It took a bad 4:13 of the third quarter to end the Bethlehem Banshees season in the 2022 KHSAA State Girls Basketball tournament, but Bullitt East was able to take advantage of that and were able to knock off the Banshees in the first round at Rupp Arena, 67-50.
Some pointed to this game as one of the better matchups of the first round as the two teams had met last season in the first round of the 2021 KHSAA State Tournament and Ella Thompson (25-points) and Carlie Thurmond (18-points) were able to outscore Gracie Merkle’s (18-point) effort.
This time around it was a little different as the Lady Chargers got a great start to the third quarter and outscored Bethlehem 14-7 to turn a two-point advantage into what would appear to be an eventual 17-point win.
Still, it was far from easy for the team which would eventually end the season as the State Runner-up to Sacred Heart.
However, it did look like it could be a runaway as Bullitt East jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first 4:03 of the first quarter behind Merkle’s four-points and Lilly Reid’s five-points, while Bethlehem was shooting blanks going 0-8 from the field.
It was Kasey Spalding, who broke the ice with a three and then Carlie Thurmond with another at 1:20 left in the quarter to cut into the deficit and then Bailey Bishop traded baskets with Reid to make it 11-8 going into the second quarter. Thurmond’s three-point play and then Emma Filiatreau’s two free thorws gave Bethlehem their first lead of the game at 13-11 with 2:30 left in the second, until Merkle tied it up with a layup.
Emma Egan’s basket put the Lady Chargers up 21-19 at the half.
Despite a slow start, the Banshees were still in it, but things were about to take a bad turn for them as the third quarter began as Bullitt East got two three’s from Reid and Merkle’s jumper put them up 31-21 quickly. Spalding’s old fashion three-point play cut into the lead (31-24), but Jada Hughes would score the next six points after a Thurmond layup chopped into the deficit again making it 37-26.
All told, Bullitt East outscored Bethlehem 46-31 in the second half and always kept them at arm’s length as the game finally concluded. Merkle’s height and game along with Reid’s clutch shooting simply were too much in the end.
For Bethlehem head coach Jason Clark, it was a tough way to end their season, but unlike last season in which the Banshees were a team built for a deep run, this year’s version was vulnerable at times, but after a slow start, they came alive and finished the regular season strong on the way to their second straight 5th Region championship.
The Banshees will lose only two senior starters, but they were in many ways just as valuable as the two they lost last season. Spalding and Bishop were all purpose performers and helped fuel Bethlehem’s run.
The Banshee’s will return Thurmond, Filiatreau and Ashlyn Miles and there will be different names moving into the starting lineup during training camp.
The Banshees battle cry during the season was “Find A Way” and it will be interesting to see if Clark can do it again in 2023.
