Wildcats Give Up Lead but Rally to Beat Bearcats

MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcats extended their nine-point (38-29) halftime lead to 12 at 46-34 with 17 minutes left in the second half Thursday afternoon but the visiting Brescia Bearcats rallied to tie the game at 74.

 Yassine Zlitni hit two free throws and followed with a basket to give Bethel a 78-74 advantage. The Wildcats would hold to beat the Bearcats 85-81.

The game was played before a packed house in Crisp Arena with hundreds of area school children joining Bethel fans to root on the Wildcats. 

Bethel improved to 9-5 while Brescia dropped to 2-3.

The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the floor while Brescia shot 42 percent. Both teams had chances from the free throw line. Bethel was 18-of-28 while the Bearcats hit 19-of-25 attempts from the stripe. Bethel had a 40-32 margin in rebounding. Bethel had a 33-15 margin in bench points.

Bethel's Dwight Reed started the game and scored 17 points. Querrion Gadson popped in a team high 18 points.  Connor Guthrie came off the bench with 13 points. Zlitni finished in double figures with 11 points.

Taeron Hogg had a game high 26 points for the Bearcats.

Coach Jeff Britt commented, "We knew this would be a tough game. Brescia has a good team. We certainly were not pleased to give up the lead, but our guys found a way to win there at the end. We will give our guys some time off for the holidays and get them back in at the close of the month and be prepared for a good Williams Baptist on January 4. Thanks to the area schools and all those that made it a great atmosphere. Our kids loved it."