BENTON– Things started off well for the Belmont Braves boys’ basketball team in their Six Rivers West season finale, however the Braves could not hold onto an early double digit lead as they finished winless in the regular season after suffering a 85-62 loss to the host Benton Zephyrs on Thursday, Feb. 23.
The Braves (0-22 overall, 0-12 SRW) jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the blink of an eye, but the Zephyrs (10-12, 4-8) came steaming back behind the play of guards Aaron Coffey and Brooks Tiedeman who scored 11 points apiece during a 39-12 scoring run by Benton to end the half.
The Zephyrs kept up their torrid scoring pace in the second half, outscoring Belmont, 46-34, in the second half to pull away for an 85-62 victory.
Sophomore Colin Austin sank three 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 19 points. Junior Jake Wedig scored 14 of his season-high 18 points in the second half to try and rally the Braves.
Jake Amenda scored nine points and Brady Wedig added six for Belmont.
Coffey finished with a game-high 21 points and Tiedeman tallied 20 to lead the Zephyrs.
The WIAA Division 5 boys’ tournament began on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The #16-seed Braves faced the top-seeded and #5-ranked Seneca Indians (21-0) in a regional semifinal game.
The winner advanced to the D5 regional semifinal game at the home of the highest remaining seed on Friday, March 3, at 7 p.m. The regional final is scheduled for Saturday, March 4, also at 7 p.m.
Belmont…………….. 28 34 – 62
Benton……………… 39 46 – 85
Belmont – Ethan James 4, Colin Austin 19, Justan Ernst 2, Riely Cutler 4, Jake Wedig 18, Jake Amenda 9, Brady Wedig 6. Totals – 21 14-24 62.
Benton – Nick Jansen 6, Aaron Coffey 21, Nick Wagner 7, Brooks Tiedeman 20, Nate Mowry 8, Will Lawrence 4, Wyatt Bastian 9, Caleb O’Neill 10. Totals – 35 8-14 85.
3-point goals– Bel 6 (James 1, Austin 3, J. Wedig 1, Amenda 1), Ben 7 (Jansen 2, Coffey 1, Wagner 1, Tiedeman 1, Bastian 2). Total fouls– Bel 15, Ben 19. Fouled out– None.