TWO TOUGH ROAD LOSSES FOR MEN'S BASKETBALL AS THEY TRAVELED TO TAKE ON MOUNT ST. JOSEPH AND BLUFFTON

Game 1: Berea Falls to Mount St. Joseph 84-77
Location: Cincinnati, OH
In a competitive showdown, the Mountaineers faced Mount St. Joseph, ultimately losing 84-77 despite a season-high 31 points from Trey Minter. The first half saw a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading layups and deep twos. As the Lions began to pull away, Bryce Riley hit a crucial three-point shot, followed by Minter sinking a jump shot. Jae'dyn Gist capped off the run with a jumper and a high-flying dunk that brought Berea within 1 point. However, a timely three from Mount St. Joseph shifted the momentum.

Bryce Riley was sent to the free-throw line after a foul, and Minter's subsequent three-pointer gave the Mountaineers the lead. The half concluded with Marquis Mackey's rebound and put-back layup, giving Berea a 44-42 advantage at halftime.

Coming out of the locker room, the Mountaineers initially surged to a 15-point lead. However, the momentum shifted again as the Lions responded with a three-pointer from both Trey Minter and Ja'Rel Montgomery, cutting the lead to just 1 point. In the closing moments, Berea's attempts to foul proved fruitless as they fell on the road with a final score of 84-77.

Game 2: Berea Narrowly Edged by Bluffton 77-73
Location: Bluffton, OH
The Mountaineers faced another tough contest, this time against Bluffton, missing the presence of Demetris Phillips on the court, ultimately dropping the game 77-73. Berea started strong, hitting three early three-point buckets from Ja'Rel Montgomery and Bryce Riley, putting the team on the scoreboard effectively. However, the Beavers fought back with several scores and took the lead with a layup. A dunk and another three-pointer extended Bluffton's advantage.

Despite strong efforts from Andrew Jones and Trey Minter, who both connected on three-pointers late in the first half, the Beavers maintained their lead heading into halftime. In the second half, Berea capitalized on Bluffton's missed opportunities, with Marquis Mackey tying the game at 45. Jones then hit another three, giving the Mountaineers a brief 7-point lead.

As the game progressed, Bluffton steadily chipped away at the lead with several layups. In the closing minutes, the game concluded with a few fouls and missed opportunities for Berea, leaving them with a narrow 77-73 defeat.

Summary:
Records for the Week: 2 losses
Key Players: Trey Minter, Bryce Riley, Ja'Rel Montgomery, Marquis Mackey
Next Game: Berea will seek to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming contests.