{"id":21900,"date":"2024-11-30T09:43:07","date_gmt":"2024-11-30T14:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/?p=21900"},"modified":"2024-11-30T09:43:08","modified_gmt":"2024-11-30T14:43:08","slug":"2-homestead-shoots-out-lights-against-braves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/30\/2-homestead-shoots-out-lights-against-braves\/","title":{"rendered":"#2 Homestead shoots out lights against Braves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

RANDY HISNER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WZBD.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A three-point bombardment by the second-ranked Homestead Spartans spelled trouble for the Bellmont Braves in a battle of unbeaten teams Friday night at Homestead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spartans (7-0) hit 13-of-26 three-point attempts, including 7-of-11 in the first half, to spark a convincing 67-32 win. Junior sharpshooter Gabby Helsom led the Spartan long-range brigade, making eight of her 11 three-point shots on her way to a game-high 28 points, almost single-handedly matching the Braves\u2019 output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At 5-11, Helsom could shoot almost at will from the perimeter over the smaller Bellmont guards. \u201cWe knew that would be a trouble,\u201d Bellmont coach Andy Heim said. \u201cThat\u2019s tough to stop. I don\u2019t know if any of the threes that she made hit rim; I think they were all just the bottom of the net. It was impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And she wasn\u2019t the Spartans\u2019 only three-point weapon. Whitney Ankenbruck sank three triples in the first half, and Myah Epps added a pair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Whitney Ankenbruck, who scored 13 for Homestead, fires a three<\/em>. (Photo by Randy Hisner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Epps did even more damage on the inside, driving repeatedly on both sides of the lane for the rest of her 18 points. \u201cI had never seen Epps play like that, at least in the games that I saw,\u201d said Heim. \u201cI knew that she was the floor general for them, but I didn\u2019t think she would score inside on us like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Epps started the scoring just over 30 seconds into the game with a drive on the right side, and Ankenbruck struck for three about a minute later to stake the Spartans to a 5-0 lead. Helsom followed with a three-pointer on Homestead\u2019s next possession, and the Braves were quickly on their heels, down 8-0. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily Bleke was fouled on a drive and hit both free throws to get the Braves (6-1) on the scoreboard, but Helsom countered with a layup to make it 10-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kate Kitson\u2019s drive at the 4:05 mark launched an 8-7 Bellmont advantage in the rest of the period, the Braves\u2019 best stretch of play for the night, to cut the lead to seven at 17-10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kate Kitson hounds Homestead guard Liv Fry. (Photo by Randy Hisner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Epps had a lot to do with smothering the Braves\u2019 attempt to continue their momentum in the second quarter. She scored nine points to spearhead a 20-9 Homestead edge that increased the lead to 37-19 at the half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily Bleke\u2019s pair of free throws to start the third quarter made it 37-21, but the Spartans responded with an 11-0 run over the next two and a half minutes to post an insurmountable 48-21 lead. Nine of those 11 points came from a trio of three-pointers from\u2014no surprise\u2014Helsom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Emily Bleke drives for two of her 14 points<\/em>. (Photo by Randy Hisner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Buckets by Emily Bleke, Kaitlyn Barton, and Ashley Bleke helped Bellmont play even with Homestead the rest of the quarter, but the Spartans still had doubled up the Braves at 54-27 heading into the final period. Homestead won that quarter too, 13-5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Emily Bleke tries to squeeze past Homestead’s Myah Epps. (Photo by Randy Hisner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The score was lopsided, but the young Braves, starting two freshman and a sophomore, never panicked or stopped battling, though Heim had hoped to see more assertiveness from his team. \u201cThat was a little bit of a disappointing part, where I thought we could attack and we just sort of did not,\u201d Heim said. \u201cI understand they\u2019re aggressive, but we still need to attack the way we\u2019re used to attacking and be confident.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coach Andy Heim tries to rally his team against the #2 Spartans. (Photo by Randy Hisner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a good test for us,\u201d added Heim, \u201cto sort of see what we need to improve on and hopefully work on that as we get ready for conference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n