MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The Crossroads League Tournament seedings have been decided after the No. 10 Bethel Pilots (21-7, 14-4) defeated the Taylor Trojans (14-14, 7-11) on Senior Day.
Bethel is set for a rematch with the Trojans on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in the Gates Gymnasium. The Pilots hold the second seed and the Trojans seventh.
Trent Edwards ended his final regular season game in the Gates Gymnasium with 21 points on 10-16 shooting from the floor, six assists, and four rebounds, joining James Anderson, who had 16 points on 6-7 shooting and six rebounds. Preston Phillips dropped 12 points on 6-10 shooting from the field and three assists.
The Pilots took advantage of 23 points off Taylor’s 18 turnovers, while the Pilots turned the ball over 13 times, but the Trojans only took four points off turnovers.
Bethel jumped to a 15-6 lead after Austin Cripe’s layup at 12:20, but both sides traded buckets, with Alonas Peciulis scoring off the glass at 10:46 to make it 17-8.
Taylor battled to a one-possession difference at 9:10 with Kobe Funderburk’s triple to make it a 21-19 game, a 13-2 Trojan run.
Taylor took a one-point advantage from a triple by Izaiah Day with 3:43 to go in the opening half, but Luke McBride erased the TU lead with a triple at 3:19, 26-24.
With the game tied 26 all with 2:36 left in the half, Anderson threw down a two-handed jam, followed by a layup off the glass for Edwards, 30-26 BU, and went into halftime up 32-28.
Taylor took a 44-41 lead at 14:05 in the second half from a pair of free throws by Chaz Harvey, preceded by a triple by Kaden Fuhrmann at 15:12.
Edwards tied the game 45 all at 12:13 from a layup, then Edwards stole the ball from Jackson Ullom to assist Beau Jacquay in a statement dunk at 11:59, 47-45 BU.
Bethel gained a two-possession lead at 8:19, with Phillips finishing off the glass, 58-52, then hit a big run to climb to 65-53 at 6:36 to go in regulation.
The Pilots held on to the double-digit lead to finish the regular season with an 80-67 win over Taylor in the Gates Gymnasium.
Bethel prepares for a rematch with the Taylor Trojans on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. in the Gates Gymnasium for the Crossroads League Tournament Quarterfinal.