-0 2 Totals 17 6-12 44.

Played but didn’t score: Selinsgrove – Evan Holce 0 0-0 0, Dylan DeFazio 0 0-0 0, Randy Richter 0 0-0 0. Bald Eagle Area – Alex Gavlock 0 0-0 0, Eathan Koleno 0 0-0 0, Ayden Jodon 0 0-2 0.

3-point shots: Selinsgrove – Foar 3, Heim, Ulrich 2, Reich. Bald Eagle Area – Jones 2, Hoover, Parsons 3.

JV score – Selinsgrove 46, Bald Eagle 31.