BELLAIRE - Buckeye Trail High won’t get a chance to defends its Class 3A title after dropping a tough 49-45 decision to No. 1 seed Bellaire in the OVAC Wheeling Hospital Class 3A Girls Basketball Tournament semifinal game played at the Bellaire Middle School gymnasium on Tuesday.

It was a nail-biter from start to finish, with Bellaire managing a narrow 11-10 lead after one quarter and using a 10-9 edge in the second round to claim a 21-19 upperhand at the halftime break.

Each side tacked on 16 points in the third chapter to keep Bellaire in front, 37-35, heading to the final frame and it was a one-point game into the final minute (41-40) before Trail was forced to fould and the Lady Reds cashed in four times at the charity stripe to secure the victory.

Bellaire (19-2) receive a game-high 18 points from Ciarra Davis while Natalie Stoner and Katrina Davis provided the top support with nine and eight markers, respectively.

Buckeye Trail (12-5) got 17 tallies from Jenni Carmichael; 12 from Sam Canner and nine from Hanna Smith.

Bellaire connected on 18-of-47 field goal attempts and 10-of-16 free throws while Trail was 18-of-51 from the floor and 6-of-11 at the charity stripe.

The Lady Warriors collected 39 rebounds, led by Canner with 13 and Carmichael with 11; had 10 assists with Carmichael handing out four; and 11 steals, with Hannah Smith collecting three.

Trail was charted with 24 turnovers to 19 for Bellaire.

Bellaire plays No. 2 seed Wheeling Central in the Class 3A championship game Saturday at 12:15 p.m. at Ohio University Eastern.

NEXT—Buckeye Trail hosts Garaway in its home finale Wednesday, with the Inter-Valley Conference action starting with the JV game at 6 p.m. The Lady Warriors will then visit Fort Frye in the third/fourth place OVAC Class 3A consolation game Thursday, with the reserve game at 6 p.m.

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