Moral victories don’t mean much to a Bellefontaine boys basketball team still searching for its first win, but the Chiefs did a lot of things to feel better about against a talented Jonathan Alder squad Friday night.
The Chiefs, who mustered only 21 points in an earlier season loss to the Pioneers, stayed within striking distance for much of the night in the rematch before Alder surged in the fourth quarter to a 53-36 win.
Bellefontaine falls to 0-13 overall and 0-6 in the Central Buckeye Conference. The Pioneers, who sit atop the CBC Kenton Trail division, are now 11-2, 6-0.
“None of us enjoy losing, but it’s hard for me to feel bad after an effort like this,” said Bellefontaine head coach Jason Calton. “I feel like that was our best defensive effort of the season and our offense was better than it was the first time we played them. The final score was not indicative of how close it was for three quarters.”
Bellefontaine trailed by just five points with less than four minutes left in the third quarter. The Pioneers went on a run to lead by 15 early in the fourth quarter before Bellefontaine was able to get within 10 on a Carter Sterling three-pointer with 3:29 remaining.
However, the Pioneers closed the game on a 13-6 run to seal the game.
“This was one of the best games we’ve played all year,” said Bellefontaine senior guard Maverick Calton. “We played well together and put up a fight against a really good Jonathan Alder team. Nobody on this team is quitting. We keep working hard every day.”
The Chiefs did not put much of a fight in the first matchup with the Pioneers, but Friday’s game had a much different feel to it.
Bellefontaine trailed by three points (18-15) with less than a minute left in the first half before the Pioneers rattled off five straight points in the closing seconds to lead by eight (23-15) at halftime.
The Chiefs stayed within a few possessions for much of the third quarter and into the final period.
“To beat a team as good as Jonathan Alder, you have to be at your best for four quarters,” said Jason Calton. “Unfortunately, we just couldn’t sustain things in the fourth quarter. But I am proud of the way the guys kept fighting. They refused to fold, and that is something we can build on. Jonathan Alder is a very talented team and to battle them like we did for three quarters … I am very happy with.”
Maverick Calton scored 12 points and Declan Ashcraft also hit double figures with 10 points for the Chiefs. Sterling added eight points.
“We had a lot of guys contribute tonight,” said Jason Calton. “If we can continue to do that, good things will happen for us.”
Jackson Izzard paced the Pioneers with 17 points and Jackie Santa-Emma had 16 points.
In the junior varsity game, the Pioneers won 52-32.
The Chiefs fell in the freshman contest 41-32. Sully Ashcraft led the Chiefs with seven points.
Bellefontaine returns to action Tuesday at North Union.
JON. ALDER 53, BELLEFONTAINE 36
JON. ALDER (11-2, 6-0)
Welsch 1 4-4 7; Walker 4 2-2 10; Santa-Emma 5 4-7 16; Izzard 4 7-9 17; Begin 1 0-1 2; Stevens 0 1-2 1. Totals: 15 17-25 53.
BELLEFONTAINE (0-13, 0-6)
Stolly 0 2-2 2; Ashcraft 5 0-2 10; Sterling 2 2-4 8; Baughman 1 0-0 2; Calton 5 2-4 12; Warner 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 6-12 36.
Pioneers 11 • 12 • 12 • 18 — 53
Chiefs 7 • 8 • 8 • 13 — 36
Three pointers: Jonathan Alder 5 (Santa-Emma 2, Izzard 2, Welsch); Bellefontaine 2 (Sterling 2). Team fouls: Jonathan Alder 13; Bellefontaine 21.