BELMONT — One of these days Belmont’s streak is going to be history. However, that day was not one over the past week.
    The Braves took to the court three times over the span of seven days and suffered three more defeats to slip to 0-12 overall on the season and 0-7 in the Six Rivers West.
    Cassville junior Mason Infield torched Belmont for 30 points for the second time this season and senior Brandon Kinyon tacked on another 24 points as the Comets streaked past the visiting Braves, 85-65, in a SRW contest held at CHS on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
    The Comets (6-6, 4-2) held a 33-21 lead at the intermission, and then went on to pour in 52 points in the second half to put up a season-high 85 points against the Braves. Cassville went 19-for-24 at the free throw stripe on the night to sink the Braves.
    Colin Austin hit three 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 27 points for Belmont. Sophomore Justan Ernst matched his season-high with 11 points, while Jacob Amenda scored nine points and Ethan James and Brady Wedig chipped in with eight points apiece for the Braves.
    Belmont returned home on Friday, Jan. 19, to host Benton during their annual Teachers’ Appreciation Night at BHS.
    Brooks Tiedeman scored a game-high 19 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds to lead the Zephyrs (9-5, 3-3) to a 56-33 win over the Braves.
    Will Lawrence tallied 11 points for Benton, while Caleb O’Neill came off the bench for eight points and six rebounds for the Zephyrs.
    Austin led Belmont with 15 points, and Luke Kamps pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
    Wedig tallied six points and five boards, while Amenda contributed five points and five boards for the Braves.
    Finally, on Monday, Jan. 22, the Braves headed to Blanchardville to face the Six Rivers East leading Pecatonica Vikings in a non-conference game.
    Kamps buried a pair of early treys and Austin added a 3 with 7:50 remaining in the first half to keep the Braves within four points of the Vikings (9-5), however the hosts closed the half with 19 unanswered points to open up a 36-13 advantage and then began the second half on a 10-0 run to increase the lead to 46-13.
    Wedig ended a 15-minute scoring drought by sinking a free throw with 10:30 to play, but Pec would not be caught as they extended the lead to as many as 42 down the stretch.
    Austin finished with nine points to lead the Braves.
    Evan Prust scored 13 of his game-high 19 points during the Vikings’ 19-0 first-half scoring run. Zack Eaton dropped in 12 points and Everett Johnson came off the bench for 11 points for Pec.
    Belmont has upcoming SRW games at Potosi on Thursday, Jan. 25, and at home against Highland on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
 
Benton……… 0   0 – 56
Belmont…….. 0   0 – 33
    Benton – Will Lawrence 11, Nathan Mowry 5, Nick Wagner 4, Nick Jansen 6, Brooks Tiedeman 19, Caleb O’Neill 8, Wyatt Bastian 3. Totals – 25  2-7  56.
    Belmont – Justan Ernst 2, Ethan James 5, Jacob Amenda 5, Colin Austin 15, Brady Wedig 6. Totals – 12  6-10  33.
    3-point goals– Ben 4 (Lawrence 1, Jansen 2, Bastian 1), Bel 3 (James 1, Austin 2). Total fouls– Ben 9, Bel 14. Fouled out– Ben: O’Neill.
 
Belmont……. 21   44 – 65
Cassville…… 33   52 – 85
    Belmont – Justan Ernst 11, Ethan James 8, Jacob Amenda 9, Colin Austin 27, Luke Kamps 2, Brady Wedig 8. Totals – 26  6-7  65.
    Cassville– Bausch 12, Reynolds 2, Jensen 10, Esser 5, Infield 30, Hauk 3, Kinyon 24. Totals – 30  19-24  85.
    3-point goals– B 7 (Ernst 1, James 2, Amenda 1, Austin 3), C 6 (Bausch 2, Jensen 1, Infield 2, Esser 1). Total fouls– B 19, C 22. Fouled out– None.

Belmont………. 13     7 – 20
Pecatonica…… 36   25 – 51
    Belmont – Justan Ernst 2, Colin Austin 9, Luke Kamps 6, Brady Wedig 3. Totals – 8  1-6  20.
    Pecatonica – Prust 19, Eaton 12, J. Hendrickson 3, Foster 3, Tisch 3, B. Hendrickson 2, Johnson 11, Saether 2, Mabin 4, Ruegsegger 2. Totals – 26  4-6  51.
    3-point goals– B 3 (Austin 1, Kamps 2), P 5 (J. Hendrickson 1, Prust 1, Johnson 1, Tisch 1, Foster 1). Total fouls– B 0, P 0. Fouled out– None.