Bald Eagle Area boys’ basketball downs rival Bellefonte

Beaten down in recent weeks with a daunting schedule ahead, Bald Eagle Area boys’ basketball desperately needed a victory to keep its playoff hopes afloat.

And the Eagles had to do it against a bitter rival.

Was it easy on the eyes? Not really.

But that didn’t matter for BEA (4-7), as it traveled to Bellefonte (2-9) and earned a much-desired 45-36 win on Wednesday night.

The result snaps the Eagles’ four-game losing streak in which they allowed nearly 72 points per game. Even though they had to grind it out against the Red Raiders, scrapping for points themselves, BEA coach Bill Butterworth will take it.

“We’re on the right track,” the coach said. “Our backs are against the wall. We have to find a way to win some games here to make the playoffs. Tonight was a step in the right direction.”

Meanwhile, the loss extends Bellefonte’s current losing skid to five games. The Red Raiders have won once in their last nine games, struggling to muster much offense with 37.9 points per game in their previous eight contests.

The shooting woes compounded against the Eagles.

“It’s been a struggle all year,” Bellefonte coach Darin Hazel said. “We’re trying to get guys confidence. ...We got some really nice looks, but shots didn’t fall tonight.”

In the first half, the Red Raiders’ offense was serviceable. They had only 19 points at halftime, led by Hunter Knisely’s 10, but Bellefonte’s defense limited BEA to 21.

The Red Raiders, who trailed in their previous two games by 15 and 13 points, respectively, at the break, had solid footing.

But after being outscored by five in the third quarter and getting into foul trouble early in the fourth, Bellefonte gave BEA plenty of chances at the free-throw line to put the game away in the final period.

At first, the Eagles couldn’t do it.

In the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, BEA missed six of its eight attempts from the charity stripe, including five uncharacteristic blown chances by senior point guard Trey Butterworth.

BEA coach Bill Butterworth said his players got a little too caught up in the hype of the rivalry game, unable to settle down and knock them down.

Bellefonte’s student section did its part, too. The group was certainly vocal. There was even someone yelling SpongeBob SquarePants quotes when the Eagles stepped up to the foul line.

“That kid’s been around forever,” BEA guard Trey Butterworth said, laughing. “I could pick him out by his voice right away.”

With an opportunity to sneak back into contention, Bellefonte took advantage. The Red Raiders trimmed BEA’s lead to 35-30 with 1:35 to go in regulation, and they had a chance to further cut into the deficit shortly after. BEA’s Noah Chambers was fouled on the ensuing inbound, and, frustrated, tossed the ball at the back of a Bellefonte player.

Chambers was called for a technical, his fifth and final foul of the game. Jordan Jones made both free throws in Chambers’ place, but the Red Raiders converted one of their chances at the charity stripe and made a basket on the subsequent possession.

BEA’s advantage was sliced to 37-33, and Eagles coach Bill Butterworth had a message for his team.

“We told them in the timeout, you’re playing for your playoff life,” the coach said. “We’ve got to go to the line and make our foul shots, or we’re going to overtime or losing this game.”

Bellefonte needed to foul down the stretch, and, like earlier in the fourth quarter, BEA had its opportunity to polish off a win it wanted so badly.

The Eagles listened to their coach’s timeout advice. BEA hit five of its last seven free-throw attempts, closing out the evening.

“This was it,” BEA’s Trey Butterworth said. “This was a big game to get into the playoffs.”

With Penns Valley (10-2) and Bellwood-Antis (8-2) on the horizon, the Eagles knew they needed this one — and they took it.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 11:06 PM with the headline "Bald Eagle Area boys’ basketball downs rival Bellefonte."