The writer is a Bethlehem Central High School senior and an intern in the sports department.
The Bethlehem boys basketball team built a 20-point lead in the third quarter and cruised to a 56-42 victory over Ballston Spa last Friday in a Suburban Council game.
Bethlehem coach A.G. Irons was pleased with his team’s effort, saying that the Eagles (5-6 league, 5-10 overall) utilized their size well.
Bethlehem jumped out to a 19-11 lead in the first quarter, though it seemed like the advantage should have been greater than eight points. The Eagles shot the ball well, rebounded well and played good defense, while Ballston Spa (1-11, 3-12) had trouble hitting its shots ` even wide open layups.
The Eagles kept the momentum going in the second quarter behind Kevin Wendth, who led all scorers with 15 points. By halftime, Bethlehem had opened up a 39-21 advantage.
Though Wendth led the way, other Bethlehem players contributed to the victory. Will Baynes, Ryan Prinzo, John Kellogg and Ryan Stempsey all netted seven points, while Tom Bell played tough down low in his first significant action of the season. Irons said he used Bell because it was a physical game and `Tommy is the toughest kid we have.`
The Eagles returned to action Tuesday against Columbia. “