BELLBROOK – It must be something about Bellbrook High School.
Bethel’s boys basketball team advanced into the second round of the Division Three boys sectional basketball tournament by defeating Dayton Christian 52-50, surviving a last second DC shot in the final seconds.

Ironically, back in the fall, the Bethel boys soccer team continued their post-season dominance at this location, now in the winter, the basketball team kept the love for Bellbrook going.
“We had a hard time finishing around the basket, but we pulled this game out,” said Bethel coach Rick Hickman. “Dayton Christian has a good program, they have everybody back from last year’s team that made a run, so we knew we had our work cut out for us.”
Ben Schweiterman led three Bethel players in double figures with 14 points, while Patrick Bain added 13 and Kyle Hamlin had 11.
“We are well balanced, and don’t have that one outstanding all-star,” Hickman said.  “We have a lot of kids with a lot of heart and if they keep playing hard and with heart, good things will happen.”
The Bees (12-7) and DC battled in what was surely a very even matchup.  In the game, there were13 lead changes, 11 ties, and the largest lead either team could muster was six points, as Dayton Christian took that margin into the fourth quarter.
Dayton Christian jumped out in front 6-3 early, but a long three from Hamlin tied the game at six, and an ensuing trifecta from Joe Zimmerman put the Bees in front.  Two ties later, it was a three from Bain with 26 seconds left in the first quarter, giving the Bees a 15-12 lead after one period.
Consecutive layups from Bain in the second period pushed Bethel to a four point lead, and they maintained their lead until the final two minutes when the Warriors took the lead scoring four quick points, but Bain came back with two free throws with just over a minute left in the opening half.  Bethel tied the game at 26 at the half.
Dayton Christian took the lead in the third period with 4:44 left in the period, and maintained their advantage through the quarter.  Schweiterman hit a big three to keep the Bees close, but when the Warriors scored with one second left in the period, they enjoyed a 39-33 lead headed to the fourth period…their largest lead.
Back came the Bees.  Bain hit a floater, and two free throws to close the Bethel deficit to two.  When Schweiterman scored on a goal tending call, the Bees tied the game at 39 with six minutes left.
The game was in the final minutes, David Elam hit a pair of free throws to put Bethel in front 48-46, but they quickly lost the lead on a long Warriors three.  From there, the Bees connected on 2-4 free throws, one each from Schweiterman and Elam, to give Bethel a 52-49 lead with 33 seconds left.
The Warriors scored to close the gap to 52-50, and the Bees tried a long pass, which was fumbled out of bounds giving Dayton Christian one last prayer.
As the final gasp fell short, the Bees advanced into the second round of sectionals, where they played Dixie on March 1.