Brooke Cornett did exactly what a senior is supposed to do in a close game.  The Bethel High School guard calmly stepped to the free throw line four times in the final two minutes and sunk all four free throws, leading the Lady Bees to an impressive 43-40 victory over Tri-County North in a conference game on Thursday.
“Those were the difference in the game,” an exhausted Bethel coach Ed Quincel said after the game.  “She kept us in the lead, and those were her only four points of the night.  She did what a senior is supposed to do.”
With the win, the Lady Bees remain in the hunt in the Cross County Conference, now sitting at 5-8 overall and 3-3 in the league.
“We needed this win,” Quincel said.  “We have been playing in games where we would get close and not have the energy to pull out the win.  The girls have been sick this week and I am happy to get this win.”
Tri County North jumped out early to an 8-2 lead before the Lady Bees could get their offense going.  Mercedes Nelson, who led Bethel with 14 points, connected from the free throw line, and followed with a layup to bring with Lady Bees to within two.  As the period was winding down, Emily Ellerbrock scored on a rebound to tie the game at eight.
The second quarter saw both teams battle and the game remained close.  Tri County North led 17-14 with 2:21 left in the half, before the Lady Bees ended the half on a run.
Nelson scored on a rebound to close their deficit to one, and when Casey Seale hit a free throw with 1:28 left, the Lady Bees had tied the game.  She added two more free throws with 17 seconds left in the half, and led Bethel to 19-17 lead at the half.
“Mercedes had a great game for us and just kept battling in there,” Quincel said.  “She is one of the hardest workers we have in there, and she has been working on her post moves.”
Both teams battled in the third quarter which led to three ties early in the period, but the Panthers took the lead and maintained it through the rest of the period.
In the fourth, Bethel regained the lead when Ellerbrock scored within the first minute, and Kendal Banks added to their lead with a pair of free throws, making it 32-29.
The Lady Bees them started gaining the momentum with a 6-0 run midway through the quarter, four of them coming from Ellerbrock.  With 3:11 left, Bethel led 36-31.
Tri County North tied the game at 37 before Cornett hit two free throws with 1:47 left. Again, the Panthers answered to even the game at 39 with a minute left.
Nelson scored with 47 seconds left to give the Lady Bees a two point lead, and Cornett finished things out for the Lady Bees with a pair of free throws late.
Bethel travels to Twin Valley South Thursday night, then hosts Arcanum at 1:30 on Saturday, Jan. 23.