Heritage Christian Academy dug out of early hole but didn’t have enough in the tank for a second straight night of late game heroics as they fell 65-61 to Belmont Christian Academy Tuesday at Warrior Gym.
The Leitchfield school jumped out to a 12-0 lead over the Warriors. However, HCA answered with a 10-2 run to claw back into the contest before the end of the opening quarter.
Belmont used a 14-3 run to take a 34-19 lead midway through the second quarter. Elijah Britton, who won the game for HCA Monday at South Haven with a bucket in the waning seconds, hit a 3-pointer just before the halftime horn to bring the Warriors to within 40-27.
Derek Wadlington scored five straight points in the third quarter to bring HCA to within 43-40. The sophomore finished with 24 points and seven rebounds, scoring 13 points in the second quarter.
Heritage completed the comeback in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 53 and 55. Belmont had one last run in them, using a 10-2 run to take a 63-55 lead with 2:19 left. HCA got to within 64-61 with 11 seconds left, but Belmont hit 1-of-2 free throws with nine seconds left to seal the win.
In addition to Wadlington, Carlos Robles scored in double figures with 18 points, and Britton added 13 points.
John Michael Lasiter led Belmont Christian with 31 points.
The game was originally scheduled to be played in Leitchfield, but Belmont had trouble securing game officials so the game was moved to Hopkinsville.
Heritage Christian will travel to Cornerstone Christian Academy in Shelbyville Saturday.
Belmont Christian 16 24 9 16—65
Heritage Christian 10 17 15 19—61
Belmont Christian – Lasiter 31, Phelps 22, Givens 6, Meredith 4, White 2
Heritage Christian (3-17) – Wadlington 25, Robles 18, Britton 13, Folz 2, Powell 2, Crunk 1
