BROOKVILLE – The road has begun for the Bethel girls basketball team to try to repeat their performance from last year, and claim a sectional title.  The fourth-seeded Lady Bees started defense of their sectional crown with a tough 38-26 win over league for Newton in their first round game Saturday at Brookville High School.

“The girls did an excellent job in just doing what they needed to do,” said Bethel coach Ed Quincel.  “Newton gave us a tough game, and I knew Steve (Fisher, Newton’s coach) would have something for us.”
For those not familiar with Fisher, he was the head coach at Bethel when they won the boys state title in 2001.
Bethel started out with an early 6-0 lead, as senior Emily Ellerbrock scored all six points.  Newton didn’t score their first points until midway through the first quarter.
The Lady Bees made it 10-2 when Ellerbrock hit a short jumper, and Casey Seale scored in the paint.  Newton added a couple of late baskets in the quarter, but Bethel led 2-6 after eight minutes.
Just that quickly, Bethel’s offense was non-existent in the second period, scoring only four points, but maintaining a 16-14 lead at the half.
While Ellerbrock scored most of team leading 13 points early, she saw Newton change up their defense to try to stymie her.
“We weren’t expecting that, and we had to adapt to that,” she said.  “We knew we had to play hard, because if we lose, we would be done.”
“Emily set the tone for how we were going to play,” Quincel said. 
The second half saw both teams trading baskets in the third, but Bethel never lost the lead.  Leading 19-18 with 6:17 left in the period, the Lady Bees defense shut down the Newton offense the rest of the period, holding them scoreless.
Meanwhile, their offense started to put a little distance between them and the Indians.  Mercedes Nelson started it with a layup, followed by MacKenzie Nelson and Kendal Banks.  As the game went to the fourth, Bethel led 25-18.
“We got the lead, and took care of the ball,” Quincel said.  “We were more patient in the second half, and just did what we were supposed to do.”
Bethel started to extend their lead in the fourth, thanks to early basket from Ellerbrock and a pair of layups late in the game from senior Brooke Cornett.  The Lady used a 7-0 run early, and a 6-0 run late to put the game away.
In addition to the 13 from Ellerbrock, nine points came from Cornett.
Bethel now prepares for their second round sectional tournament game on Thursday at 7:30, against Covington.  In the first game at 6:00, it will be Franklin-Monroe vs. Yellow Springs.  The winners from those two games advance to the sectional finals on Saturday at 2:00. All of those games are back at Brookville.
 
Box
 
Bethel (38)- Banks 6, Cornett 9, Ellerbrock 13, Black 2, Mercedes Nelson 2, Seale 2, Cripps 2, MacKenzie Nelson 2.  Total 38.
Newton (26)- Lavy 6, King 5, Booher 9, Doseck 1, Quillen 2, Jacksn 3.  Total- 26.
 
BHS- 12  16  25  38
NHS-   6  14   18  26