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Lady Bucs snap losing skid with victory over Freeport
The Belvidere Bucs girls basketball team got off to a hot start in their 2023-2024 season. Late in December, the Bucs held an impressive overall record of 9-5. A four-game losing streak would close 2023 and carry into the beginning of 2024, however.
Late in December, the Bucs suffered a pair of tough losses to Crystal Lake and DeKalb. Then, on Jan. 3, the Bucs faced another tough challenge as they played host to Rockford Lutheran. Prior to the matchup, Lutheran held an overall record of 12-2. They proved their record was no fluke when they took on the Bucs in their first matchup of 2024.
Lutheran got off to a hot start when they put their deep shot ability on display. Lutheran hit a pair of first quarter threes on their way to an early advantage.
Belvidere’s offense, as it usually is, was run through Emma Pierson. In the first quarter, Pierson hit a couple of big shots to help the Bucs keep pace. Maggie Sternquist and Arianna LaBeau each hit baskets in the opening quarter, as well. The Bucs found production from all over in the first, but they still trailed 13-9 going into the second.
That’s where the duo of LaBeau and Pierson began to take things up a notch. Early in the quarter, Kayla Beaudet grabbed a defensive rebound. Beaudet quickly passed it to Pierson, who went coast to coast for a left-handed runner. LaBeau attacked the paint, racking up seven points in the quarter. Pierson added six of her own as the duo began to find their rhythm.
Pierson and LaBeau provided all of Belvidere’s offense in the quarter, however. Turnovers loomed large for the Bucs, as numerous second quarter turnovers led to easy Lutheran baskets. Despite the duo combining for thirteen, Lutheran put up sixteen on their end to increase their lead.
Coming out for the third quarter, the Bucs found themselves trailing 29-22. After battling through the first half, the second half became a physical game. The Bucs went to the line five times in the third quarter alone. Lutheran had two trips to the line of their own.
The Bucs hit just five of their 10 attempts, however. LaBeau was two for two in the quarter, while Beaudet was two for four. Reem Aldi hit one of her two attempts, and Pierson went zero for two at the line in the third. Shooting 50 percent at the line left the Bucs in a tough spot as they entered the fourth trailing 37-29.
Things got out of hand in the fourth. The Lutheran offense exploded for 23 points while they put the game away. Pierson had a big fourth quarter, putting up eight points on a pair of 3-pointers. It wasn’t enough to keep up with the red-hot Lutheran offense, however.
In the end, Belvidere fell by a score of 60-45. Pierson led the Bucs in scoring with 18 points. LaBeau was right behind her with 15. Much like the second quarter, the Bucs didn’t find much offensive production outside of LaBeau and Pierson. Sternquist was the next leading scorer with six, and Beaudet had four. Kilah Vivian and Aldi each had one point in the loss.
Following the loss to Lutheran, the Bucs went on to suffer their fourth consecutive loss to a solid Guilford team. Belvidere snapped the losing streak on Jan. 6, when they took on the Freeport Pretzels. It was a close first half, but the Bucs had an impressive third quarter, outscoring Freeport 17-10.
That was just enough for the Bucs to hold on for a 53-48 victory, improving their record to 10-9 on the year. The Bucs will be back in action on Jan. 16, when they travel to take on the Jefferson J Hawks. Jefferson got off to an 8-11 start in their first nineteen games of the season.
