BLYTHEWOOD – Eli Lake electrified the home crowd Friday night (Dec. 13) with a fade-away shot from beyond the arch against Dutch Fork (4-3) as time expired, catapulting the Bengals to a startling 58-55 win. After losing four straight games, the Bengals (3-6) were in search of much needed win when they hosted the Silver Foxes of Dutch Fork.
Blythewood scored the first bucket of the game, but halfway through the first quarter Dutch Fork jumped out to what would be their largest lead of the game at 10-4. By the end of the first quarter, the Bengals used a 10-4 run to tie the score at 14 all.
Blythewood would not trail again until the fourth quarter. They led 29-27 at halftime and then 43-40 at the end of the third quarter.
Dutch Fork used two quick baskets to start the fourth quarter and take a 44-43 lead. There were six lead changes in the final frame. With the score tied at 50, the Silver Foxes went on a 5-0 run to take a 55-50 advantage with under three minutes to play.
A three-point shot from Lake tied the game at 55, and a Dutch Fork turnover on the offensive end gave Blythewood a chance to win with just 15 seconds remaining. Once again, it would be Lake with the dagger to complete the Blythewood comeback. The Bengals offense struggled to find a shot as precious seconds were ticking away, and as the last second went off the clock the sophomore faded away left of the arch and banked in a three-pointer as time expired.
Blythewood’s bench players and coaching staff stormed the floor to dog pile Lake on the baseline. Lake finished with 11 points with nine coming from downtown.
Trae Churn, also a sophomore, was dominant down low for Blythewood and was just shy of a double-double as he recorded a game high 18 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Cameron Womack also cracked double digits by adding 11 points.
The Bengals met a different fate Saturday, falling to the Bearcats at Rock Hill, 82-69. Blythewood trailed 21-18 after one quarter and went into the locker room down 42-33. In the third, the Bengals outscored Rock Hill 17-16 to narrow the gap to 58-50, but the Bearcats closed it out in the final frame. Churn again led the Bengals with 18 points, going seven of nine from the floor while pulling down 12 rebounds. Womack added 15 points in the losing effort.
Next up for Blythewood basketball is the Lindberg Moody Tournament. The Bengals will play at Northwestern High School Dec. 26 – 30. After the holidays, the Bengals will return home to host Rock Hill on Jan. 4.
The Lady Bengals dropped two in a row last week, falling just short of Dutch Fork, 44-41, and letting an early lead slip away at Rock Hill, where they fell 62-44.
Dutch Fork jumped out to an early 15-6 lead on Dec. 13 and held a 28-19 advantage at the half. The Lady Bengals used a 12-point fourth quarter to push the envelope, but could not overcome the tenacious Lady Silver Foxes.
Junior Breelyn Blanding led the Lady Bengals with 15 points, followed by sophomore Lauren Harley’s nine points. Brooke Taylor, a senior, pulled down nine rebounds for Blythewood on the night.
Saturday, the Lady Bengals took the edge in the first period, leading Rock Hill 15-12. The Lady Bearcats tied the game at 21 before the break and took a 38-35 edge at the end of the third. But Rock Hill erupted for 24 points in the final quarter, holding the Lady Bengals to just nine points to wrap the contest up.
Harley paced the Lady Bengals with 21 points in the loss.
The Lady Bengals are now 1-5 on the season and will play in the Keenan High School holiday tournament Dec. 27-30.
