Bellefontaine’s Nolan Smith puts up a shot during Tuesday’s game at Jonathan Alder. (Examiner photo | Matt Hammond)
PLAIN CITY — Points always seem to come at a premium when Bellefontaine plays Jonathan Alder. That was again the case here Tuesday night.
The Chiefs made only six shots from the field and did not score more than six points in a quarter en route to a 43-16 loss to the Pioneers in a Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail division boys basketball game.
“One of the biggest things that hurt us offensively was their size inside,” said Bellefontaine head coach Henry Stolly. “We wanted to get the ball inside to (Hunter Warner), but they did a good job of altering our shots in there. When you can’t get your inside game going, it makes it hard to get an outside game going.”
Bellefontaine remains winless at 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the CBC. The Pioneers improve to 4-0, 3-0.
The Chiefs, who were playing without leading scorer Jarrid Baughman, fell in an 11-3 hole after one quarter and trailed 23-9 at halftime.
Bellefontaine was then outscored 20-7 in the second half. The Chiefs mustered just two field goals in the second half.
“When you are down a couple of guards like we were tonight, you have to have some other guys step up,” said Stolly. “I thought the hustle and spirit were good tonight, but we have to get some more scoring out of the rest of the group.”
Stolly said his team also needs to remain confident in the offensive system that has been put in place.
“We have to trust the process,” he said. “Our offense has some other options built into it, and we just have to be patient and work through the offense. I have seen some progress with it. We just have to keep working at it.”
Kam Smith led the Chiefs with seven points. Hunter Warner, Jaeden Campbell and Nolan Smith each had three points.
Jackson Izzard scored a game-high 15 points to lead the Pioneers.
In the junior varsity game Tuesday, the Chiefs fell 20-17. Declan Shannon led the Chiefs with 12 points.
Bellefontaine’s freshman squad lost 52-34. Kailyn Organ led the Chiefs with 12 points.
Bellefontaine travels to Urbana on Tuesday.
JONATHAN ALDER 43
BELLEFONTAINE 16
BELLEFONTAINE (0-6, 0-3)
K. Smith 3 1-2 7; Campbell 1 1-2 3; N. Smith 1 0-0 3; Warner 1 1-2 3. Totals: 6 3-6 16.
JONATHAN ALDER (4-0, 3-0)
Welsch 1 1-2 3; Brandel 1 0-0 2; Begin 1 0-0 2; Riedell 2 0-0 6; Izzard 5 1-2 15; Keith 0 2-2 2; Walker 2 0-0 4; Headings 1 0-0 2; Heinlich 1 2-2 4; Heiss 1 0-1 3. Totals: 15 6-9 43.
CHIEFS 3 6 3 4 — 16
PIONEERS 11 12 12 8 — 43
Three pointers: Bellefontaine 1 (N. Smith); Jonathan Alder 7 (Izzard 4, Riedell 2, Heiss). Team fouls: Bellefontaine 11; Jonathan Alder 8.