NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The undefeated season continues for the (RV) Bethel Pilots (6-0) as they defeated the Holy Cross Saints (2-4) 76-56 at McKenna Arena Friday night.
Al Peciulis scored 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting (63%) and grabbed six boards. Luke McBride was the next top shooter with 15 points on 5-for-8 (62%). Preston Phillips scored 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the floor and 1-for-1 from beyond the arc. Phillips also had a team-leading seven rebounds.
The Pilots did not rely on the triple, as they shot 3-for-9 as a team from beyond the arc. However, they shot 57% from the floor (28-for-29) and collected 44 points in the paint. The Saints turned the ball over 10 times throughout the night, from which BU scored 16 of its 76 points.
The opening five minutes of the game was ridden with turnovers from both sides and kept the game within a one-possession lead for the Pilots and nearly gave away the lead at 14:19 (9-8 BU) and 13:42 (11-10 BU).
In the following possession, Preston Phillips split a pair at the line at 12:46, Austin Cripe splashed a triple at 10:26, then Jameir Jefferson split a pair of free throws to jump to a 6-point 16-10 lead.
Phillips hit a three at 7:19 for the Pilots’ first double-digit lead of 23-12, then ended the first half with a 14-point 37-23 advantage.
Trent Edwards knocked down a turnaround jumper at 16:45, building the lead to 45-24, but the Saints began to chip down the lead with a 12-2 run to bring the game to 47-36 at 12:28.
The Saints brought the game back down to a nine-point gap at 8:07 but the Pilots took the game over with an 11-2 run capped by a slam by Peciulis at 4:51.
Bethel secured their sixth consecutive win this season after the 76-56 result against Holy Cross and prepare for the Crossroads League opener against the Goshen Maple Leafs at home for the US Highway 20 Cup on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m.