LONDON — It was another loss, but this one didn’t feel like the others for Bellefontaine’s boys basketball team here Friday night.
The Chiefs went toe-to-toe with London, a team it lost to by 28 points earlier this season, before the host Red Raiders pulled out a 44-42 victory in a Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail division game.
The score was tied with less than three minutes remaining and the Chiefs stayed within three with 10 seconds left.
“I could not be more proud of the guys,” said Bellefontaine head coach Jason Calton. “I hope the community and school is as well. The fan support was great tonight and that means a lot to us. Our guys came out and executed the game plan as well as possible.”
Bellefontaine remains winless at 0-17 overall and 0-8 in the CBC. London improves to 12-7, 6-2.
“This is a group that will not give up,” said Calton. “They don’t come to practice like a winless team. They come every day ready to work and they keep getting better. I am extremely proud of them.”
Bellefontaine, which normally prefers man-to-man defense, came out in a zone Friday and London struggled to get comfortable.
“We felt like we had to play that way to combat their size inside,” said Calton. “We wanted to keep them outside and hope that they didn’t get hot. The guys did a great job executing it.” London led by four points (11-7) after the first eight minutes.
Bellefontaine turned in perhaps its best quarter of basketball of the season in the second period, outscoring the hosts 12-4 to lead 19-15 at halftime.
London looked poised to take command early in the second half, starting the third quarter on a 7-0 burst to lead 22-19.
However, Bellefontaine wasn’t fazed. Maverick Calton responded with a three-pointer to start a 6-0 spurt that gave the Chiefs a three-point cushion (25-22) with 3:15 left in the third period. Bellefontaine went on to lead by two (29-27) entering the fourth quarter.
London quickly jumped in front by four (33-29) in the final stanza. But, again, Bellefontaine had an answer.
Calton knocked in another three and Hunter Warner scored inside to put the Chiefs up 34-33 with 5:05 remaining in the game. That would be the last time the Chiefs led, though.
London rattled off six straight points to lead 39-34 with 1:38 left.
Calton hit both ends of a 1-and-1 with 51.9 seconds remaining to pull Bellefontaine within three at 39-36. London stretched its lead back to five with 30 seconds left. Bellefontaine had one last gasp, with Carter Sterling burying a three- pointer with 10 seconds left to cut the Red Raiders’ lead to two.
London’s Trey Woodyard was fouled with 7.5 seconds left. He made the first free throw, missed the second but got his own rebound. He was fouled again and converted both of the ensuing foul shots to give the hosts a 44-39 advantage. Sterling made a three-pointer at the buzzer to round out the scoring.
“I thought we had a lot of guys step up and play with confidence tonight,” said Calton. “Our guys battled until the end.”
Sterling led the Chiefs with 12 points, Calton had 11, Warner scored nine and Jarrid Baughman added six. Woodyard led London with 13 points.
London won the junior varsity game 44-41. Jason Willoughby led the Chieftains with 14 points and Jaeden Campbell had 11 points.
Bellefontaine was victorious in the freshman game 53-37. Kaden Reames piled up 28 points for the Chiefs and Collin Deitsch scored 10 points. Bellefontaine travels to Graham on Tuesday.
LONDON 44, BELLEFONTAINE 42
BELLEFONTAINE (0-17, 0-8)
Ashcraft 2 0-4 4; Sterling 4 0-0 12; Baughman 2 2-2 6; Calton 3 2-2 11; Warner 4 1-2 9. Totals: 14 5-10 42. LONDON (12-7, 6-2)
Stevens 3 0-0 8; Woodyard 4 4-6 13; Minner 2 0-0 5; Carmen 3 1-3 7; Gardner 0 2-2 2; Jones 1 1-2 4; Hatem 1 3-8 5. Totals: 14 11-21 44. Chiefs 7 12 10 13 — 42
Raiders 11 4 12 17 — 44
Three pointers: Bellefontaine 7 (Sterling 4, Calton 3); London 5 (Stevens 2, Underwood, Minner, Jones). Team fouls: Bellefontaine 17; London 15.