February 25, 2023 at 5:08 a.m.
Finding a way
Steal, dunk and a stop lift Jay in against Bellmont
Finding a way
It was decision time.
Trailing by six in the fourth quarter, the Patriots could either:
A) Fade away into the tournament with a fourth consecutive loss
B) Fight back and close the regular-season with a much-needed victory
They passed the test.
Josh Dowlen’s driving layup pulled his team to within one, and his steal and dish to Dusty Pearson resulted in the game-winning dunk as the Jay County High School boys basketball team found its way to a 44-43 victory Friday over the Bellmont Braves.
“We found a way, you know,” said JCHS coach Jerry Bomholt, whose team had lost three straight to Yorktown, Class 3A No. 3 Norwell and Winchester.
Jay County (9-11) seemed as if it might be headed to a fourth straight loss when it gave up a 12-0 run to the Braves (12-11) in the fourth quarter to fall behind 39-33. It got back to within one twice, but was down by three following a Kord Fuelling bucket in the final minute.
Dowlen’s drive to the basket closed the gap to 43-42 and the Patriots put on the full-court press. They got a trap in the corner and knocked away a pass, leaving Bellmont to inbound from the sideline near the corner in front of the JCHS bench.
The situation was tailor-made for Dowlen, who zipped in to steal the inbound pass, turned and flipped the ball to Pearson.
With no one to stop him, the 6-foot, 6-inch senior threw the ball down with two hands for what would be the game-winning dunk.
“We make the big play off of the press,” said Bomholt, noting it’s a look his team rarely runs. “Josh gets the steal, gets it to back to Dusty for the dunk.
“And then we did a really good job at the end.”
The ending sequence was a final opportunity for Bellmont, which got the ball in the hands of Andrew James (12 points, six rebounds, three assists). He tried to drive into the lane, but Dowlen knocked the ball away as Bennett Weitzel and Pearson also swarmed. The Braves eventually got control again after a scramble with Fuelling (10 points) tossing to Dylan Velez for a final try, but his shot went off the rim as the Patriots escaped with the one-point win.
Three of Jay County’s final four home games were decided by a single point — a 45-44 win over Heritage on Feb. 10, a 36-35 loss to Norwell Feb. 17 and the victory Friday.
“Just like Heritage, earlier in the year we probably would have lost,” said Bomholt, whose team dropped seven of its first nine games. “They hung in there. In the Heritage game, we needed a play on the offensive end. And this game we needed a play on the defensive and were able to get it.”
Bellmont coach Jonathon Fuelling, whose team committed 25 turnovers, was frustrated after watching his Braves get the ball knocked away again on the potential game-winning possession.
“(We were) just trying to get Andrew into the paint, which he got into the paint but again, we weren't strong enough,” he said. “We were hoping to get bailed out with the call. …
“It was kind of the way the whole night had gone for us. We get in there and we get contact and we're hoping to get bailed out. …
“Even with the scramble, Dylan had a decent look, but that's not what the look was for.”
Jay County was also bitten by the turnover bug, coughing up the ball 22 times.
When the Patriots managed to hold on to the ball, they shot 49% from the field including 43% from 3-point range.
Weitzel led that effort, going 6-of-10 from the field and making the only two free throws JCHS attempted to finish with a game-high 14 points.
Dowlen added nine points and three assists, the last being the game-winner. Ben Crouch added six points on a pair of first-half 3-pointers.
The win gives the Patriots at least a little bit of momentum heading into their sectional opener at 6 p.m. Wednesday against Frankton (13-10) at New Castle.
“That was really important,” said Bomholt. “You know, we thought we could get the last two. We get the last two, we get to .500 and that would have really been a big boost. But we played so poorly … in the third quarter against Winchester. …
“We'll take it and we’ll build, hopefully, tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday,” he added. “Be ready to play on Wednesday night.”
Junior varsity
Jay County owned the middle two quarters in a 61-45 victory over the Braves.
The game was tied at 13 after the opening period before the Patriots outscored Bellmont 17-10 in the second. They had an 18-10 advantage in the third en route to the 16-point win.
Trevin Dunnington hit four 3-pointers as he led JCHS with 14 points. Liam Garringer added 14 points and Eli Dirksen finished with eight.
Will Baker’s 18 points led a trio of Braves in double figures. Maddux Miller and Beau Baker followed with 11 and 10, respectively.
Trailing by six in the fourth quarter, the Patriots could either:
A) Fade away into the tournament with a fourth consecutive loss
B) Fight back and close the regular-season with a much-needed victory
They passed the test.
Josh Dowlen’s driving layup pulled his team to within one, and his steal and dish to Dusty Pearson resulted in the game-winning dunk as the Jay County High School boys basketball team found its way to a 44-43 victory Friday over the Bellmont Braves.
“We found a way, you know,” said JCHS coach Jerry Bomholt, whose team had lost three straight to Yorktown, Class 3A No. 3 Norwell and Winchester.
Jay County (9-11) seemed as if it might be headed to a fourth straight loss when it gave up a 12-0 run to the Braves (12-11) in the fourth quarter to fall behind 39-33. It got back to within one twice, but was down by three following a Kord Fuelling bucket in the final minute.
Dowlen’s drive to the basket closed the gap to 43-42 and the Patriots put on the full-court press. They got a trap in the corner and knocked away a pass, leaving Bellmont to inbound from the sideline near the corner in front of the JCHS bench.
The situation was tailor-made for Dowlen, who zipped in to steal the inbound pass, turned and flipped the ball to Pearson.
With no one to stop him, the 6-foot, 6-inch senior threw the ball down with two hands for what would be the game-winning dunk.
“We make the big play off of the press,” said Bomholt, noting it’s a look his team rarely runs. “Josh gets the steal, gets it to back to Dusty for the dunk.
“And then we did a really good job at the end.”
The ending sequence was a final opportunity for Bellmont, which got the ball in the hands of Andrew James (12 points, six rebounds, three assists). He tried to drive into the lane, but Dowlen knocked the ball away as Bennett Weitzel and Pearson also swarmed. The Braves eventually got control again after a scramble with Fuelling (10 points) tossing to Dylan Velez for a final try, but his shot went off the rim as the Patriots escaped with the one-point win.
Three of Jay County’s final four home games were decided by a single point — a 45-44 win over Heritage on Feb. 10, a 36-35 loss to Norwell Feb. 17 and the victory Friday.
“Just like Heritage, earlier in the year we probably would have lost,” said Bomholt, whose team dropped seven of its first nine games. “They hung in there. In the Heritage game, we needed a play on the offensive end. And this game we needed a play on the defensive and were able to get it.”
Bellmont coach Jonathon Fuelling, whose team committed 25 turnovers, was frustrated after watching his Braves get the ball knocked away again on the potential game-winning possession.
“(We were) just trying to get Andrew into the paint, which he got into the paint but again, we weren't strong enough,” he said. “We were hoping to get bailed out with the call. …
“It was kind of the way the whole night had gone for us. We get in there and we get contact and we're hoping to get bailed out. …
“Even with the scramble, Dylan had a decent look, but that's not what the look was for.”
Jay County was also bitten by the turnover bug, coughing up the ball 22 times.
When the Patriots managed to hold on to the ball, they shot 49% from the field including 43% from 3-point range.
Weitzel led that effort, going 6-of-10 from the field and making the only two free throws JCHS attempted to finish with a game-high 14 points.
Dowlen added nine points and three assists, the last being the game-winner. Ben Crouch added six points on a pair of first-half 3-pointers.
The win gives the Patriots at least a little bit of momentum heading into their sectional opener at 6 p.m. Wednesday against Frankton (13-10) at New Castle.
“That was really important,” said Bomholt. “You know, we thought we could get the last two. We get the last two, we get to .500 and that would have really been a big boost. But we played so poorly … in the third quarter against Winchester. …
“We'll take it and we’ll build, hopefully, tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday,” he added. “Be ready to play on Wednesday night.”
Junior varsity
Jay County owned the middle two quarters in a 61-45 victory over the Braves.
The game was tied at 13 after the opening period before the Patriots outscored Bellmont 17-10 in the second. They had an 18-10 advantage in the third en route to the 16-point win.
Trevin Dunnington hit four 3-pointers as he led JCHS with 14 points. Liam Garringer added 14 points and Eli Dirksen finished with eight.
Will Baker’s 18 points led a trio of Braves in double figures. Maddux Miller and Beau Baker followed with 11 and 10, respectively.
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