Bellefonte boys charge back in second to defeat Bald Eagle in OT

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: February 5, 2020

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – After taking their first meeting at home against their rival Bellefonte, the Bald Eagle boys basketball team was looking to making it a season sweep as they battled the Red Raiders Tuesday night.

However, what they got was another hard fought battle that would see the two rivals add another exciting chapter to its long and storied history.

Throw in Bellefonte’s Ben McCartney’s quest for the 1,000-point mark, the game had all the makings of a prime tome thriller.

But in the end, the Red Raiders would protect their turf, toughening out a 48-39 overtime victory.

“They were playing short two players. Cudos to them. They had two guys playing hurt there and they made the best of the situation. We just couldn’t put them away,” said Bald Eagle coach Bill Butterworth. “We had our chances but that third dreaded quarter. I hate coming out of the lockeroom because we can’t score. We got good looks but for some reason it just wouldn’t go in. But the kids play hard. They do play hard.”

This one was not for the faint of heart as both teams took their turns at taking the contest but it would be the Red Raiders that would end up with the last momentum swing, outscoring the Eagles 9-0 in the extra period.

Bellefonte got double-digit scoring by McCartney with 11 as did Logan Bernier. Bernier ended up with a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards. Inside threat Isiah Nadolsky also finished with a double-double, posting a 10-point effort and 11 rebounds.

“We put ourselves in a spot early but I really feel like we had a lot of grit and a lot of resilience. We fought our way back. I was proud of a lot of things we did,” said Bellefonte coach Kris Glunt. “There are some things we would like to clean up. But I’m really proud of these guys. It took some real mental toughness to pull it off in overtime.

Bald Eagle also finished with three double digit scoring was Jaden Jones with 10 points, Nathan Hoover tallied 12 while Nick Maynard finished with a double-double posting 11-points and 11 rebounds.

In the fourth, the Eagles held a slim two point lead 26-24.

Hoover opened the scoring for Bald Eagle as he went right to the hoop.

But Bernier cut it back to a 2-point deficit with a soft leaner in the lane.

After forcing a Eagle turnover, Nadolsky tied the game at 28 with a shot in traffic on an offensive put back.

Hoover put his team back on top, hitting 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.

But Bernier would come right back and get fouled in the lane and hit 1-of-2 from the foul line.

They took back the lead as they took a missed shot from Bald Eagle and went into transition, as Trae Bauman laid it it on the fast break.

Bald Eagle would not give up the battle as it came back with a triple by Alex Gavlock, once again taking back the lead, 33-31.

But Bellefonte quickly got the ball back up the court and found Mason Grey open from beyond the arc.

With one flick of the wrist, Bellefonte was back up by one, with 3:25 to go in regulation.

On the Eagles’ next possession, Maynard got free underneath and laid it in, forcing Bellefonte to call time out.

But on Red Raiders next possession, Nadolsky went strong to the hoop and was hacked in the process, putting him to the foul line. He his 1-of-2, tying the game once again.

Maynard got free once again and once again he put his team ahead with an inside bucket.

Needing a boost of confidence, the Red Raiders got it from Blair Eckley-Jones who hit nothing but net on a triple of his own, 38-37.

On the following play down court, Bernier pulled down a clutch rebound.

He got the ball to Bauman. And Bauman hit 1-of-2, putting the home team up by two with 10.0.

However, Luke Wilson got behind the Bellefonte defense a laid it in, tying the game and sending it into overtime.

When the buzzer sounded to start the extra session, it was all the Red Raiders. The offense was spearheaded by five free throws by McCartney and two clutch jumpers from the lane by Bernier, clinching the victory.

Despite posting 11 points, McCartney still needs six points to reach the 1,000 -point mark after he went down early in the first as he left holding his shoulder. He would return to help spark the offense

Coming out of the intermission, the Eagles held an 18-14 lead.

Bald Eagle started out strong as it outscored Bellefonte in the first, 13-2.

But in the second, the Red Raiders shot themselves back in the game, outscoring the Eagles 12-5.

In the JV contest, Bellefonte topped Bald Eagle 38-19.

Bellefonte 48 , Bald Eagle Area 39 (OT)

BEA 13 5 8 13 0 -39

BEL 2 12 10 15 9 – 48

Scoring: Bald Eagle Area – Jaden Jones 4 0-0 10, Nathan Hoover 4 3-6 12, Luke Wilson 1 0-0 2, Nick Maynard 3 5-6 11, Alex Gavlock 1 0-0 3, Eathan Koleno 0 1-2 1. Totals 13 9-14 39. Bellefonte -Nicholas Way 1 0-0 3, Mason Grey 3 1-1 9, Trae Bauman 0 1-3 1, Isiah Nadolsky 3 4-5 10, Ben McCartney 2 5-6 11, Logan Bernier 5 0-1 11, Blair Eckley -Jones 1 0-0 3. Totals 15 11-16 48.

Played but didn’t score – Bald Eagle Area – None. Bellefonte – Shaun Carey 0 0-0 0.

3-point shots: Bald Eagle Area – Jones 2, Gavlock. Bellefonte – Way, Grey 2, McCartney 2, Eckley-Jones.

JV contest- Bellefonte 38, Bald Eagle Area 19