BELLWOOD– Fans that made their way to Bellwood on Friday night were in for a treat in Laurel Highlands basketball. The Lady Blue Devils of Bellwood-Antis were hitting the second half of their season feeling strong, and the visiting Clearfield Lady Bison were fresh off a big win days earlier to get them back to their winning ways. This looked to be a major battle on the hardwood, and it ultimately was just that.
A back-and-forth contest that could have went either way ultimately was decided by hitting necessary shots late in the game. Clearfield would make key free throws in the final stanza to pull out a 68-60 victory that brought the visiting crowd to their feet.
The opening quarter for the Lady Blue Devils saw Lilly Gerwert go off in a big way, putting up 11 of the team’s 14 points in the first eight minutes. But, by contrast, Clearfield had a bit more of a balanced scoring run in the first quarter with both Sonny Diehl and Eve Helsel putting up big buckets, including a pair from beyond the arc. After one quarter, Clearfield held a 15-14 lead, but knew the opposition would come charging back.
However, the Clearfield defense put on the pressure, and despite six players getting on the board in the second quarter, no one on Bellwood-Antis had more than four points in the quarter. Diehl and Helsel went to the heart of the defense and pulled out a spectacular effort, as the Bison went into the locker room with a two-possession lead.
Helsel would lead the scoring for the Lady Bison, putting up 21 points, while Diehl accounted for 20 of her own.
Bellwood would battle back in the second half, as Gerwert kept taking chances at the basket, part of her own 21-point effort. But, the Lady Blue Devils still found themselves down by seven points heading into the final quarter of play.
Clearfield took the opportunity to put the game away in the fourth, doing so by taking opportunities given to them at the foul line. The Lady Bison would go to the stripe a total of 14 times in the final eight minutes, only missing one of those shots. Clearfield finished the night 19-for-24 at the line, while Bellwood-Antis only went 5-for-8.
Along with Helsel and Diehl, another pair hit double figures as Eve’s older sister, Mia, put up 14 points, while Hannah Glunt added another 10, the latter scoring all in the second half and all from the foul line.
Clearfield (5-3) is back home on Monday, January 13, for one of the few home games in the month as they will host the Lady Rams from Penns Valley.
SCORE BY QUARTER
Clearfield 15 18 14 21 – 68
Bellwood-Antis 14 14 12 20 – 60
Clearfield – 68
Sonny Diehl 7 6-8 20, Eve Helsel 8 3-4 21, Hannah Glunt 0 10-12 10, Mia Helsel 6 0-0 14, Myleigh Hudson 1 0-0 3. TOTALS 22 19-24 68.
Bellwood-Antis – 60
Leigha Clapper 4 0-0 8, Lilly Gerwert 8 3-4 21, Jenna Norton 3 0-0 6, Karlie Sweigert 0 1-2 1, Marissa Cacciotti 3 0-0 7, Isabella Sloey 5 1-2 11, Addy Turek 2 0-0 4, Maya Plummer 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 28 5-8 60.
LADY BISON SCOREBOARD:
Date Opponent Score Record
12/03 CENTRAL 61 – 58 1 – 0
12/06 @ Brookville Tip-Off Tourney cancelled 1 – 0
12/07 @ Brookville Tip-Off Tourney cancelled 1 – 0
12/11 @ Bellefonte 71 – 18 2 – 0
12/13 BISHOP GUILFOYLE 50 – 54 2 – 1
12/18 @ Tyrone 62 – 56 3 – 1
12/20 HOLLIDAYSBURG 50 – 88 3 – 2
12/27 @ Greater Johnstown 43 – 61 3 – 3
01/03 WESTMONT HILLTOP PPD 3 – 3
01/06 @ Huntingdon PPD 3-3
01/08 PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA 50 – 21 4 – 3
01/10 @ Bellwwod-Antis 68 – 60 5 – 3
01/13 PENNS VALLEY
01/17 @ Bedford
01/20 @ Bald Eagle Area
01/23 @ Dubois Central
01/24 @ Northern Clarion
01/27 @ Central
01/28 @ Huntingdon
01/31 RICHLAND
02/03 BELLEFONTE
02/04 WESTMONT HILLTOP
02/06 @ Bishop Guilfoyle
02/10 TYRONE
02/13 CURWENSVILLE
