Bears Spirit Shines Despite Setbacks against Pirates and Eagles

by Coach Austin Selvey

The Bertha-Hewitt Bears made the trip to Verndale on Tuesday night for the second matchup of the season against the Pirates. After defeating Verndale in the first meeting, the Bears were hoping for a season sweep. This time, however, the Pirates protected their home court and handed the Bears a 71-64 loss.

The game was tightly contested throughout the first half. Bertha-Hewitt put together strong stretches offensively and went into the break trailing just 37-34. The Bears found success attacking the paint and creating second-chance opportunities, finishing the night with 40 points in the paint and 13 second-chance points. They also forced turnovers that led to 13 points and came away with 12 steals as a team.

Despite those efforts, Verndale used a strong shooting performance to create separation in the second half. The Pirates knocked down 11 three-pointers. Bertha-Hewitt struggled from deep shooting 3 for 23 from beyond the arc.

Senior Brady Rach led the Bears offensively with 26 points. He added seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals in a strong all-around effort. Quintin Flynn-Belevance provided a spark with 15 points on an efficient 7-of-13 shooting night.

Henry Lockwood added 10 points and six rebounds, while Logan Nelson contributed five offensive boards as the Bears finished with 15 offensive rebounds overall.

Verndale capitalized on timely shooting and ball movement, hitting key shots down the stretch to secure the win...

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