RANDY HISNER
WZBD.com
One thing is for certain after the Bellmont Braves’ 66-37 shellacking of the Jay County Patriots Friday night: The state 3A girls’ basketball rankings are in for a major revision.
The Patriots (2-1) were ranked 11th heading into the game, the Braves 15th. And it was on Jay County’s floor too. No matter. The lower-ranked Braves (4-0) took control early, jumping out to a 16-8 first quarter lead on the strength of three-pointers by Kate Kitson, Emily Bleke, Lanie French, and Ashley Bleke.
Emily Bleke’s four points led Bellmont to an 11-5 second quarter advantage, and the Braves had more than doubled the score on the Pats at halftime, 27-13. Sophomore sensation Hallie Schwieterman, who was averaging 27 points coming into the game, scored all but two of the Patriots’ first-half points.
Then it was time for the Bellmont freshman duo of Kaitlyn Barton and Ashley Bleke to shine in the third quarter. Barton nailed a three and a pair of two-pointers for seven points, and Bleke hit two buckets and two-of-two free throws for six points as the Braves scored 20 while holding Jay County to eight. That gave the Braves a 47-21 lead, and Bellmont coach Andy Heim comfortably distributed playing time to his bench in the final period.
Freshmen Hadley Caffee (4), Ashley Bleke (5), Barton (4), and Mary Bleke (2) combined for 15 of Bellmont’s 19 fourth-quarter points to give the Braves a 19-16 edge and the final 29-point margin.
The Braves’ depth was too much for the Patriots to match. Ten players scored for Bellmont, and Heim kept everyone fresh by substituting often. “At one point in time in every single game we’ve played so far, I’ve looked at the other team and they’re gassed,” said Heim, “and we’re sitting on the bench cheering and ready to go in. It helps, obviously.”
Senior star Emily Bleke agreed. “I need a break now and then,” she said, “and I know when subs come in they’re going to bring the same energy, maybe even more intensity, and we’ll keep the ball rolling.”
Heim was confident coming into the game, stating that he thought the Braves had the edge at every position, with the possible exception of the Schwieterman matchup, but even he didn’t anticipate such a rout. “Honestly, was I expecting that? No,” he said. “But our execution tonight in the full court and running was phenomenal.”
The result was an anomaly in the history of the two teams’ rivalry. Though the Braves notched a fairly comfortable 50-33 win last year, the perennial ACAC powerhouse Patriots had won the previous three games, including a 25-point blowout just three years ago. They had also won 10 of 13 against Heim’s Braves before Friday.
With the number of underclassmen playing key roles for the Braves, it seems that the edge for the next few years at least could belong to Bellmont.
Ashley Bleke led Bellmont in scoring with 14. Emily Bleke and Barton each scored 13. Kitson had six, Oni Krueckeberg five, Kamryn Jarvis and Caffee four, French three. Gwen Laurent and Mary Bleke added two each.
Schwieterman led Jay County with 15. Amelia Heath scored nine.
Bellmont will host Heritage Saturday, with the game set to be heard on 92.7 FM. Tuesday’s matchup against Adams Central will also be broadcast by WZBD.
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