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TRAVERSE CITY - Bellaire jumped out to a 20-4 first quarter lead en route to eliminating Posen 67-60 in the regional semifinals at Traverse City Central on Monday night.

"We were hustling, and we were aggressive," senior Matt Dreves said after the game about Bellaire's impressive first quarter.

Dreves and teammate Sean Payne combined to hit three 3-pointers in the second quarter, each coming on the heels of a Posen basket.

The duo also iced the game down the stretch for the Eagles at the free throw line.

"Payne and Dreves do a good job for us," Bellaire head coach Stan Sexton told reporters after the game. "They hit Ôem under pressure."

Another key figure for the Eagles on Monday night was senior forward Brad Guy, who scored several points on breakaway baskets that often came after he got the steal himself.

Guy had three breakaway layups in the first quarter alone and had 10 points at half.

Bellaire led at the break 36-20.

However, the Eagles would desperately need that big cushion in the second half as Posen came storming back, cutting the lead to 48-40 after three quarters and coming within five points early in the fourth quarter.

"We knew they (Posen) were going to answer, and they did," Sexton said.

"We came out of halftime flat," Dreves said. "Nothing was clicking." But each time Posen threatened, Bellaire responded with a big play.

After Posen cut it to five with 7:45 left in the fourth, Guy responded for the Eagles with a 3-pointer.

The Eagle defense also stiffened up in the final period, holding Posen without a basket for almost four minutes.

Posen had their last gasp with 1:32 to play with the ball and down 59-51. They couldn't convert, however, and the ball went back to Bellaire.

Payne and Dreves made their free throws in the end to seal the deal.

"We've had a lot of close games," Dreves said about performing under pressure. "It's pretty routine for us."

Also coming up huge for Bellaire was Ryan Hebden, who grabbed an offensive rebound on one of the rare missed free throw attempts at the end of the game.

Guy led the Eagles with 23 points. Payne added 18 points, Hebden knocked down 13, and Dreves hit for 10.

Posen's Jordan Hincka led all scorers with 27 points. Paul Kroll added 21.

"Dreves did a nice job on 22 (Hincka)," Sexton said. "I know he got (27) points, but he (Dreves) made him work for them."

The Eagles now turn their attention to Leland (20-4), who beat Mio in Monday's nightcap, 83-59.

Before the Leland and Mio game tipped off, the Eagles said they were ready for either team in the finals.

"We'll take whoever wins," Sexton said. "Leland has a nice ball club with a lot of depth."

"We're excited for the regional championship," Dreves said. "It doesn't matter who wins (Leland or Mio); we're going to win anyway."

Bellaire and Leland square off tonight (Wednesday) at Traverse City Central.