Bellaire Outlasts Union Local In OT
Big Reds Snap 6-Game Losing Streak With 74-69 Triumph
Trending
BELLAIRE -- All wins are important and cherished.
Some, however, still seem to mean more.
Bellaire experienced one of those Thursday evening inside the 'House of Champions.'
The Big Reds, who opened the season by winning their first 10, had dropped their last six. In the process, they had fallen to fifth in the latest OVAC Class 3A standings with Tuesday's cut-off date looming.
Hence why head coach J.R. Battista felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders after his Big Reds' fended off a valiant effort from invading Union Local and pulled out a hard-earned 74-69 victory in overtime.
"Winning is always big, but this will hopefully put us back into the top four of the OVAC Tournament and help us with our seed in the (upcoming) district tournament," Battista said. "But, most importantly, the kids deserved this win. They play as hard as we'll ever ask kids to play.
"We'll take it."
While the win was big for the Big Reds' OVAC playoff hopes, it may have been equally damaging for the Jets, who had just overtaken Bellaire in the 3A standings after Tuesday's games had been factored in.
"We have talked about not wanting to put our (OVAC Tournament) fate in anyone else's hands," UL head coach Zach Delman said. "We felt that if we went out and won the games in front of us, we'd put ourselves back in (the top four). We had been doing a good job of that, but now we have to come back and win the next two (before Tuesday) and see where it falls."
Bellaire, which had the final possession of regulation and turned it over just before the buzzer sounded, wasted no time in asserting itself in the extra period.
Senior Jakob Dowling, who had scored only nine points in regulation, buried a corner trey to open the OT. Bellaire then got back-to-back buckets from senior Ray Ray Pettigrew, making it a 68-61 game more than 90 seconds into OT.
"I thought, for once, we were trying to make smart plays down the stretch and let (UL) foul us," Battista said. "We played really well in overtime. We jumped on them, made some plays, made some foul shots and stretched it out."
Union Local stopped the bleeding with a bucket from junior Alex Moore, but Big Reds' junior Mayson Sochor, who turned in a brilliant 28-point effort, converted a pair at the line. Dowling then sank one of two from the stripe and all of the sudden, Bellaire owned its biggest lead since the third quarter at 71-63.
Union Local got as close as three after senior Beezer Porter converted in transition to make it 72-69, but time was clearly on the side of the Big Reds, who knocked down two from the line to seal the victory.
"We talk, almost daily, about how games, more often than not, seem to come down one or two possessions," Delman said. "We were 14 of 28 from the foul line and one of 16 from behind the 3-point line and we still had every opportunity to win the game. I am proud of how our guys for how we responded in the second half to give ourselves opportunities, but it just felt like Bellaire was able to get both of their hands on every loose balls."
The Big Reds, who led by as many as 14 in the early moments of the third quarter, watched the Jets climb back into the game with a strong third quarter in which they outscored the Big Reds, 25-18 to make it a 51-47 reading at the final stop.
The Jets, who never took the lead in the fourth, scored the final five to get the game to the extra session.
The Big Reds, as they have been most the season, were extremely balanced in the scoring column. Sochor's production led everyone. Pettigrew finished with 17 and Dowling added 15. Junior Mac Mac Pettigrew added 12.
"Playing at home always helps," Battista said. "You feel more comfortable, make a few more shots, etc. I think the pressure bothered at times."
Union Local also had four in double figures. Porter recorded 21 points, while classmate D.J. Butts posted 19. Moore had arguably his best game of the season with 17 points, while Carter Blake added 10.
Both teams are in action on Saturday, back on Guernsey Street as part of the Buckeye 8 crossover day.
The Big Reds will play in the third and fourth place game against Indian Creek at 2 p.m., while the Jets hit the floor at high noon against Beaver Local.