BMS survives a nail biter over Juniata Christian

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: December 22, 2021

Photo by Bob Hockenbrock
BELLEVILLE – The fourth quarter which could only be described as the wild west and where any one moment could change the outcome of the game and ultimately it went to the Belleville Mennonite Thunder defeating the Juniata Christian Lions in the slimmest of margins 38-37.
The Lions were up 31-23 going into the last quarter of the game when the offense started to struggle. They would struggle throughout the period with getting their shots to fall.
Belleville Mennonite would take advantage of this opportunity and slowly worked their way back and cut away the Juniata Christian lead. The Thunder’s made weapon of choice for getting points on the board during the fourth quarter was getting to the foul line and made their free throws. Belleville Mennonite made seven out of eleven attempts from the line.
With the score at 32-32 with a little under two minutes remaining in the game, Evan Crosson came up to the line. Prior to this attempt, Crosson had not made a single free throw. But when Belleville Mennonite needed him most, Crosson came up big and nailed both shots to make it 34-32. Not long after Bryson Peachey was put on the foul line and was able to make both of his free throws to extend the Belleville Mennonite lead to 36-32.
However, Juniata Christian wasn’t going to go down without a fight as the Lions hustled their way down the court and found an open Kenny Hoover who knocked down a big time three pointer to make it a 36-35 ball game.
As the game was coming to a close, Chris Stoltzfus of Belleville Mennonite was fouled and went to line. But then after Stoltzfus had made his first free throw attempt, head coach Chase Peachey had called a timeout. Just one problem, the Thunder had no more timeouts and coach Peachey was given a tech. Stoltzfus then connected with his second shot. But then Trevor Brubaker went to line for the tech foul on coach Peachey and made both shot attempts to make it a 38-37 Thunder lead.
With 5.3 seconds remaining, Juniata Christian had possession of the ball and tried to get the ball to the other side of the court. But the pass was intercepted by Stoltzfus to seal the deal.
Stoltzfus led the Thunder with a game high 19 points. Kenny Hoover led the Lions with nine points.
Belleville Mennonite is now (1-2) and will play on Monday at the Halifax Christmas Tournament.
Juniata Christian will not play again until January 5th as they will travel to face Susquenita.