Rebecca Balmas scored 12 of her game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter on Tuesday afternoon, as the Hermon Hawks defeated John Bapst 59-50 in a Class B girls basketball game played at Hermon High School.
The Crusaders jumped out an 11-7 lead after one quarter, before the Hawks responded with a 16-10 second period to take a slight 23-21 advantage at the break. John Bapst was hot from the three-point arc in the third, as CC Higgins and Madelyn Peters both knocked in two from deep as the guests had a 39-38 lead heading to the fourth. Hermon opened the fourth quarter on a run of 7-2 to jump back in front for good. Along with the 12 points from Balmas in the final eight minutes, Abbie Bradstreet also came up big with two key baskets and Mya Lancaster also buried a timely three-pointer.
Bradstreet added 19 points (13 in the second half) in the Hermon win. Lancaster had six points, Lila Ryan chipped in five, while Maddie Tracy and Brooklyn Kelley contributed four and three points respectively. The Hawks are now 5-2 and play at Presque Isle on Saturday afternoon. Julia Goodine led John Bapst with 15 points, while Higgins and Peters each hit three 3-pointers and had 11 points a piece. Hailee Dearborn put in eight points. The Crusaders fall to 3-5 and will play at Messalonskee on Friday night.
